Queeen’s Diamond Jubilee. Most of the world knows about this. Beacons lit in every part of the country. You really must get over your rebellion and keep up.
Some of us use fireworks. Here in Illinois, most fireworks are illegal and the ones that aren’t are barely worth the bother. Illinois is a nanny state of nanny states.
It goes back to the Spanish Armada and beacons were lit warning of their approach. It is sometimes used as a patriotic celebration – see Kipling’s Recessional, “on the headlands sinks the fire” reference.
It would get you in prison for life these days, but we used to make our own fireworks. There was a chemical supply house in town that would sell as little as a quarter pound of goodies like strontium nitrate (red), barium sulfate (green), copper sulfate (blue), finely powered magnesium (white), etc. And everyone knew why we were buying it. Firecrackers were photographic flash powder and propulsion was black powder (which we mixed ourselves).
Here in Colorado there is a strict fire ban and NO fireworks displays of any kind, even professional public ones so we might have to look into this beacon business. Happened one other year and we had a laser light show. NOT the same.
I’m in Colorado too, but there may not be any fireworks due to the fires we have going right now in my area. There is even a ban on campfires and outdoor grills in the national forest because everything is sooo dry. We need more snow than what we got and rain too.
BigChiefDesoto over 12 years ago
I’m afraid you Brits are going to have to explain this one!
g.iangoodson over 12 years ago
Queeen’s Diamond Jubilee. Most of the world knows about this. Beacons lit in every part of the country. You really must get over your rebellion and keep up.
mjmsprt40 over 12 years ago
Some of us use fireworks. Here in Illinois, most fireworks are illegal and the ones that aren’t are barely worth the bother. Illinois is a nanny state of nanny states.
hippogriff over 12 years ago
It goes back to the Spanish Armada and beacons were lit warning of their approach. It is sometimes used as a patriotic celebration – see Kipling’s Recessional, “on the headlands sinks the fire” reference.
It would get you in prison for life these days, but we used to make our own fireworks. There was a chemical supply house in town that would sell as little as a quarter pound of goodies like strontium nitrate (red), barium sulfate (green), copper sulfate (blue), finely powered magnesium (white), etc. And everyone knew why we were buying it. Firecrackers were photographic flash powder and propulsion was black powder (which we mixed ourselves).
barryj35967 over 12 years ago
Lame
Herb Thiel Premium Member over 12 years ago
Here in Colorado there is a strict fire ban and NO fireworks displays of any kind, even professional public ones so we might have to look into this beacon business. Happened one other year and we had a laser light show. NOT the same.
cbrsarah over 12 years ago
I’m in Colorado too, but there may not be any fireworks due to the fires we have going right now in my area. There is even a ban on campfires and outdoor grills in the national forest because everything is sooo dry. We need more snow than what we got and rain too.