Rockets' Red Glare

We let Shae stay up to watch the fireworks tonight. Even after we spent all day wearing ourselves out at picnics and parties, swimming and eating and running around. When we got home from wherever we were -- I am so tired at this point that I hardly even remember -- we watched "Muppets from Space" and then put on our pajamas and went out to check out the free show. We're lucky enough to be able to see the borough's fireworks show from the backyard.

These particular pictures are not very good -- I either need to learn to work the camera better, or get a different kind of lens, or get a tripod, or all of the above. Most of the shots look like weird little pieces of radioactive lint, or some kind of microscope slide. I think this one looks like an homage to Sideshow Bob.

I think this picture looks like an explosion in deep space. Except for that I am confused by the physics of that -- can you actually have an explosion in deep space? Isn't there an oxygen problem? Or is it only the lack of gravity and atmosphere that makes it impossible to breathe? I always forget. (And I'm not sure why I care.)

I tried really hard to get a picture of Shae with the glow of the fireworks light on her face, but I had to use the flash or else the shutter stayed open for, like, an hour and everything got all wonky from movement, and so I couldn't get the shot I really wanted. Which is why I am glad for online photo editing tools, so I can continue to perpetuate this fraud. (The original of this picture is in my Flickr photostream.)

Hope your 4th was safe and happy!