Safe and Sane
I am so sick of fireworks it isn't even funny... People around here start shooting them off around June 25th. Every single night: Boom, Crack, Whoosh! It's like a war zone.
I like the pyrotechnics as much as the next guy, but two weeks worth? That's overkill. Especially late at night when my kids are trying to sleep. Fireworks are great around the 4th, and I don't mind them as early as the 1st. But before that? Seriously, if you can't satisfy your need to blow stuff up within those four days, then you have a problem.
We bought a "safe and sane" package of fountains and sparklers, then set them off in the street -- a tradition since I was a little kid when our neighborhood would come alive with families, smoke, and that curiously wonderful sulphur smell. Anyway, we had a good time creating our own cute little fireworks display. The kids plugged their ears and shrieked and clapped their hands.
Then one of our neighbors decided to put us in our place, whipping out the heavy artillery he picked up down the highway on the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation. So we watched the illegal display of aerial fireworks, marveling at the irony that these same people have turned in several of their fellow neighbors for animal and construction infractions. I hate hypocrites.
Later on, an even bigger and more impressive display was seen over Lake Coeur d'Alene with the city's yearly fireworks show:
Click the picture for a larger image
Capping off the night, God got into the act, unleashing a spectacular lightning storm that moved through the area, putting us all to shame with its power and fury. It was a fitting way to finish off the Independence Day celebration.
Check out this amazing set of photos of tonight's lightning storm, taken by Flickr member iamjosh.
I like the pyrotechnics as much as the next guy, but two weeks worth? That's overkill. Especially late at night when my kids are trying to sleep. Fireworks are great around the 4th, and I don't mind them as early as the 1st. But before that? Seriously, if you can't satisfy your need to blow stuff up within those four days, then you have a problem.
We bought a "safe and sane" package of fountains and sparklers, then set them off in the street -- a tradition since I was a little kid when our neighborhood would come alive with families, smoke, and that curiously wonderful sulphur smell. Anyway, we had a good time creating our own cute little fireworks display. The kids plugged their ears and shrieked and clapped their hands.
Then one of our neighbors decided to put us in our place, whipping out the heavy artillery he picked up down the highway on the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation. So we watched the illegal display of aerial fireworks, marveling at the irony that these same people have turned in several of their fellow neighbors for animal and construction infractions. I hate hypocrites.
Later on, an even bigger and more impressive display was seen over Lake Coeur d'Alene with the city's yearly fireworks show:
Click the picture for a larger image
Capping off the night, God got into the act, unleashing a spectacular lightning storm that moved through the area, putting us all to shame with its power and fury. It was a fitting way to finish off the Independence Day celebration.
Check out this amazing set of photos of tonight's lightning storm, taken by Flickr member iamjosh.
Permalink posted by Idaho Dad at 10:54 PM
7 Comments:
I agree Phil. It's here the case by October the Christmas decorations comes out all over the place, it's hardly over and 'back to school' displays are every where, shortly followed by Valentine's day and it's also just over and Easter Eggs fill the shelves. You feel like saying Hellooow people it's not even that month yet. I suppose it's all about the mighty dollar.
Nice photo's though, we like fireworks displays as well, but all in moderation.
Awesome picture! Don't forget the weeks following a holiday holding the random pops and snaps of bottle-rockets and black cats. I'm with you, 4 days is plenty after that I'm just plain sick of it.
It was oddly quiet this whole firecracker season in our neighborhood.
Many years ago I remember buying "gentle" fireworks with no bangers or loud noises not wanting to scare our then 3yo daughter. Result- tearful child asking where the bangs had gone. She's still the same now she's a teenager -the louder the better whether it be music, TV or even shutting the car door!
Our new neighborhood has been pretty good about the firecrackers. They didn't start until the 2nd and I'm still hearing the occasional "snap", "crackle" and "pop", but they seem to be coming from houses further away. In our first house the street we lived on was plagued by teenagers who would set off firecrackers in our driveway in the middle of the night, no matter the time of year. Drove me nutty, especially after the birth of our son. Because you know, I really needed less sleep than I was already getting.
It's been oddly quiet today, the 5th... Could it be that everyone set off their entire stash last night? Or is this just the calm before the storm?
A few years ago my son learned a valuable lesson when he saw a firecracker blow up in the hand of a teenage neighbor. The boy wasn't badly hurt, but it sure was scary. My son still talks about "that boy who wasn't careful with fireworks!"
I love the way you stated that God got into the act putting you all to shame. Nothing can ever compare to His glory no matter how hard we try, can it?
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