The 4th of July 2021

 

I spoke too soon.

 

The 4th of July sounded like Armageddon in this neighborhood.

 

My goats were so scared, they crammed themselves underneath the platform where they usually sleep at night, butts facing outward. I felt so sorry for them…

 

Charli and Patches came in and went into my living room, the quietest room in my home (no windows to the outside at all).

 

Bobby, the new cat, didn’t come in. He hunkered down beneath a car that was parked near the shed he usually retreats underneath when he gets anxious. I brought him out some food and put it under the car at about 9:45 p.m. to let him know I was near and everything would be okay. He ate that readily and was still here this morning when I got up to check on everybody again.

 

By this morning, the goats were back in their field, apparently none the worse for wear.  I gave them some vanilla wafers as a treat for the 4th and this morning, so they got rewards for having to go through the “war” over every fence in every direction.

 

It had never been as loud, as near, or as continuous as it was last night.  There didn’t seem to be a millisecond between bangs, whistles, aerial displays, and  other critter-disturbing sounds.  It went on full force until midnight, and then it died down.

 

I didn’t participate in watching the fireworks. Jackie had a bunch of people over. They all sat in chairs in the back yard to watch whatever displays neighbors were setting off.   I just kept hoping none of the displays would set anything on fire.  Fortunately, nothing around here caught on fire. I haven’t heard about any other fires, either.  That’s good.  I hope everyone watered their lawns a lot.  I know Jackie watered ours as a hedge of protection around us.

 

I used to enjoy fireworks.  I’d enjoy them a lot more on New Year’s Day when the threat of fire is lessened.  It’s usually cold here on January 1st.

 

Pike’s Peak Fireworks

 

When we were in Colorado, people went up to Pike’s Peak on New Year’s Day and shot off fireworks that cascaded down the snow-packed peak. It was glorious.

 

They could do something like off Mt Rainier on the 4th without much threat of setting off fires, because there is always snow up there. But no one has ever done that, that I know of.  It would be quite the sight — but again, it would scare the wildlife witless, so it isn’t really a great idea…

 

I hope you had a safe and same celebration.