FIREWORKS!!!
6Post photos of your fireworks.
Our area had fireworks yesterday (which I missed as I didn’t know about them), today (7/3) and will have them tomorrow.
Tonight was in the baseball stadium and I was sitting practically behind home plate so had a great view although had to really tilt my head back. Didn’t think about sitting up high in the stadium so I wouldn’t have to (that explains the pole and netting that show up in the photos).
Definite advantage to wear a mask near the end as smoke was blowing our way (so the mask helped with that) and bits and pieces were raining down on us.
Going to go to the ones tomorrow too! Yea!
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Gorgeous! They canceled ours back when they were uncertain about Covid, and there wasn’t time to get things set back again by the time the restrictions were lifted.
@Kyeh Here too. Sure did set off a lot of people!
I can remember one year in International Falls in the early 80’s. They had a fireworks display and for some reason they were ALL short rounds. City ended up having to shell out for a ton of cars that had damage to finish, vinyl roofs, etc from the hot cinders that rained down on them… luckily the wind was blowing away from the spectator section.
@chienfou One year I was working on a schooner in Norfolk and the firework pieces were still hot when they landed on the boat. We were running around the rigging flicking them off.
@chienfou @Kidsandliz
{Raptor noises}
- TC
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @therealjrn come on now, there is no need for bullying or name calling. Don’t make me bring out my whip!!!
@chienfou Ifalls? You lived in iFalls, MN?
Home of Bronco Nagurski and Tammy Faye Baker!
@transplant
Yep. Oldest kid was born there in 1980!
Yes, it is from fireworks, it happened every year (except 2020).
And no, not from private persons doing illegal or legal personal fireworks. It’s from the City fireworks show where I used to live.
@Cerridwyn wth
@tinamarie1974
First, it’s hotter than hell normally here. Second, there is this drought thing. Well, even before that, they set the off the highest point in the city, and sparks fall down and ignite something. The palm tree is just flashy newspaper bait. Unlike the times they caught the actual mountain (cough) on fire. And yes, they have. Go City Peeps.
I don’t live there anymore, not for years, but close enough it makes the news. We will see what the night brings
@Cerridwyn that is terrible. Where about was this?
@Cerridwyn holy crap!!!
@tinamarie1974
Riverside California
the “mountain” is Mount Rubidoux
Looking up the correct spelling, it appears the finally moved them this year.
A bit about the history, I can’t read it, paywalled as I’ve been on the site too much without paying for it, lol
https://www.pe.com/2017/06/29/will-fireworks-set-riversides-mount-rubidoux-ablaze-this-4th-of-july/
@Cerridwyn that is crazy, I feel like they need to stop the fireworks or maybe switch to drones instead.
@Cerridwyn @tinamarie1974 I was in Riverside at a carillon conference at the university once. Didn’t even SEE that there were mountains due to the air pollution. Then there was a light rain and I saw there were mountains (and a few days later the desert bloomed which was so incredibly amazing). I am surprised they do it there since how can you even see them unless you are right there on the mountain due to the air pollution? Or can you see them from far away (eg not on the mountain)?
I remember flying OH to WA on the 4th and saw all sorts of fire works shows from the window. They looked so small from 30,000 feet. It was kind of cool. It would have been nice to see the mountain top fireworks from backyards down below.
@Cerridwyn @Kidsandliz @tinamarie1974
{Senseless screaching}
Knock it off, @therealjrn.
You’ve been told by multiple people in multiple threads to knock off your repeated cyber-stalking, cyber-bullying, and unwarranted slander targeting @Kidzandliz.
I would be happy to join in with others to escalate to snapster asking to boot you if that’s what it takes to remove your toxicity from our community if you cannot manage self-restraint without assistance. Maybe take a break until you’re feeling better.
CC Volmods:
@Ignorant @RiotDemon @ThumperChick @Narfcake
@Cerridwyn A quote from the article: City Councilman Mike Gardner recalled that, about six or seven years ago, firefighters used controlled burns to clear vegetation before July 4.
“There wasn’t a fire and everyone yelled at the fire department.”
@blaineg
Maybe that year.
I’ve watched it burn on July 4th myself
Old, but still good.
@PooltoyWolf too bad he doesn’t have an open mouth. He’d then be your fire breathing dog.
Is this view from your yard?
@Kidsandliz Naw, this was on a golf course in Georgia. Visiting friends for the 4th, years ago. I’m sure if I opened Fen’s mouth for him, the poor wolf would be flat pretty quick LOL!
@PooltoyWolf Well if they make one with an open mouth buy it as the potential for numerous photos would be numerous I’d imagine.
@Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf that is why the lawn is so pretty!!
