We celebrated1 Independence Day, more often referred to as The Fourth of July, a few days ago. It is another celebration that has changed over the years. When I was young, we celebrated it with many fireworks2. My grandfather would give each of us grandchildren some money to spend on fireworks, and we could get whatever we wanted, just as long as he didn’t think our choices3 were too dangerous4. As I look back at it now, most of the things he allowed us to have would be considered dangerous by today’s standards5, and, in fact, are not allowed in most states. Thus it’s not nearly so noisy now. Here in Idaho, where we are at the moment, it has been especially quiet because of the high danger6 of forest fires around us. Even so, we heard a few7 that bothered our dog Blitz very much.
Our major celebration of the day was to go to Ice Cream Alley, a very special outdoor ice cream shop for ice cream. Kathy and I had big cones8. My ice cream was called jamoca almond fudge, “jamoca” referring to coffee flavored ice cream, with chocolate chunks and almonds in it9…my favorite flavor. Kathy had blackberry cheesecake10 ice cream, her favorite. Don had a dish of vanilla and peach11. Blitz had a “doggie” dish12 of vanilla. (I’m afraid we tend to spoil our dog, but she truly is a lovely pet whom we enjoy very much.)
At night there was a fireworks display13 on Payette Lake, located about a half mile from us. The fireworks started at 10:30, which is dusk14 here. We didn’t go because by then Kathy was sound asleep and Don and I were comforting Blitz as the fireworks went off15. We are in a high valley16 surrounded by even higher mountains, so the loud noises echoed back and forth17. I rather enjoyed hearing them. All in all, we had a nice peaceful day.
Notes:
1. celebrated: 庆祝
2. fireworks: 烟花
3. choices: items that one prefers to buy or use over alternate possibilities for those same items (选择的东西).
4. dangerous: capable of causing harm or injury to somebody or something (危险的).
5. today’s standards: the criteria in use today (今天的标准).
6. high danger: the likelihood of forests, buildings or grass fires starting (高度危险). These range from Low, Moderate, and High to Extreme.
7. a few: a few fireworks.
8. big cones: 大圆筒（冰激凌）
9. coffee flavored ice cream, with chocolate chunks and almonds in it: 咖啡味的冰激凌，里面有巧克力和杏仁
10. blackberry cheese cake: a specific flavor of ice cream containing a pastry of blackberry and cream cheese mixed with vanilla ice cream (一种冰激凌，含黑莓酱、奶油奶酪和香草冰激凌).
11. a dish of vanilla and peach: a specific flavor of ice cream containing peaches and vanilla ice cream (一种冰激凌，含桃和香草冰激凌).
12. “doggie” dish: a small dish of ice cream to give to a dog (为狗准备的一小客冰激凌).
13. fireworks display: a showing or presentation of many different types of fireworks (烟火表演).
14. dusk: the time of day where semi-darkness occurs (黄昏).
15. went off: exploded, or ignited (放烟花).
16. valley：峡谷
17. the loud noises echoed back and forth: 震耳的烟花爆炸声不断回响