Independence Day Above the Clouds

On the Fourth of July I donned red, white, and blue. My 'roommates' and I had a picnic on my bed. I watched fireworks. It was a relaxing and subdued affair...

But on the fifth of July, Zach, Marit, and I traversed to Woodland Park for the Symphony Above the Clouds celebration...

Zach scouted out our seats for us, and then went off exploring. Pretty soon he came back to tell us that he had found the canons for the 1812 Overture. So we stumped off to see them...

When we came back to our blanket, who had planted themselves next to us in that vast array of people? None other than most of the Myers family!

While they ate their supper, we took turns reading from The Old Squire's Farm, a story called 'An Embarrassing 4th of July'. 

Then we all decided to go look at the canons and move our blankets by the stage next to them, so we could see them when they fired later on. One of the servicemen was kind enough to explain how the canons worked, and even took one apart so we could see how it loaded. The canons were last used in WWII, and each would have been pulled by four mules.

 We listened to Celtic music as the sun went down, its final rays illuminating Pikes Peak in a gentle golden-orange light. 

Then came the orchestra, to play all sorts of Patriotic ensembles and some modern music (from Frozen and Star Wars to the Beatles and the Music Man). This is us listening to the symphony (yes, Marit made that awesome-sauce Lego necklace - she makes earrings, too):

In vain have I attempted to upload the video of the canons firing during a practise run... Alas, I cannot get it to work. Know that it was ear-splitting and grand. 

I may have been dressed for Independence Day on the fourth, but I felt American–and proud to be so–on the fifth. Being with the Myers family (and Zach and Marit, who are like siblings), reading an old-fashioned story, the smell of hotdogs on the grill, the sound of children running 'round, the sulphur scent of the canons, and the sinking golden sun–all surrounded by patriotic music and fireworks–felt like home.

~ Johanna