Even after all these years, the Fourth Of July is still exciting… still special! First of all, as a kid you cannot help but notice that this grandest of occasions… occurs in the warm throws of Summer Vacation. Summer… hanging with your buds… swimming… staying up late… really digging the long days… driving, if you’re old enough to drive… all that stuff and more. When I was a kid, I wasn’t burdened by overt thoughts of patriotism, or criticism of patriotism. Life was simple in an odd way. I was a second generation American with an odd name in a time when odd names singled you out for bullying and the like. I accepted that for the way it was and even as a skinny kid (what happened to that skinny kid?) I learned to be tough and take care of myself. Anyway, when it came to America, the Stars And Stripes and of course, the Fourth Of July… that’s just who we were. My Dad and his two brothers fought in WWII as most parents of kids my age did… Our identity was simple in those days.

Back to the present… The Fourth Of July still means so much to me. Last night Vanessa, Izze, Zach and I jumped into my pickup truck (what’s more American than that?) and drove down to the Ohio River, to Middleport for the annual fireworks display on the river.

Vanessa sets up to take some pictures of me and the kids

Vanessa sets up to take some pictures of me and the kids

Now I know all around the U.S.of A. in the large urban areas, there are mind boggling fireworks displays… The Big Dogs have lots of money to throw around and the fireworks displays reflect that. Here in a small town, everyone competes for the coolest display… and Middleport has one of the best! Down on the river we could be relatively close to the launching barges and the sound of the big mortars echoed back and forth across the river to the West Virginia side. What a sound!

Zach, Dad & Izze

Zach, Dad & Izze

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

Yeah, we got down to the river a just before launch time and parked in a pharmacy parking lot with a bunch of cars, motorcycles and trucks… but it just couldn’t be better… Families, kids… some pets… vehicles of all sorts… Really good stuff! Small town America shows its colors proudly. Simple, and for a moment… pure.

The display lasted for thirty five great minutes…

NIce... very nice!

NIce... very nice!

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

As the last echoes faded of the Ohio River…Nessa and kids and I drove back to Pomeroy by the Mason Bridge past the Veteran’s Outreach Center and on the back roads to Hillside Farm where Maverick the Dog and Zammy the Cat were waiting for us.

Good times with the family…

Happy Birthday America! Happy Birthday!


Comments

  1. Comment made on July 8, 2015 by Matt

    Very nice. Happy 4th of July.

  2. Comment made on July 5, 2015 by Carlo Pagliano

    Just so beautiful.
    Rock Them Inky Tonight Jorma!

  3. Comment made on July 5, 2015 by Mark K

    It just goes to show you that true values in life, still mean a lot to so many.
    Having raised two step-children to adulthood as good human beings was the best thing I ever did. Family is what you make of it and anyone should be proud to have you as a Father. The look on you face being with your wonderful children says it all. As for me just another Sunday with the young men who don’t have it any near as well as they should. However the icing on the cake is a road trip to Connecticut with Donna for Hot Tuna Show coming up soon, for me it doesn’t get much better than that. Now that’s Nice

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