UPDATED with another photo gallery: Celebrating Fourth of July in Dallas-Fort Worth

Fireworks and backyard cookouts, of course.

Fireworks at Frisco Freedomfest 2009

You'll see the Pizza Hut Park logo glowing in the sky if you keep scrolling...

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Notes from some Pegasus News Fourth of July observances:

Alex Bentley: In the Bentley household, this Fourth of July was spent in perhaps the most relaxing way possible – luxuriating in the oasis of a just-purchased top-of-the-line baby pool (for adults). With tree cover for virtually our entire backyard and cool water to swim in, the 100-degree temperature was no match for us.

Since moving to Plano, my wife and I have been Fourth of July vagabonds, not observing any strict tradition. However, in doing so, we have inadvertently created our own tradition – fireworks chasing. Being just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the borders of Parker and Murphy and Plano’s fireworks display at Oak Point Park, we are in perfect position to catch glimpses of shows in all three cities.

Not wanting to get stuck in traffic, we stayed in our neighborhood, stumbling upon the perfect viewing spot just down the street for Plano’s show. Despite being at least a mile away from the launch site, our angle was so great that we enjoyed the show just as much as if we were right under it. Once that show ended, it was time for the real fun to begin. Seeing bursts of light coming from the east, we made a beeline in that direction to try and catch at least the tail end of the shows in Parker and Murphy.

Finally finding another good stopping point, we got much more than we bargained for with Parker’s show at Southfork Ranch. It was perhaps one of the longest fireworks displays I’ve ever seen, lasting for at least another 25 minutes after we arrived. If only St. Paul and Lucas would join the party, fireworks chasing could have continued all night long.

Fourth of July 2009

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Patriotic cake made with blueberries and raspberries is enough to make you want to stand and sing The Star Spangled Banner.

Teresa Gubbins: The place: One well-appointed back yard in Rockwall. The event: Fourth of July cookout.

The keg was tapped at about 3 p.m., and the BBQ Grillware was fired up at 4:30 p.m. By 5 p.m., grill daddy David Allison had laid down a row of nicely-seasoned hamburger patties and extra-thick dogs. Guests brought Asian slaw, a crockpot of baked beans, pinwheel sandwiches, guacamole with chips, seven-layer dip, little bitty hot dogs wrapped in puff pastry, pea salad, chocolate-chip blondie bars, and jello shots. Co-host Lauren baked a mile-high blueberry pie and a patriotic-looking extra-thick sugar cookie that used raspberries and blueberries to signify the stars and stripes.

Please share your Fourth of July experiences in the comments below!

okme2, anonymous:

Hmmmmm, hamburg's on the grill and PIE!

3 years, 10 months ago
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alexander troup, verified:

I hope everyone had a good time and made it home safe, we did and so...Happy 4th... A/T..

3 years, 10 months ago
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John Meyer, staff:

Anne and I journeyed to Sulphur Springs to spend the evening with my sister Judy and bro-in-law Sill, who was -- are you ready? -- born on the Fourth of July. (Irony #1: his several tours in the 'Nam (and elsewhere) have left him sensitive to loud noises going off in his vicinity - loud noises such as exploding shells and sharp cracks, e.g. fireworks. Irony #2: Sill is what I consider to be a master griller, and he's part of a big East Texas family, and thus he typically ends up slaving away on his birthday over a hot grill (or - as this year - a smoker).

Ironies aside, we all ended up with plates brim-full of savory smoked brisket, pork ribs (two styles: smoked and stewed), and kielbasa - along with homemade hot German potato salad, a broccoli salad, and a fruit salad with mango and pineapple.

After the feasting, some of us retired to the driveway of the family's rural home to risk both life and limb by actually setting off fireworks we'd purchased ourselves at a roadside stand. (Sill headed to the living room to watch the Rangers game.) Now, as you're well aware, today's crop of dangerous commercial fireworks will BLOW YOUR HEAD CLEAN OFF. As opposed to the sort that I and all my buddies fired off when we were kids -- in the middle of the City of Dallas, I might point out -- totally without injury or emotional trauma of any sort. It was - GASP! - fun, and we somehow failed to burn down the neighborhood year after year.

This morning (Sunday, July 5) I dragged my barbecue-laden butt out of bed to find a newly-emergent Gulf Fritillary butterfly working up the energy to move off his (her?) abandoned chrysalis. Instead of siting its cocoon on one of the hundreds of scenic plants in the vicinity, the rude beast chose the back of a plastic lawn chair for its rookery. As you can see:

3 years, 10 months ago
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