Having just celebrated America’s 248th birthday, I thought using the colors of the US flag (red, white, and blue) would be a fun photo challenge this week. For those participating in the challenge, feel free to use shades of red, white, and blue combined or separately.
“Ev’ry heart beats true ‘neath the Red, White and Blue.” — George M. Cohan
While many cities solemnly celebrated Independence Day on July 4th with speeches, parades, and a little pomp, as it should be, freedom and pride continue as the overarching themes of this American holiday. Most Americans are happy to have a summer holiday and blow off fireworks!
Sky Show 2024
In our rural neighborhood, there is always an illegal pyrotechnic show to be seen nearby! We can sit outside in our backyard and enjoy the free show. No crowds, free parking 😉
This year’s backyard pyrotechnics were quite amazing! My brother-in-law exclaimed he’d never seen anything like it. Even better was when they were all done at 11:00 p.m. Miraculous!
Our rural county is strong in fire prevention, and a fire station is one block away. These illegal fireworks may have been close to home—we’d never seen any that looked like they were over our house—but even in the neighbors’ “obedient disobedience,” things stayed safe. But we had our hoses ready.
Windy Colors
For 10 years, when we lived in Sacramento, California, celebrating the Independence Day holiday meant spending a long weekend at the Sacramento River Delta. The colors of red, white, and blue were everywhere.
Windsurfing days are far behind us, for me, at least. We enjoy spending the holiday in our own backyard.
Property of the Red, White, and Blue
The bird show around our property can be quite colorful!
When It’s Hot, We Have Fun Inside with Holiday Decor…
…and dessert! Partially inspired by Nancy’s Trifle this week.
Also sharing for Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday, Marsha’s Wednesday Quotes
Erma Bombeck says it best…“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” – Erma Bombeck
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post. Please use your original images, whether new or from your archives.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
I can’t wait to see how you interpret this week’s various shades of red, white, and blue! Creativity is encouraged, so please share your photographs (old or new), poems, original short stories, and music inspired by the theme.
Join me next week as we explore things to do in your state and local parks.
As the sun sets on another Independence Day weekend, I leave you with the amazing colors of a summer’s stormy sky. I hope everyone stayed safe during the fireworks displays. Wildfire season has begun in the west, along with blazing heat.
Take good care, and have a wonderful week!
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