Tag Archives: Independence Day

Moments #23: The 4th of July In My Town

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

During the summer, from May to July, one of our local churches plants flags across the town and hangs ribbons on the street signs.  It may not seem like much but it’s something that I look forward to every year.  It’s reminder that we’re more than just a location.  We’re a community.

 

 

 

Previous Moments:

  1. My Dolphin by Case Wright
  2. His Name Was Zac by Lisa Marie Bowman
  3. The Neighborhood, This Morning by Erin Nicole
  4. The Neighborhood, This Afternoon by Erin Nicole
  5. Walking In The Rain by Erin Nicole
  6. The Abandoned RV by Erin Nicole
  7. A Visit To The Cemetery by Erin Nicole
  8. The Woman In The Hallway by Lisa Marie Bowman
  9. Visiting Another Cemetery by Erin Nicole
  10. The Alley Series by Erin Nicole
  11. Exploring The Red House by Erin Nicole
  12. The Halloween That Nearly Wasn’t by Erin Nicole
  13. Watchers and Followers by Erin Nicole
  14. Visitors by Erin Nicole
  15. Fighting by Case Wright
  16. Walking In The Fog by Erin Nicole
  17. A Spider Does What It Can by Erin Nicole
  18. Downtown Richardson, In The Rain by Erin Nicole
  19. Me, our kids, and ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD! by Bradley Crain
  20. The Statues of SMU by Erin Nicole
  21. Exploring the Back Yard Of An Abandoned House by Erin Nicole
  22. The Ugly Old Swing by Erin Nicole

Happy 4th of July!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

My wife and I recently enjoyed a little weekend getaway to Branson, MO. Branson is a little “tourist town” in the Ozark Mountains just across the Arkansas state line, and it’s a place I’ve been visiting my entire life. One of my favorite things to do there is to take in an evening dinner cruise and show on the Showboat Branson Belle. The weather was perfect on the night of our cruise, and after enjoying some time on the top deck, my wife snapped this picture on our way back into the boat. This picture means so many things to me… along with a beautiful sunset and a moment in our lives that felt so perfect, it also captures a flag that stands for something special, something that I could never adequately put into words. A little later that evening all of the veterans of the armed forces in the audience were asked to stand and be recognized for their service to our country. Looking at those men and women who were standing, I felt those same feelings I had felt earlier looking at the flag. I still don’t have the perfect words, but I do know that we’re blessed. Happy 4th of July, friends!

A Scene that I Love: Snoopy Plays The National Anthem in A Boy Named Charlie Brown

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

I couldn’t find any Peanuts specials that were set during Independence Day but I did come across this fantastic version of The Star-Spangled Banner from A Boy Named Charlie Brown.  A Boy Named Charlie Brown was the first Peanuts movie.  It was released in 1969 and, in this scene, Snoopy gets the Little League season off to the right start with the national anthem.

I hope everyone’s having a great 4th of July!

Enjoy the 4th With These Vintage Fireworks!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

My family has always been a fireworks family.  Every 4th of July, when I was growing up, my family would celebrate the 4th of July in Arkansas.  My Uncle would always drive me and my sisters and our cousins all over Arkansas and Oklahoma and we would stop at every fireworks stand that we found.  He would buy us all as many fireworks as we wanted.  My cousins always wanted something that would blow up and make a lot of noise.  I liked the sparklers and the black cubes that would turn into snakes.  Lisa and I always wanted to get anything that had a cat or a bat (like the ones above) on the label.  We would get so excited whenever we spotted a new fireworks stand.

Here to help both you and me get into the 4th of July mood are some great fireworks labels!  If you bought enough of these, you know that 4th was going to be a good one.

Remember, like Marilyn Monroe says, enjoy your fireworks safely!

Happy 4th of July From The Shattered Lens

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Happy 4th of July from the Shattered Lens!

I love Independence Day.  I love spending time with my family.  I love watching the fireworks at Breckenridge Park.  I even love listening to my town’s orchestra as they play the same patriotic songs year after year.

I don’t care how fashionable it is to attack America or to say that this country has never been great.  We all know the truth.  Is America perfect?  No, but no country is.  Are we having tough times right now?  Yes, but so is the rest of the world.  The idea behind America is great.  The ideals of America are great.  Sometimes, we have failed to live up to those ideals but that doesn’t make those ideals any less worthy.  The more people try to take us down, the more I remember everything that we’ve survived.  America has made mistakes.  America still has work to do.  Celebrating America does not mean ignoring the times when the nation failed to live up to its ideals.  But don’t ever think America isn’t great.

What isn’t great is shooting off fireworks at three in the morning.  Celebrate America but respect your neighbors!

Happy birthday, America!