{Originally posted two years ago, but the tradition is still going strong and ended with a yummy barbecue potluck at our club house. And we almost missed it because I was thinking it was going to be MONDAY!!}
Our neighborhood resurrected a years' old tradition last week, born of Mayberry and family and simpler times: a Fourth of July parade.
We don't have 76 trombones or 110 cornets or a thousand reeds, but we do have air horns and car horns and I think a kazoo or two.
Crowds don't fill the streets, but neighbors come out of their woodwork or brickwork to cheer for the red, white and blue…
Patriotically-embellished lawnmowers replace tissue-laden flatbeds, golf carts putter street-side instead of brobdingnagian floats suspended overhead, and characters aren't cartoonish giants, they're pint-sized or daddy-sized.
Slices of All American Apple Pie: John Deere tractors, Radio Flyer red wagons, Harley and Rolling Stone tee shirts on middle-aged men, and a little surrey with the fringe on top. They all bless my born-in-the-USA heart.
S i g h…how can you not love a home grown parade? Since we don't have a riding mower or a golf cart or a tractor, I figure I could still "participate" by taking pictures of those who do…although a few rabble rousers asked me if they needed to sign a release. To teach them a must-needed lesson, I added 10 pounds to their weight in Photoshop.
You can have your Macy's Thanksgiving Day or Rose Parade…I'll stick with the party in the 'hood :).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How do you celebrate Independence Day? Is this the quirky kind of thing you think of when you consider the South? If you live in a neighborhood, do y'all have any community get-togethers? If not, why not initiate a new tradition!!!
Happy Independence Day to you!
Great Blog!! Just visitinggg.. will be back soon.
and Happy 4th of July weekend 🙂
Jackie
http://www.sahmcity.net
Robin, we live in a little town, 1 mile square, right in the middle of the suburbs of Denver. We have our own parade, just like yours. It’s a blast. We don’t see our neighbors often, except for the 4th!! Our Parade has a color guard, fire engines, classic cars, horses and tractors. Then we all end at one home (we are all on large lots) and all the classic cars park, we look at them all, and have a great barbecue. Our 14-year-old will be roller blading in the parade, with her basket of candy to throw to the munchkins, of course!! Politicians and realtors are more than happy to provide food and entertainment and door prizes. The best of both worlds, the small city in the middle of the ‘burbs!! God Bless the USA.