It is a stirring and stunning investment in fireworks, certainly, in those states that can afford to allow it.

It is symbolic of events long ago in history...


THE: "Rockets bursting in air" were star shells set off to illuminate a target, which I think was Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor during the War of 1812. This is a phrase from the anthem "Star Spangled Banner" written by a prisoner on a ship offshore of the Fort, who witnessed the attack and composed the song about it - noting that the stars and bars still flew above the Fort through the night-time event.

He was a lawyer named Francis Scott Key

Here is a link to the wikipedia notes on it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner

But the roots go far deeper than that - what is your own understanding of it?


The United States of America were founded in 1776 - which predates 1812 considerably

 

What happened to make July the Fourth the official day of celebration of our country?

Was it the day the news got out to everyone?

Riders had to be flying down the roads north south and west...
But in those days we had no telephones, telegraphs, or any other means than the "POST" to spread the news

Colonial riders on whatever mounts they had got




We tend to forget that in the once upon days news didn't travel very fast, did it?
Only as fast as a horse could trod.

If you try to imagine life in those days, it paints a much different picture than what we have today.

The "CONESTOGA WAGON" was a new idea. Teamsters were wagon drivers who traveled through Indian country

Most travel was by foot...

Imagine if you had to walk to town today - HOW FAR IS IT? It looks much different in a car or truck.

Those are the people who created the "COLONIES"

I'm not willing to ride to town on a BICYCLE - it's just too far....

 

That's why in the area I live in you had the city of Greeneville, then the rest of Greene County (the second largest county by land mass, but only 60,000 people) was broken up into communities (over 20, with about 15 schools) and back in those days each community had a general store where everyone did their basic shopping they would go to town on occasion for their big shopping... And most of those general stores still stand today as gas stations/restaurants, and you can stop at any of them and get one of the best meals you've ever had for around $5...

 

I tell ya what - I'm damned glad to see one of my green tomaters turning red. I've been looking forward to that since february....

If it is purple inside it's a keeper!



One of these days I want to re-trace old route one up the east side of the country. Most of it is gone. Some of it you can only get to with permission of the new property owners. But out there are the remnants of the first roads automobiles drove on back in the day

I doubt I can do that without a lot of fishing around.


A long time ago (from what I read) old roads were established by "AUTOMOBILE CLUBS" and that is where a lot of the original roads came from. It was not until the national command authority realized that war mobility was an issue that funding came down to make "HIGHWAYS" an official thing, and it was from there that a network of travel came from

This is why route 66 seems to meander, but route 40 is a fast highway

It was intended from its inception to be a part of a rapid deployment system

Funny about that - to this day it is called the Eiesenhower highway, I think.

IT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST TO COMPLETE IT COAST TO COAST from what several people told me.


An "ASSET"?

Back in the long days before, dirt roads were common. Cars were built for that...

Think 1940 - 1950 era

Shortly before our parents began to seriously think about having BOMB SHELTERS built on their property, if they had the cash

I remember in the 1960's going to a red cross convention where they taught us all about radioactive contamination and how to survive it. They even gave out a handbook...

"How to render first aid and deal with radiological damage"
I think I was eight years old at the time, but I understood what it potentially meant.
The Soviets wanted to kill all of us...

My Mom took me there, it was in downtown San Diego


SO WE HAVE PROBLEMS THESE DAYS - BULLpoop!!!

As if we have never faced anything like this before. We don't quit

Fear is a funny thing, you stop thinking about it - how can you not and still continue on?


Now I am sure you think of me as a psychotic person, but you must remember: My brain continues to work even under the worst circumstances - when others have no idea what to do...

Mine looks for an answer, when others freeze

That's what getting punched in the face too many times does for you.


And that is where warfighters come from.


THESE are the people who gave us this land.

 

If I remember correctly, everyone that signed the Declaration Of Independence was caught by the British, killed, their families wealth was taken, and some of the families were also killed. Those people paid a very high price for our freedom. Those sacrifices continue to this day too, least we forget.

 

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_history.html

"On July 1, 1776, Congress reconvened. The following day, the Lee Resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies, New York not voting. Immediately afterward, the Congress began to consider the Declaration. Adams and Franklin had made only a few changes before the committee submitted the document. The discussion in Congress resulted in some alterations and deletions, but the basic document remained Jefferson's. The process of revision continued through all of July 3 and into the late morning of July 4. Then, at last, church bells rang out over Philadelphia; the Declaration had been officially adopted."