Friday, July 4, 2008

I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-C-E, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEAN?

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.
~John Adams

Ah, poor John Adams... so close to prescience... two days, in fact. I suppose that's closer than most of us will ever get.

On the wikipedia page, it says that Independence day in America is celebrated with 'Fireworks, Family Reunions, Concerts, Barbeques, Picnics, Parades, and Baseball Games'. I've done none of these things this year.

This is what our celebrations looked like:

  • Sit out on the porch and drink wine [I was sadly excluded from the wine part]
  • Have some blue cheese with a baguette
  • Read magazines like 'The New Republic' and 'The Economist'
  • Decide that North Carolina is too hot, and go indoors
  • Refill wine glasses
  • Watch old (1974) Doctor Who episodes as a family
  • Go back to work on a new painting.

I think my family might fail at Fourth of July. Perhaps we can redeem ourselves with some candles... they're sort of like fireworks.... except that they're stationary. Oh well. At least we're free to celebrate it our own way!

1 comment:

Coyte said...

Sitting on your porch kind of counts as a picnic...