Independence Day Carousel

I'm right there. Over to the right.

I figured the bonfire on the beach would be a good opportunity to do some strange night photography, so I held off the portrait taking until then. I got some neat fireworks shots and fireside portraits as well, which I intend to showcase on my other blog.

So other than working, it was a decent Independence Day. Plenty of food and beer, the hallmarks of a good party. It's interesting how the celebration of our Independence from Great Britain has manifested in our time. It seems less like a recognition of independence and more like a Great Patriotic Holiday. You have to figure, the independence of the United States has long since been established. There's no real doubt about it. The holiday is more of a festival of achievement; men on the moon, technology, prosperity, victory in war, ect.

I wonder if the Founding Fathers ever thought it would end up like this. To them, the 4th of July was surely about Independence as the memory of colonial times was still fresh in their minds. I wonder what it will be in another 200 years.

Also of interest, my cousin James has been staying with us from the U.K. He pointed out his desire to be in our country during the Independence Day holiday as it seemed quite unique to our culture. Over there, they do not have a national holiday of major significance. It's not exclusively European, whom for the most part never declared independence from any other nation, as for example: France has Bastille Day which involves plenty of celebration.

But anyway, this is yesterday's photo. Now I'm going to have to come up with something else for today.