We had heavy storming on the 4th, but it stopped during the afternoon and the skies were just partly cloudy by nightfall. We walked past the pond, where the open field is, to see the panorama of fireworks that split the night sky. It seems some well-off neighborhoods put on their own displays, and then the small towns to the south do too. They last for up to an hour. It's hard to see them all because they are happening all around us, and some don't get higher than the tree line, but we still saw a lot. Each one was like a vapor jewel. Fireworks are so transitory, like cotton candy--as soon as it hits the mouth, it disappears. That is the preciousness of fireworks.

There's something slightly depressing about watching fireworks on TV. They should be part of the big inhale, excitement alive in the night air. Even watching the magnificent displays in far-off cities makes me feel underneath like, "but why am I not there experiencing that moment myself?"