Observations on the 4th July Weekend

I am starting to feel my age. 

After celebrating my birthday last Wednesday, I also participated in the July 4th Concert Series and fireworks, an evening in Shiner at the Half Moon Festival, then another day in Shiner and Moravia sampling wine, and finally, a coup de grace to the birthday weekend on Sunday.

I am worn out by all the work, fun and play. When I was younger, those types of events rolled off my back like water. Work hard, play hard and live each day with the pedal firmly pressed to the metal.

Not so much these days. When you wake up and feel like Rip Van Winkle every day, you know you need to do something to change your lifestyle, your attitude and/or your behavior. That’s the way it has always been, is, and always will be. Therefore, my liver and I communed on Monday and we both decided it was time for a rest. Whew.

But with that having been said, I thought the weekend was a lot of fun and there was a lot to do in our little neck of the woods. I have some thoughts on the weekend and would like to share them with you.

The grand finale of the Main Street Concert Series has always been the 4th of July. Last year on the 4th, I was back in Michigan working on selling my house, so I missed the celebration on the square. This year, I made a point of being here, and I was happy to see a nice crowd turn out. People came out early, and they stayed until the fireworks were over. There were a couple of observations I made though on the 4th. 

One was at the very beginning of the evening. I was sitting on the patio outside the Come and Take It restaurant, when someone started singing the Star-Spangled Banner on the festival stage. I was proud to notice that everyone on the patio stopped talking and paid attention to the national anthem. I was even more proud to see a group of people mingling on the corner in front of the Dilworth snap to attention, remove their hats, and listen to the singing of the national anthem. It was a small moment, but one that speaks volumes about the pride in America that Gonzales and Texans have for our country. It made me proud to live here.

I also noticed the Texas Unlimited Band was a great choice to wrap up the summer concert series. They were fantastic. The one thing I did not like was the grand finale to the fireworks show. It was almost like there wasn’t one. Something for the hard-working Main Street Committee to negotiate with the fireworks company for 2020. 

This year, Shiner won the area competition for the best fireworks show over the 4th of July weekend.

On Friday night, I was in Shiner for their celebration, and even served as a judge for the giblet rice competition and the margarita competition. There was a lot of great entries for the giblet rice category, and the winner earned his or her victory.

In the margarita category, well let’s just say at our judging table the judges felt we all needed to enter the contest in 2020 because we felt our homemade concoctions would be better than anything we tasted. 

On Saturday, it was back to Shiner for a brief visit and then off to Moravia for wine-tasting. Our group tasted some whites, but the real reason was to hear the music of Bill Pekar and Damon Williams. They performed during the heat of the day on Saturday to a very small audience, but Bill and Damon played like it was the Grand Old Opry and never sounded better. 

Bill and Damon provided stories and detail on the meaning of the songs, and everyone in my little group thought we had heard and experienced something special. I am sure it was an afternoon that none of us who were there will ever forget.

Now the 4th and my birthday weekend are in my rearview mirror. Maybe it is time for a weekend of R&R in Port A.