Friday, July 2, 2010

The Fourth of JUly and Uncle Irvin

We are off to climb the mountain...... but first..

Sherry just reminded me that July 1st is Canada Day. We crossed the border on July 1st, once and they gave us a small Canadian flag, pen.
The Fourth of July is the USA’s Independence Day.


That is the day we declared our independence from Great Britain. In the last few days I have witnessed a video that shows we have a bunch folks in the USA who are ignorant of history. One older man was asked how many world wars had been in his life time and he said three. Several were asked questions of states and had no idea where they were. One guy was asked how many Eiffel Towers there were, and he said, ’About ten’. Some folks did not know how many states were in the USA, or even which ocean was on the East and West.

I am reminded of the lady(in the US) last year who asked Mort, if he was celebrating the 4th of July over there. Mort is a good guy, would not intentionally hurt anyone I think. His answer was, “No sweet heart we lost.” (Something like that.) Anyway we should at least know why we are celebrating a holiday, don’t you think?
Okay, that out of the way, as a kid I loved fire crackers. When I was about six years old, North Carolina outlawed all fireworks. So any fireworks we saw or had came from South Carolina. Now one of my biggest thrills was going to Uncle Irvin O’Shields store in Laurens, SC. It was a combination cafĂ© and general store. He had firecrackers. Some of them came in rolls. For our entertainment he would drive a nail in a tree or pole as high as he could reach and let that roll of firecrackers unroll down the tree. Then he lit the bottom. There was hundreds on the roll and they just kept on going off. I loved it. He had roman candles and what he called a buzz bomb. It flew high and exploded. Not like now with a beautiful display just a big bang, but it was great. It was a trip going to Uncle Irvins.

We were double kin, I had double first cousins Bobby and Mildred (Sister, she was called until she passed away.) Irvin was mama’s nephew on her side and Aunt Bertha was Dad’s sister. Going to their house on the fourth was the greatest! (When we left uncle Irvin always gave me a fifty cent piece) Uncle Irvin was a good guy!

Nite Shipslog

PS: (another statement by Will Rogers)
. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.

New Amazon author’s page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003UDHAIE


11 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Happy 4th of July!

Ally Lifewithally said...

Enjoy the 4th July ~ Ally x

Lucy said...

I definately agree with Will Rogers. In fact I would advise against cow chips any day. Interesting news about the 4th. You know I think that might have been me that asked Mort that question, not even thinking about it because quite a lot of insignificant holidays that we observe, they do not. However I do, know how significant the 4th of July is. Blame my lapse om old age or stupidity.

betty said...

Uncle Irvin's sounded like a great place to visit! so neat to have memories of places like that :)

I really do believe a lot of people are so clueless about our country or things in general these days (I keep saying we are dumbing down as Americans). I think somehow the schools are not teaching what we used to learn all those years ago!

betty

shirl72 said...

I also loved to go to Uncle Irvins. Before he would shoot the firecrackers he would say now Frank get the children behind the screen door. Then he would shoot the fire crackers. He loved children. He was so kind when we would visit.
I love to sit on the bar stool and order a sandwich. He made us feel like we were grown.

Shirl

Anonymous said...

WILL ROGERS WAS GREAT.
HIS BIRTHPLACE WAS OOLAGAH OKLAHOMA.
THE YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH I LIVED AT LOCUST GROVE OKLAHOMA.
WE TOOK THE TULSA TRIBUNE PAPER BY U.S. MAIL AND WE ALWAYS LOOKED FORWARD TO READING WILL ROGER'S QUIP OF THE DAY. HE WAS PART CHEROKEE.
IT WAS A TREAT WHEN HE CAME TO THE SUNDAY AFTERNOON ' GOAT ROPINGS' .sam

Anonymous said...

Of much interest to read, here from "old Europe". Wishing you a wonderful celebration and a great start into the weekend.

Jen said...

My mother wouldn't let me take Geography in high school. She told me I just wanted an easy A and would never use it. I spent 13 years in international trade, moving cargo throughout the world. Thanks, Mom.

Fred Alton said...

Happy 4th of July, y'all! We're celebrating here by going to church as usual. There are fireworks everywhere - and I've been awakened a couple nights already as people started practicing! I've nothing against that - just wish they would set off the cherry bombs during daylight or early evening hours instead of between mid-night and 1:00a.m. ☻ Your Uncle Irwin's sounded like a great place to go!

Dar said...

About that Uncle Irvin...sounds like a cool way to spend Independence Day. I would have fit right in setting off those fire crackers.
I'm just now catching up with everyone after a terribly long and exhausting week, so sorry if I have not commented...a couple of nights it was way past 2a.m. before I even turned the computer on.
About those places where you are looking for inspiration...I once painted Devils Tower for a fella on a deer skull, not from the visitors side of the tower, but the hunters side where he shot his buck...it was one of the most interesting skulls I did. Someday I will have to post some of my paintings.
Oh, I think you should take Fred up on that offer of a trip to Africa for inspiration for your romance novel but turn it into his true story...so cool, maybe that trip will find Fred in the arms of a long lost friendship, hmm?
If you want to see how the other half live, the down and out, but never despaired half, drop on by.
BlessYourHearts and GoLightUpSomeFirecrackers
but
Don't hurt yourself

Paula said...

About ten Eiffel towers? lol I have lots of double cousins. Three of one family married three of another family. They all lived in the country so I guess they didn't get out much. lol