Fireworks!

This year, they didn't shoot off fireworks at the local community college that is within a mile from our house. So, we actually had to find a new place to watch fireworks.

Note to self: work with Justin on his 'picture' smile because his future bride {not that he has one picked out or anything} will not like any pictures with this one it them.

We all pilled into the Cadillac and enjoyed the cooler weather on the way over. Luckily we gave ourselves some extra time because the first place we pulled off the road to park was already full of people and we had to turn around {and so did everyone who followed us}. We ended up parking across the street but, because of the traffic, it took us a good 10 minutes to get there.

After being only teased last year with taking pictures of fireworks from so far away, finally, I got to use the fireworks mode on my camera {which you'll remember was why I wanted the camera in the first place}.

It was fun listening to the little kids that were in the other cars. They ooo'd and ahh'd at all the big fireworks.

{Kids do make holidays more fun}

I didn't catch any on "film", but we saw a lot of fun fireworks: hearts, circles, smiley face, star inside a circle, and a ring around a circle {sphere?}.

This is where I am glad for digital photography and for having an 8M camera. Most of these pictures were little fireworks surrounded by mostly dark sky. Having the picture size to crop the pictures makes it much easier to get better pictures. It would be so much harder to capture pictures of fireworks all zoomed up.

I, of course, keep a spare set of batteries in my purse, just in case I need them. And tonight, the batteries in my camera were dying. Unfortunately for me, the spare set were deader than the ones in my camera, so I was  frequently turning off the camera to save batteries {and enjoy the fireworks - 'cuz I can't take pictures and watch at the same time}.

I was fortunate that my batteries made it the entire time. I use rechargeable batteries because they really do last so much longer. But, I think it is time for a new set. At least, I will be adding another set of non-rechargeable batteries as a back up so this doesn't happen again.

Because I was turning off my camera frequently, I didn't want to miss the finale. So, I would ask what time it was or if this was the finale if there was a small pause in the fireworks.

It got to be that Keith just started telling me that it wasn't the finale without me asking. He'd tell me that there would be a big pause before the finale and I'm thinking in my head that the end of the fireworks show would sure seem like a big pause...

In the end, the finale was obvious. Lots of fireworks going, with a big pause and then a {quick} flurry of noisy fireworks.

I had debated whether or not to video the finale and I think next year I will try to video tape it.

Before and after the fireworks show, we had a some amateur fireworks in the desert where we were parked. Scary to say the least, considering how much rain we got in the Spring and how dry everything is now, but legal as of just a few months ago.

Normally, we wait until everyone has left before we leave, but we were in a convertible and there was a lot of dust. So we braved the traffic to get home.

Freedom is not worth having
if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
~ Mahatma Gandhi