Besty's reflection: Fourth of July fireworks
Living the Country Life Radio Program with Betsy Freese
There's a tiny little town south of us that has the best fireworks display for Independence Day. I load the kids in the van every Fourth of July and head down there.
There isn't much to the town except a meat locker, veteran's hall, convenience store, and ball field. But on the Fourth of July, the whole town, and nearby farm communities, fire up for a big celebration. There's a parade down Main Street and a flea market at the town park. And that night, there's a huge fireworks show by the baseball field.
We go early in the evening to get a good spot in the outfield grass. Most people sit back in the infield area, but we like to get as close to the action as possible. I take several blankets to spread out in the grass, and a book to read while we wait for it to get dark. The kids bring a football or a Frisbee to toss back and forth.
Some families bring sparklers to light, and the acrid smoke drifts across the field. ''Don't run with those!" I always want to say to the little kids streaking around the grass waving the sizzling metal rods.
The concession stand sells ice cream, popcorn and cold drinks. As the sun goes down, the grass cools off and a layer of dew forms on the bottom of our blankets.
When the last glow of light drops below the western cornfield, a tracer shoots into the sky. The crowd, now hundreds strong, cheers.
Fireworks shoot up from two locations down the hill. The largest displays arc high over our heads, and bits of soot and ash reign down on our faces and hair. Sometimes, even chunks of cardboard casings fall on our blankets. I doubt this country fireworks show is totally safe, but it sure is fun!
After the boom, boom, boom, great-guns, whiz-bang finale, the lights to the ballpark snap on and we pick up our blankets and make our way back to the car. Then we creep our way out of town with the windows down, listening to smaller fireworks going off in backyards. Once out of town, it's nothing but cornfields and beanfields with cool, summer air streaming in the windows. What a perfect night.
Read more of Betsy's adventures in her blog.