Well, summer is officially over in Cincinnati! The WEBN fireworks are just finished, so it must be time for autumn to begin.
I’m always ready to watch the fireworks from a new place, a new location, a new direction. This year was the easiest ever. I walked across the street to my neighbor’s home in the Kingston House, and watched the fireworks, which are down river from her balcony. She does a fundraiser every year for a political candidate supported by the Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus. This year it was Caucus stalwart Connie Pillich. It was easy and fun for Nancy to do. And a breeze for me – making my contribution, and not being stuck in a two hour traffic jam as I was last year.
These were not the very best, but quite good. There were some new groupings – waves of color coming up over the Taylor-Southgate bridge, and then fireworks in the sky above that. The waterfall was excellent as usual. And then, to Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire, a cascade of fire and red rings of fire above.
The ending was a little strange. Instead of five minutes of total madness in the sky, there were elegant and distinctive fireworks at a leisurely pace, then 2 loud bangs of what used to nearly a hundred lighting up the sky like strobe lights. And then – that was it!
The flotilla of boats began their slow turnings, heading back up the river at a leisurely pace, reluctanly letting summer go. It will be hours before all of them return home – as it will be for those many who walk down to the river on either side. Walking is always faster than driving, though, on this season-ending day.