Independence Day - A day of Manly Endeavors

It all began with a trip to Lowe's where we purchased an amped-up hedge-trimmer. Naturally, Yeshi wanted to be the first to dig into the shrubs in our back yard - which he did with gusto. Once he worked up a good sweat he turned it over to Dad so he could have some fun too. It looks really nice and open back there now. We plan to put up a hammock back there in the trees and I've been looking at some NICE plants to replace the undergrowth. Probably some hydrangeas and some sweetgrass and papyrus (yes! real papyrus! how cool is that?!!)

Later on we grilled burgers...a bit of non-traditional fare for Shabbat but it is the 4th after alll...

And then the fireworks! Which are legal here! (G-d bless the Great State of South Carolina!) Unfortunately a few of ours went awry....

Most of them were pretty good though and it was great fun to be setting them off in the comfort of our own backyard. Gloria and I sat on the patio and the boys fired them off. After a little while Danny informed us there was a fire. I thought he meant like off in the distance. But no, it seems one of our errant explosives had set the marsh grass on fire behind the house on the airfield. While it might have helped illumine the runway we felt it best to try and put it out. So Danny hooked up the hose while Yeshi called the FD on his cell phone (we were all pretty, um, excited by now). Well, the hose wouldn't reach so we had to disconnect and add another hose in ...flames were going pretty good now and smoke was rolling into the neighbors back yard. Stay tuned for part II...