Fireworks

"No need for a fireworks permit." Brent said on the phone, "We only want to shoot off a few fountains." By the time Russell, cousins Rick and Dawn, and he arrived on Friday they had amassed what looked like an arsenal to me. The afternoon had become beastly hot and humid and then a storm blew through.

Well, at least everything was wet now - little chance of anything outside catching on fire. They had a bunch of novelty items to shoot off first. - A rocket that launched a little man w/ a parachute. The wind was still pretty strong and all we could do is wave as the parachute drifted and finally was lost in the forest. Russell and Donna will probably find him next year when they are making maple syrup. - A paper balloon that should have risen when filled w/ hot air from a fire lit in the bottom. Again, the winds played a factor and the balloon caught fire before it could lift off. The rest of the fireworks went off pretty well despite the recent shower and escalating winds. As an added bonus, we could also see other people's fireworks going off along the ridge of the hills. After shooting off just about everything, we came back inside for some cherry pie and "to hit the hay". Just then another storm hit. My cousins had brought a white noise generator w/ them in case they needed help nodding off. Rick said in the morning that they hadn't used it. Nothing like the crashing of thunder, wailing of wind, and lashing of rain to lull you right to sleep.