Oh, I don’t know about that. Perhaps it’s good that we don’t need to have big, loud flashy fire-works, but that we can enjoy something as simple as watching fireflies buzzing around.
When I was very young, we were visited by a horde of relatives from up north (we live in Florida). My mother worried that there wouldn’t be enough things to do to keep all of the kids happy and out of trouble. They were visiting for a long holiday weekend, and were used to all sorts of things we didn’t have (we were very poor, compared to our relatives, having no televsion set, no air conditioning, etc).
My father just smiled – after everyone arrived and settled in, he gathered up the mob of kids and had them follow him outside to our rather large backyard. He told them to wait a bit, and be quiet, and they would get a surprise. Sure enough, about five minutes later, the fireflies started winking on and off. None of the northern kids had ever seen fireflies before, and never so many in one area. It was mass hysteria as kids chased them around trying to catch them and put them in a jar. None of the kids asked about TV the whole weekend.
I’m 42 these days, but I will never forget that weekend, and those fireflies. God makes the best fireworks. Thanks for digging up an old memory, Rick!
Yes, I do believe this is our first teasing glimpse of Thistle’s husband. I wonder whether he rides at all; if not, then Thistle must ride in the car with him from time to time when they go on family outings (otherwise one is always waiting for the other to arrive). Seems like that would put a strain on the marriage. So I think he probably gets on a bike on the weekends, maybe even borrows the bakfiets to take Fizz for a spin, but to him it’s just recreation.
@scubamatt, you are 42 and you grew up without tv? Lucky! (I’m just jealous because my daddy never did anything that fun, trying to build those memories with my own kids, though.)
This is precisely why I and all of you I’m sure love Fizz. Sometimes that childlike view of the world is a great way to put things into perspective, you know?
I’ll be spending the 4th on my bicycle. As long as I have inflated tires and a sunny day, I’m a happy Neal.
Better than the political cartoon I saw yesterday on the same theme. A guy was holding up big cue cards with pictures of fireworks, with a few people gathered around going “Oooh! Aaaah!!”
Exactly how far north were these relatives coming from? I’ve lived in PA my whole life (and in different parts of it) and we’ve always had fireflies in the summer.
This reminds me, though, that my old housemate saw fireflies for the first time while visiting a resort with his girlfriend (he’s from southern CA and she’s from southeast PA). He remarked that the resort was pretty fancy, having rigged up such an elaborate fiber optic light display along the garden path. She just kind of stared at him for a second and said, “dear, those are fireflies.”
@ Strubisatoaster: The relatives mostly came from Bangor, Maine and that area. I’m pretty much related to everyone in that state, apparently, on my father’s side of the family. Shake any old tree, and 4 out of the 5 lumberjacks that fall out are relatives.
@ksteinhoff: I lived in Tampa, and at the time we lived in one of the oldest houses in the city. A huge old building, all that remained of what used to be a field hospital for Roosevelt’s Rough Riders (way before my time). Dad was always trying to fix it up and make something of it, but it never got finished. Huge old back yard, lots of fruit trees, and fireflies. Plus the occasional gator that wandered in from the big drainage ditch behind the property.
@gr8lakesgrrl: The greatest gift you can give someone is your time – its the only thing that can never be replaced. Spend time with your kids, no matter what you actually do together, and you will have given them something money cannot buy.
That’s what I hate most about ‘modern life’; the constant pressure (most advertising, for example) that says you have to rush everywhere and do five things at once…spending as little time as is absolutely necessary on each piece of your life, so you can cram more of it in a day. Bah!
Im 52, lived and stayed on the west coast all my life. Just this May, my husband and I flew back to MO to camp for a vacation. Saw fireflies for the first time in my life and cried, it was so beautiful and magical!
thank you for the lovely strip today, Rick!
I went to a great fireworks show last night but the highlight was riding the bike (ninja style on a paved trail) past bushes swarming with fireflies (the people who drove their cars to the show were left far behind as they waited to get out of the parking lot)
Slightly depressing.
Oh, I don’t know about that. Perhaps it’s good that we don’t need to have big, loud flashy fire-works, but that we can enjoy something as simple as watching fireflies buzzing around.
Yes, finding joy in the natural world. Lovely.
A landmark day for this strip: the first (I think) without overt cycling content. Not disaproving; just noting.
@Robert in Wales: 20081022 isn’t about cycling, too … 20080903 & 04 also
Happy 4th of July to all ex-colonials from the old country.
233 years on it’s looking good!
When I was very young, we were visited by a horde of relatives from up north (we live in Florida). My mother worried that there wouldn’t be enough things to do to keep all of the kids happy and out of trouble. They were visiting for a long holiday weekend, and were used to all sorts of things we didn’t have (we were very poor, compared to our relatives, having no televsion set, no air conditioning, etc).