@PooltoyWolf Meant to say humorous photos.
@PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 You too can have a nice lawn. Astroturf. When I lived in VA a handful of people did that and it looked a bit too even and nice (now though it would look nicer as that was in the last 80’s and very early 90’s and astro turf looks far more natural now). All they did was use a leaf blower to clean it up. I mostly had moss with pretty red flower things over the sandy soil in the front yard and this weird, dark green wiry stuff that hurt to walk barefoot on in the back that would nearly choke the lawnmower.
@Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974
@Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf I guess that is one way. I just fertilize, overseed and aerate a couple times a year. Seems to do the trick with no pesky plastic grass
@PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 I keep hoping for the grass that is thick, soft, green, nice, not friendly to weeds, drought resistant, and stops growing at 3 inches. Whomever figures out how to do that will make a fortunate.
@Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf I will buy stock in that company
@PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 Yeah seriously.
@Kidsandliz Agreed ;3
@Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974
I took the opposite tack. If it’s green, it gets mowed and I call it lawn. Wife has turned most of the property into plantings anyway!
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974
That’s kind of my approach too - I have a yard, not a lawn.
It’s full of a diverse population of plants but when I mow it, it looks acceptable to me.
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974
Unfortunately, grass is, by nature, tall. And the obession with monoculture “lawnscapes” is really a holdover from our colonial forefathers (and foremothers) who were admiringly trying to replicate the garden manicured lawns of the French palaces and Chateaux they saw visiting our French allies who help fund their “little revolution” against their English rivals.
So that’s my lame attempt at tying this into our July 4th celebration of Independence. Which wasn’t signed by the first congress until August 2nd. It was printed on July 4th, which is why that date is remembered.
Fun Fact: Who amng our country’s famous founding members didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence?
Answers: George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. Alexander Hamilton.
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @Kyeh @PooltoyWolf my front is a lawn, my back is a yard. Afraid to put down the weed n feed with the crazy fuzzy pup running around putting everything in his mouth. And it works out because the bees love the clover.
@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974
Yeah. I like that distinction of yard vs lawn. I definitely am a ‘yard guy’.
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @Kyeh @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 I actually prefer having clover in the yard. It holds the soil nicely, adds nitrogen naturally and it flowers. My dad said when he was doing landscaping, they used to mix clover into the grass seed on purpose. Definitely in the “yard” camp. Now if I could get yekoP to graze…
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 @ybmuG
I want to know if I can hire one of the goat herds that people “rent” to eat unwanted vegetation!
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @mike808 @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974
Actually, Jefferson did sign it. James Madison did not. Nor did John Jay.
@chienfou @Kyeh @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 My best friend, who lives in southern CA, put rocks and pebbles in her yard instead of grass. Then she has native, don’t need much water plants scattered around that yard. No lawn at all.
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @Kyeh @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 When I was young we had a house in the Poconos. My father had the wonderful idea of replacing the lawn with rocks so we didn’t have to worry about mowing it. Every summer we’d spend hours upon hours pulling weeds. Brilliant move dad, just brilliant.
@chienfou @cinoclav @Kidsandliz @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 Ouch!
@chienfou @cinoclav @Kidsandliz @mike808 @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 Hamilton was too busy writing notes that he was going to turn into a Broadway musical.
@chienfou @cinoclav @Kidsandliz @phendrick @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974
My bad. I thought Jefferson was too busy writing his script for Ken Burns and banging his 15-year old slave Sally Hemings (Jefferson was 45 at the time) while bullshitting about all men being created equal since he didn’t free a single one of them on his death, including his baby mama and her six kids, instead, handing them down to his white heirs.
@chienfou @cinoclav @Kidsandliz @Kyeh @PooltoyWolf sounds like your dad found a great way to keep the kids busy and out of his hair for hours!!
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @Kyeh @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 Screw that. We weren’t doing it unless he helped.
@chienfou @cinoclav @Kyeh @PooltoyWolf @tinamarie1974 We had to weed/pull grass between flag stones at the family farm. Very long path - at least 1/2 of a soccer field. Finally the adults got smart (I think they were tired of fighting with all their respective kids over doing this) and laid black plastic stuff under them and that stopped the need to weed that path.
Happy 4th to all my meh “friends”. Please stay safe out there. I am at work in the ER until 2315, but then off next week. So it’s bye-bye to central AL and hello to central FL to party for my BILs 60th birthday. Coincidently we will also celebrate the 6th anniversary of my 60th birthday the following day.
@chienfou
Have a great trip and birthday 🥳 !
@chienfou HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
@tinamarie1974 @kyeh
thanks. I’m looking forward to the trip. Hopefully this year I won’t get my luggage stolen at MCO!
