Happy Birthday, America!

Today we celebrate our nation’s birthday so I resurrected today’s tribute from previous years.

Many folk use this day not only to honor America but also to celebrate with family and friends together. The Gator clan will be having its cookout shortly after noon. Celebrations will be held about anytime from noon on and many folks will head out for some spectacular fireworks demonstrations.

There is one new addition to the celebratory time this year.  Maine now has a law allowing the sales and use of consumer fireworks.  Many, I dare say most, cities and towns took advantage of a provision of the law to  ban both sales and use; but sales are allowed in my town of Scarborough and there are two fireworks stores in town.  However, the setting off of the works are restricted in our town to five days a year, one of which, of course, is today.  So on this Fourth of July, for the first time since 1949 consumer fireworks will be in use until shortly after midnight.  It will be interesting to see how this all turns out.  I do believe that consumer fireworks are just a little different than they were when I was a youngster in the '40s.  (Only folks past their 21st birthday can legally purchase of use firewalks under the new law.) 

On this day, we celebrate the 236th year of the Declaration of Our Independence from England. We thank and honor all those who have come before us and those during our time that have made sacrifices to make sure our Freedoms long endure. So on this day, let’s all join in and sing Irving Berlin’s immortal “God Bless America”:

God bless America, land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with the light from above

From the mountains To the prairies,

To the ocean white with foam

God bless America,

My home sweet home.

Happy Birthday, America!

Gator