4th of July past and present

My concrete memories of the 4th started in VT when I was 10, and we "drove east" to spend the summer on Gardiner Island on Lake Champlain. We moved permanently to VT the next summer. Obviously there were celebrations in Colorado and a picture taken of snow on July 4th in Yampa Colorado, where our ranch was at 8000 feet in the Rockies, but the solid ones were after 10 years of age.

We owned the Island with my Dad's parents and his sister's family and we owned it for about 12 years. Many summer memories were made there.

Daddy LOVED fireworks! We once asked him what his favorite holiday was and he said, "July 4th!"

"More than Thanksgiving?"

"Yup!"

"More than Christmas?"

"Yup!"

"More than your birthday, or father's day?"

"Yup, yup!"

The week before the 4th, Daddy would drive the station wagon over to Jaffrey NH, from the Island, and pick up his order of fireworks. One of us would accompany him. As a kid, I remember the entire back of the car being filled with fireworks. We loaded up the Katy Budgy, our wooden boat that was our transportation to the Island, and moved the stash of fireworks, to the flag pole near the outside grill on the Island. I think they were covered with a tarp until dusk on the 4th.

As dusk was approaching the "army" or in our naval family, the "navy" of kids were put to work. I remember one year my job was to stamp out the embers with a broom, while watching the explosions overhead.

Boats on the Lake started to hear about the Gardiner Island fireworks, and many would come and anchor, and watch them, tooting their horns at the end. Friends and acquaintances from the mainland would write thank you letters for the firework display. My grandfather was an Admiral in the navy, so many letters started with, "Dear Admiral Russell". Daddy did not seem to care that his Dad got the credit. He just loved fireworks, and loved setting them off for others to enjoy.

As I stood with my family watching the fireworks tonight a tear crept into my eye for Daddy. He would have loved the fireworks, and our family games, and the round of golf, and the grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. July 4th is one of my favorite holidays too. It is about summer, and family and food, and games and the wonderment of a fireworks display.

A few of us tonight said as we stood and watched, "it does not get much better than this". It doesn't!


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