I can’t remember when the last time I actually went out for the purpose of watching fireworks for the Fourth was (10 years ago?). For the last few years, I’ve been sort of wanting to take pictures of some of the fireworks, because I never had tried, that happen around here twice a year—once for the Fourth and another for the town parade in September. But “life happens”—work, BBQ with friends, work.

This year it happened to fall on my day off. I wasn’t going to go out and do anything, to be honest. I just wanted to relax and maybe do some errands. I brought my camera with me just in case. On my way to my parents’ house, I thought, “What’s stopping me (from doing something I’ve been wanting to do for a while)?” So, I pulled over and parked.