Another Fourth of July Fireworks at Joe's Pond gone by! To take you back a bit to last year, the fireworks display was pretty much a complete failure. It was like someone lit a fuse and it went fffffffssssssst. So the fireworks company promised to make up for it this year and give us a super display.

My question is:  How do you rate the fireworks last night?  (Not counting the ones being set off at individual camps around the pond!) Exceptional, Very Nice, Just Ok, or Unimpressive. I'd really like to hear - and if you prefer being anonymous, that's ok. I'm mostly interested in your opinion. Send me an email: janebrowncabot@gmail.com

This isn't an "official"  survey, but you can be sure I'll pass the results on to the JPA board and members at the Annual Meeting on Saturday.

That said, Fred and I went down to our sons' camp (the Dimick camp) on the cove by W. Shore Road and Barre Ave., sat on the waterfront and watched the display. We haven't done that in years. We usually watch from our living room windows or the front deck, but the trees are so high now we don't get the full effect - and it was such a nice evening, we were sure some of our family would be there. However, unlike most years, nobody was there! My guess is they all had other plans that were more exciting.

We thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The top picture is before the fireworks when all the boats were lining up at the north end of the pond. We were there a little early and while the boats were on the move, we could hear  the peepers in the swamp between our camp and the Wards singing away. It brought back wonderful memories of when we were living at camp and went to sleep every night in the spring and early summer listening to the frogs. Then, in the middle of the fireworks, a loon called loud and clear not far off shore from us. There were fish roiling the water from time to time in the glow of the fireworks - maybe the flashes make it easier for them to see the bugs on the water? The fish were pretty active, and yes, so were the bugs! I bundled up and then used a little high-powered "Off" on any exposed skin, and as near as I can tell, I didn't get a single bite! I'm not sure Fred escaped - he opted not to use the bug juice. They don't love him like they do me, and if he does get a bite, it doesn't bother for weeks like mine do. I itch just writing about being bitten!!

The parade in Cabot will be starting presently - it should be a good show. The organizers have promised to have some new additions this year and had hoped to change the whole celebration a bit to make it fresh and exciting for everyone. The same old, same old gets really boring after a few decades.

Enjoy your Fourth, be safe, have fun, and enjoy your independence.