FOURTH OF JULY
By
Inez McCollum
Fireworks on the evening of July 4 are always so exciting. When my husband and I first moved to Birmingham, (Alabama) we lived on the Southside below Vulcan. Our second floor apartment had a porch which we would stand on during the fireworks extravaganza. One had the feeling those various lights would fall on you.
Fireworks and Vulcan
When our first two sons were toddlers, we lived on the opposite side of Vulcan (Yep! The mooned side.). The fireworks display was even more exciting with those little boys. Our oldest son, Jay, was at my parents in the Gadsden area one Fourth of July. He would tear up occasionally and Mother knew he was missing those fireworks. After our third son was born and we relocated to Hoover, we would drive to a nearby location to observe the fireworks. Some years we actually parked outside that first apartment on the Southside.
One year we were visiting my husband’s sister and her family during the Fourth of July. They lived in the Champaign/Urbana cities of Illinois. We drove to the University of Illinois and sat on a beautiful grassy section to enjoy the fireworks. It was really a beautiful display; but couldn’t top the Red Mountain display.
From my childhood through the years of our children, a cook out and a freezer of home made ice cream were in order for the Fourth of July celebration. 
Actually there was no cookout when I was a child. (that came later.) Mother always cooked a big platter of fried chicken. My Dad usually would bring ears of corn in from his garden to be cooked. Mother made cream style corn that I have a craving for to this day. We did have the freezer of ice cream for dessert.
The Independence Day is never complete without some of those beautiful patriotic songs. One that I especially enjoy is “God Bless America.” A few weeks ago someone sent me an e-mail with a video attached. The video was of Kate Smith singing “God Bless America” for which she was well known. The song sent chills up my spine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJo7x9y3D4
Whatever your Independence Day traditions, enjoy!
