Ah, the calm after the storm. Nothing like a full moon over Torch, especially after Bombs Bursting in Air. Katherine writes that this is what it looked like after her dog, Maya, had finally dropped off to sleep with the help of “doggie downers.”
Poor Maya has been much distressed by fireworks this week. Miss Sadie can relate. She dives under the bed. The Cowboy gets under the desk and sits on my feet—a welcome little footwarmer in February, but in July, not so much.
July in the Township: Amateur Night at the Fireworks Factory. People seem unaware that what goes up must come down, occasionally setting fire to a neighbor’s roof or to a whole forest. It did not used to be that way Around Here. One night of fireworks was enough. Heck, sparklers were enough. But then, I am so far behind the times that I am about to come ’round to being in vogue again, like hula hoops and platform sandals.
Torch Lake Views 
P.j. grath
July 3, 2012
Sarah does not like thunderstorms and so will not be subjected to the fireworks display tomorrow night. So far no awful explosions here in downtown Northport. Just traffic. And lots of people. But it isn’t as hot as I feared, there’s a breeze, the sun has come out, the sky is blue…. We’ll hope for the best for tomorrow.
Gerry
July 3, 2012
We are having a nice little breeze, too. Between that and the shade, we have high hopes for the evening.
Martha
July 3, 2012
I wonder why my black cat is not afraid of fireworks…
If it’s not firecrackers it’s gun shots. Just another day in Door County… ;^ D
Gerry
July 3, 2012
Cats have nine lives and can afford to be philosophical about these matters.
Martha
July 3, 2012
Now why didn’t I think of that….
Gerry
July 3, 2012
Insufficient time petting the cat.
sybil
July 3, 2012
My Wendy doesn’t like thunder either. Glues herself to me … Cats could care less …
Gerry
July 4, 2012
Yup. It’s the nine lives thing.
shoreacres
July 4, 2012
Actually, my kitty provided the fireworks at the vet’s office yesterday. Her annual exam leaves vet techs cowering under desks – twleve pounds of calico fury exploding in your face isn’t a good thing. Luckily, they have “The Box” to help them out. There’s nothing quite like a bundle of anesthetized fur to bring a smile.
No personal fireworks around here – only the city-sponsored shows. Drought tends to put an end to such things!
A beautiful photo, for sure. I do like a good fireworks show, but probably never will see the Houston extravaganza, because I don’t like traffic.
Happy Independence Day!
Gerry
July 4, 2012
Years and years ago we used to go to the Detroit-Windsor International Freedom Festival Fireworks, sponsored largely by Hudson’s, the fine old department store that was later sold to Marshall Field and then disappeared into Macy’s. So many things have changed since then that I am going to stop thinking about it and go watch a parade.
Giiid
July 4, 2012
I too wish you a Happy Independence Day, and good weather for the celebration. Not too good though, it looks like you are having a heatwave at the moment?
Gerry
July 4, 2012
Thank you for the good wishes. We are indeed having a heat wave–and a great many places Around Here (including the Writing Studio and Bait Shop) are not air conditioned. We rely on trees and the moderating effect of large bodies of water. This works fine until we get a week or so of weather in the 90s. By the end of that we are not speaking to each other. So far so good – Miss Sadie and the Cowboy are snoozing on the deck, there’s a breeze off the Bay, and I have the front door open to direct that breeze right onto my desk chair. Excellent.
Scott Thomas Photography
July 5, 2012
This is a very peaceful photo. I hear you on the fireworks. I have watched people shooting them off along the Lake Ontario shoreline many times. While they do make for nice photos, it is scary seeing people setting them off. Not to mention it is illegal in New York to do so.
Gerry
July 5, 2012
I am grumpy these days because Our Governor promoted–and Our Legislators passed–a measure that removed state controls on “consumer fireworks.” Now anything not barred by federal standards is A-OK in Michigan. Great big aerial displays, booming noise, grass fires, frayed tempers. And the fun is just beginning. This will go on all summer long, during a record-breaking heat wave. (Think I’m cranky now? Wait until August. GACK.)
“People were buying illegal fireworks across the state line anyway,” Our Leaders rationalized. “We might as well capture the tax revenue.” Way to go, guys. On that theory we should immediately legalize all the other stuff we try, and mostly fail, to control anyway. Legalize ’em and tax ’em. That’ll do it.
WOL
July 6, 2012
There is a certain element of the population, most of them adolescent males — some of whom are much older than they act, I might add –, who delight in making things go bang, especially when they do so in such a spectacular way. (If God had intended for them to grub up stumps, He would not have created dynamite, after all.) These are usually the same folks who believe that illegality only applies if you get caught. They rarely consider the potential consequences of an act until one or more of them actually occurs, after which a great deal of slamming of the barn door after the cow has gotten out ensues.
I had a cat who was terrified of fireworks and would not show hide nor hair for a long time thereafter. (Alas, he has since crossed the Rainbow Bridge.) None of the cats I have now are all that thrilled by fireworks — or thunder either, come to that — probably owing to the fact that there is currently, and was in their predecessor’s case, a good deal of feral blood in the resident population. The ones I have now, sensible and pragmatic creatures that they are, find someplace dark and secluded and nap until the noise stops. Having tried it myself, I can see their point.
Gerry
July 6, 2012
Miss Sadie, the Cowboy and I have adopted the hidey-hole napping approach to good effect. We are not reliable nappers, and thus must bring treats and storybooks with us. It works.
isathreadsoflife
July 13, 2012
Beautiful picture, peaceful mood too. Hard to believe there were Bombs Bursting in Air minutes before maybe. There will be fireworks in the Alps on August 1st, our National Day. Strictly controlled though. I must confess I love seeing those bursts of colourful lights shining and falling in showers over the dark mountains.
No problem with my beagle. Not a bit scared by the noise. All shutters are closed and Nino goes on sleeping, probably dreaming happily of breakfast next morning…
Gerry
July 13, 2012
I hope you have a lovely shower of lights on your National Day. I like fireworks myself – on the 4th of July, during a nice community celebration.
Fee
July 14, 2012
Our wee kitty hates fireworks – so the night of 5 November (funny, if someone tried to blow up parliament now we’d probably give them a medal, not a death sentence) and 31 December are not happy ones at all. She makes a little nest in the botom of my wardrobe for the evening, and slinks out when the nonsense is over.
Belated Independence Day wishes – have been out of the country (thank goodness, given the incessant rain over the last month!) sunning ourselves on the Costa Blanca. No TV or internet for 11 days, just lots of reading by the pool.
Gerry
July 14, 2012
I’m glad you had a nice sunny vacation without e-intrusions of any kind. It’s a fine thing to sink into the alternate universe of a good book – or for that matter into a different part of this universe in a nonfiction work. I’m going to go contemplate the nest-building possibilities in the bottom of my closet.