a rocket in my pocket

I've got a rocket
In my pocket;
I cannot stop to play.
Away it goes!
I've burned my toes.
It's Independence Day!

-Anonymous

We did our best this year to celebrate the 4th of July like New Yorkers. First we had a BBQ picnic at a local park with some friends. It wouldn't be Brooklyn if it wasn't over-crowded with people of all cultures celebrating America's independence, but we managed to carve a space for ourselves on the grass at the edge of the park. Owl's Head Park, with it's nice views of the New York Harbor and, when the winds shifted, its smells from the nearby waste treatment plant was, despite the occasional discomforts, a great place for a picnic, and we had a really fun time.

In the evening, we took a brief walk down our street to the promenade along the bay to watch the fireworks. This year, the big Macy's fireworks show moved from its usual location on the East River over to the Hudson, which made them a little more difficult for us to see from this spot. But we got a good show just the same. Not only did we see about three of the six barges worth of those fireworks, we also saw the display coming Liberty State Park along the New Jersey shore. They were all far away from where we stood to watch, but it was still pretty impressive. Here are a few pictures (that someone else took) of what was lighting up our sky last night:

Our holiday activities weren't exactly like those of the Freedom Festival that I loved growing up, but we still thoroughly enjoyed celebrating my favorite holiday. If I can't be in Provo for the 4th of July, New York City is a mighty fine alternative.