@chienfou @tinamarie1974
!
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974
Also, hopefully Elsa won’t crash the party since we are set to fly in Tues evening!
@chienfou @tinamarie1974
Yikes, I hope not.
@chienfou What? You should be celebrating the 37th anniversary of turning 29. I mean really. You need to keep these things straight!
@chienfou Happy Birthday! Don’t do anything @carl669 wouldn’t do. (snicker)
@chienfou ignore @Kidsandliz. do all the things I would do!
@carl669 @chienfou Hehehehehe (grin). That is exactly what I said. I just said it as a double negative.
@carl669 @chienfou @Kidsandliz
Not exactly the same.
“Everything which is not forbidden is compulsory.” - T. H. White
No fireworks for us this year, we thought. The local parade and fireworks were canceled months ago when state .gov was waffling about opening up until it was too late to get permits and arrangements. And this being illannoy, residents are restricted to snap-pops and party poppers. County or local municipalities banned even sparklers years ago.
“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival…It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” - John Adams
“Fuck you. Do as you’re told.” Illannoy and crook county
“Fuck you!” - thousands of residents who buy fireworks elsewhere and celebrate anyway!
So I got to watch neighborhood fireworks after all, including some pretty big ones.
@duodec Apparently the bangers in Chicago took the “Guns” part to heart, anyway. 'Course, we got thugs here, too.
nice shots!
Lawrence, Kansas…
@Kidsandliz We had a pretty good one here tonight, I heard, but I couldn’t go, so enjoyed your pics vicariously.
Would you say the crowd was voting most of those as "Ooh"s or "Ahh"s?
@phendrick No idea. This was a good show though. 30 minutes although it was non-patriotic rap music in the background loud enough that the seat vibrated and even with ear plugs in it was still loud.
So the second show I went to - on the 4th - was 15 minutes and not nearly as creatively put together or good. Not much variety in the height, what was shot off ( think I caught all the different ones, yesterday had far more different ones)… But the music was better and it was fireworks which I always enjoy.
Actually the one a business set off, after this one was over, that I could see some of behind the Bass store (blocked much of it except the high ones) was much better - varied, creative, really pretty ones. Wish I had known about it as I would have gone there instead.
The bottom of this one is all that is left after the top one burns out (see the photo after this one). Hadn’t seen anyone do this effect before. Kind of cool.
Me and a buddy normally shoot them off individually one by one. This year we decided to put on a small show. First time playing around with fuse. This was around $800 worth. I was happy with how it turned out.
@lichme
for posting that! That’s incredible - better than some professional shows I’ve seen!
THANK YOU
@lichme Much much nicer than what I watched the night of the 4th!
We shoot them off from the top of the hill at the farm but not even remotely close to as nice as this.
@Kidsandliz I also live just down the street from the city show. We had several people stop by and compliment ours. The guy across the street spent 3x as much as me, got loud obnoxious fireworks and set them off all day starting at like 3pm, he had no show when it counted. He also did none of the cleanup that we spent doing for 8+ hours around the neighborhood. Same thing every year
@Kidsandliz @lichme One of the things I figured out was that people love mortar shells. So after a couple of years putting in with coworkers to have a bigger budget and buying power, we would visit a local fireworks manufacturer and negotiate for a volume purchase of 1-inch mortar shells.
Then we’d unpackage them, saving the tubes in one box and the mortar shells in buckets.
Then an old door (will be sacrificed for the show), a box of 2 inch wood screws, a pair of sawhorses, some charged up battery packs for cordless screwdrivers, and we were ready to go.
Set up the door on top of the sawhorses for a makeshift table. Screw down the mortar shells all along the edges.
Then the rule is “you load em, you light em”. They were unpacked earlier, so you could just grab a handful and start loading between rounds or on the other side of the table if you were brave.
You would be surprised how long it takes to set off 300 mortars. Even if you could load them fast enough to set off 10 at a time and once every minute that’s still over a half-hour show. Which is forever in fireworks shows.
Oh, and you just replace tubes that fail along the way, remove and screw down a replacement.
@Kidsandliz @mike808 I was kicking myself for not saving the dozen excalibur tubes from the previous two years. I was gonna make a DIY rack this year and could have used them. Never thought about the door, that’s a good idea!
@Kidsandliz @lichme A scrap sheet of plywood will do as well. 2x4s aren’t stable enough and could tip over because the tubes make it top-heavy. Unless you made a frame out of them. We had an old door, so that’s what we used. It was big enough to load alternate sides or double up for a finale/mega-burst.
Portland, Oregon-Fireworks Bannination due to heat and extreme dryness.
@MAPinnick