Old Glory

Last year on the 4th of July I spent an hour and a half  traveling less than one mile in a bottleneck of traffic trying to return home after fireworks.  I vowed not to do that this year, and spent a quiet day at home.  There has been a heavy marine layer all day which seemed to reverberate the explosions tonight right back to earth rather than releasing them into the heavens.  After the public displays and the neighborhood bangs, hissing and booms...after all was relatively quiet, Ace and I went out for a walk. Headlights of cars were slipping down the streets, leading the vehicle around the corners.  People were returning home.  My neighbor was parallel parking and called out to me for directive assistance.  "Back, back," I indicated, standing in her headlights, motioning by flexing my fingers.  "More.."  Then, flat open palm, followed by a "thumbs up" and an overhead wave, Ace and I continued our walk, Ace sniffing his way around the corner.

The neighborhood was pretty quiet.  Usually, patrons of a local bar would be standing outside, smoking and chatting, but tonight the sidewalk was empty. We only saw a couple people cross the street and enter the bar. A young lass rode up on her bicycle and secured it before going into the bar.  Ace was heading toward the deli, his favorite watering hole.  It was after hours at the deli.  It would be closed and there would be no water dish outside which would be a great disappointment to Ace, but we would have to make the walk, anyway.  It isn't enough that I tell him it's "after water hours"...he always has to see for himself.  And so, we passed the deli, Ace searching around the flower pots and over his shoulder to be sure we hadn't missed that water dish somewhere.  Again, we turned a corner, headed down a little darker street, one we know well.  The air was so fresh, a bit chilly.  A good sea breeze kicked through the treetops. swishing the palm fronds.  I heard metal clanging, reminiscent of a marine bell.  It was the halyard of a flag pole posted in the yard of one of the homes we were passing.  Old Glory, sans illumination, was rippling in the night air, very quietly furling and unfurling, as if she knew the whole country had celebrated her today.  I stood in quietude, looked upward and watched her ripple against the night sky before Ace and I moved on.

Fire ~ Centennial, Wyo

Sucking air just to see it; strikes fear in your gizzard...!!

President Obama Celebrating Supreme Court's Upholding of ACA :)