Farm Fresh Blog

With the recent rains, much to the delight of children everywhere, there was no fireworks ban this year on Independence Day. In our household, that was met with mixed reviews because although we don't participate in the fireworks festivities, we are close to many who do.

And with 8 dogs, it's a given there will be a difference of opinion regarding fireworks.

Ice - "Make the shelling stop! We're all gonna die!"

Cowboy - "We're under attack! Save the women and children and Border Collies first! In reverse order!"

Trace - "I'll be under the house until the shelling stops."

Ranger - "I'll save you! I'll save you all!"

Dillon - "GUNFIRE! Oh boy! Where's my dummy?!!"

Oli - "You people don't know what gunfire is. Back when I was in Czechoslovakia . . . "

Briar - "OOOOhhhh. . . . look at tha colors!"

The reactions are varied, but none is more amusing than Lily, the Fireworks Fiend.

Lily is noise-stimulated, meaning, when she hears a strange sound, she starts barking like a maniac. Since Other Half's hearing is leaving quickly, Lily makes an excellent hearing-ear dog for high-pitched sounds like fire alarms, alarm clocks, and the ding on the microwave.

Now Lily has HEARD fireworks all her life, but this year was the first time she actually SAW fireworks. Her reaction was hysterical. I truly wish I could have filmed it for you.

The night went like this . . .

Ran out of frappuccinos. Yes, I'm drinking again. Does this surprise you? Care to take a guess on how many frapps I drank during that whole Ferngully drama? I'm just askin'.

Decided that I MUST go to grocery store since another sun cannot rise without a frappuccino. Loaded up Lily and Trace in the truck. Lily is always my co-pilot; whoever else gets to go is up to my mood and their behavior, but Her Majesty always gets to go. Tonight, Trace was the Chosen One.

So we headed to Kroger's because they have frapps and a particular salsa I had fallen in love with, (Hazelwood's Smokey Sweet!) The local community college was having a fireworks display. What I didn't count on was that the display was right across the street from Kroger's. Everyone and his cousin was sitting in a lawnchair at Kroger's.  (groan)

I left the dogs in the air conditioning of the truck with a friend while I shopped.  They'd be safe, and we'd be outta here before the show began. What I didn't count on was that everyone sitting in the parking lot had sent a representative inside Kroger's for snacks. (Good night for Kroger's)

By the time I got back to the truck the show was well under way.  I heard the barking before I found my truck. Lily, her eyes bright with wonder, was barking like a madwoman with each explosion. Trace was hiding in the back seat.

The cutest thing was that Lily would watch the fireworks soar up into the air, and track the path in anticipation. Then as it burst, she would wag her tail and bark.  As I slow-rolled out of the parking lot, Trace climbed into my lap. Lily settled her happy ass in the front passenger's seat and stared out the window like a child seeing fireworks for the first time. Her little mouth would even make a little "o" as she watched them shoot into the air.  Lily had found another passion. She was a Pyrotechnic Puppy!