July Fourth...

I'm a few days late to the party, but in my neighborhood the fireworks are still going off so I think I have at least one more day to get this posted.

Our Fourth of July is typically spent in a wheat field, and this year was no different (I will be posting about harvest). However, we did get done early enough to head to my Aunt and Uncle's farm to enjoy some explosives with my Mom's family (they love explosives). It isn't very often all six siblings are together, so it was a fun night.



I took note of some of the things overheard at our celebration. Here are a few gems:

• "I wouldn't run if I was on fire."
• "Oh, Christ Melvern has bottle rockets!" As Uncle Gary recalled a story from long ago.
• "Shake it, it'll go higher!"
• "Remember when Aunt Pauline had that roman candle go down her shirt?" (followed by laughter)
• "You look like you work on the flight deck. You'd be great if a plane needed to land." -Uncle Gary to cousin Trey, who held two Roman candles in both hands held high.
• "Hold one in your teeth."
• "Remember that insane dog we used to have? The one that picked up bottle rockets?" "Spud?" "Yeah! Spud."  
• "Dad used to make me crank the ice cream, like, all damn day." 
• "That threw sand clear back here."
• "I remember when Tim got hit in the chest with one, it burned a hole right in the middle of his white t-shirt on his chest. It just ruined that shirt."
• "They don't make em' like they used to."
• "Here, where this headlamp, you'll be able to see the fuse."
• "No, you aren't shooting Roman candles at people."
• "The trick is, you have to shake it, like, vigorously."
• "Look inside, see where that fifth shot is."
• "Somebody is going to get sparked." 
• "The parachutes have flaming balls? Wait, that doesn't sound right." 
• "Parachutes! How can we find those in the dark?" "Well, Trey has a light on his head." 
• "The paper just burns off. They suck." 
• "That was like 75 sparklers!" "That was only three packs. Try 15, not 75." 
• "You can blow a finger off doing that." 
• "Jesus! Don't do that in the wind. Ever!" 
• "Now the real fun begins. Go get a bag and pick all those up."

Before the spark show, and after the homemade ice cream, we took a few minutes to snap a couple pictures of the Walker siblings. It was not an easy task.

At this point, I knew this wasn't going to be quick.

Uncle Scott showing his backside, because it's "his best side."

Finally, one that would work. Curtis, Julie, Scott, Gary, Carolyn, Vicky

Grandma joined. Things went downhill quickly.

And, we got one! The sibs and their mother.

A successful Fourth of July. Great food, homemade ice cream, wheat stubble, good company, no burns, no fires, and no stitches.