Over the weekend while working outside my son and I heard a constant barrage of rumbles and loud bangs from local pyrotechnicians perfecting their craft for the 4th of July. Yes, it’s that time of the year again when local dogs run for cover under the porch or in their doghouse and don’t emerge [...]

The Things They Carried, originally uploaded by All Things Michigan.

This photo is from last year’s 4th of July Parade in Constantine, Michigan. With yesterday being Memorial Day and thinking of parades and our soldiers both past and present I thought I would share this photo.

This photo (and blog post) is titled ‘The Things They Carried’ as that is what popped in my head when I saw this mother/soldier marching in the parade. I have read Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” which deals with the mental and emotional aspects of war and immediately thought that this photo illustrates just that both metaphorically and physically.

She is surrounded by the things she carried.

God Bless our Veterans and current service men and women. Thank you for all that you do.

From safety to aesthetics, www.wikihow.com has all of the tips for having a safe and fun fireworks show for the 4th of July. Remember that in Michigan it is illegal to shoot off fireworks that explode, spin or leave the ground. If you want to see showers with a myriad of colors launching [...]