My father just smiled – after everyone arrived and settled in, he gathered up the mob of kids and had them follow him outside to our rather large backyard. He told them to wait a bit, and be quiet, and they would get a surprise. Sure enough, about five minutes later, the fireflies started winking on and off. None of the northern kids had ever seen fireflies before, and never so many in one area. It was mass hysteria as kids chased them around trying to catch them and put them in a jar. None of the kids asked about TV the whole weekend.
I’m 42 these days, but I will never forget that weekend, and those fireflies. God makes the best fireworks. Thanks for digging up an old memory, Rick!
daddy?
Yes, I do believe this is our first teasing glimpse of Thistle’s husband. I wonder whether he rides at all; if not, then Thistle must ride in the car with him from time to time when they go on family outings (otherwise one is always waiting for the other to arrive). Seems like that would put a strain on the marriage. So I think he probably gets on a bike on the weekends, maybe even borrows the bakfiets to take Fizz for a spin, but to him it’s just recreation.
I think Thistle’s husband must be family with Home Improvement’s “Mr. Wilson”, since neither one can be seen on the screen!
@scubamatt, you are 42 and you grew up without tv? Lucky!
(I’m just jealous because my daddy never did anything that fun, trying to build those memories with my own kids, though.)
This is precisely why I and all of you I’m sure love Fizz. Sometimes that childlike view of the world is a great way to put things into perspective, you know?
I’ll be spending the 4th on my bicycle. As long as I have inflated tires and a sunny day, I’m a happy Neal.
Better than the political cartoon I saw yesterday on the same theme. A guy was holding up big cue cards with pictures of fireworks, with a few people gathered around going “Oooh! Aaaah!!”
Aww…more Fizz please.
Scubamatt,
You must live in inland FL, because we live on the east coast and rarely see fireflies.
When my youngest was in high school, we took him and his girlfriend on a camping trip at Highland Hammocks State Park, near Sebring.
He had seen fireflies before when we went back to the midwest, but she was entranced by bugs that look like they’re burning.
She also got to see deer, raccoons and armadillos on that weekend.
She works for a cruise line now, but I bet she still remembers that weekend.
@ Scubamatt:
Exactly how far north were these relatives coming from? I’ve lived in PA my whole life (and in different parts of it) and we’ve always had fireflies in the summer.
This reminds me, though, that my old housemate saw fireflies for the first time while visiting a resort with his girlfriend (he’s from southern CA and she’s from southeast PA). He remarked that the resort was pretty fancy, having rigged up such an elaborate fiber optic light display along the garden path. She just kind of stared at him for a second and said, “dear, those are fireflies.”
Fizzerific!!!!!! I like her thinking.
Nature’s fireworks.
Thistle makes a lovely silhouette, especially in profile.
I take it that’s her husband. Seems we have a “Wilson gag” going here; we never get to see his face.
@ Strubisatoaster: The relatives mostly came from Bangor, Maine and that area. I’m pretty much related to everyone in that state, apparently, on my father’s side of the family. Shake any old tree, and 4 out of the 5 lumberjacks that fall out are relatives.
@ksteinhoff: I lived in Tampa, and at the time we lived in one of the oldest houses in the city. A huge old building, all that remained of what used to be a field hospital for Roosevelt’s Rough Riders (way before my time). Dad was always trying to fix it up and make something of it, but it never got finished. Huge old back yard, lots of fruit trees, and fireflies. Plus the occasional gator that wandered in from the big drainage ditch behind the property.
@gr8lakesgrrl: The greatest gift you can give someone is your time – its the only thing that can never be replaced. Spend time with your kids, no matter what you actually do together, and you will have given them something money cannot buy.
That’s what I hate most about ‘modern life’; the constant pressure (most advertising, for example) that says you have to rush everywhere and do five things at once…spending as little time as is absolutely necessary on each piece of your life, so you can cram more of it in a day. Bah!
I remember those. Then we moved out west and I never saw them again.
..::sigh::..
Im 52, lived and stayed on the west coast all my life. Just this May, my husband and I flew back to MO to camp for a vacation. Saw fireflies for the first time in my life and cried, it was so beautiful and magical!
thank you for the lovely strip today, Rick!
I went to a great fireworks show last night but the highlight was riding the bike (ninja style on a paved trail) past bushes swarming with fireflies (the people who drove their cars to the show were left far behind as they waited to get out of the parking lot)
i miss lightning bugs. not depressing at all.
I wish we had fireflies in SF. Saw the fireworks last night. Cold and a bit of a marine layer.
Saw LOTS of cyclists coming and going to The Quad Cities’ largest fireworks display this year. First time I didn’t feel totally out of place!
I guess I’ve always taken fireflies for granted. I could not, would not, live where there were none. Same goes for Spring Peepers!
Judging by the noise around here this weekend, fireworks are recession-proof.
now THAT needs to be on a t-shirt!
Fizz is awesome