July 24, 2015

For most people today is just an ordinary Friday but if you live in the state of Utah today is a holiday.  Some refer to it as Pioneer Day but officially it is called the Days of ’47.  It is a holiday commemorating the arrival of the first pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley in July of 1847.  There is a children’s parade that took place a few nights ago, a rodeo that has been going on for the last week, a horse parade last night, a marathon, a HUGE parade that starts first thing this morning and fireworks tonight. It is a state holiday so most businesses are closed today.  The Days of ’47 parade is the oldest parade in the United States and the first one was held in July of 1849.

 

I remember as a child, dressing up and  walking in the children’s parade and as a mom with three boys, walking with them in the parade.  As a teenager and being active in the marching band in high school we marched in the main parade. It is a long parade and most years it was HOT but we survived and I have some great memories to look back on.  There were a couple of times as a teenager I remember camping out overnight on the parade route so that you could have the best spot to watch the parade. We didn’t sleep much on those nights but oh the fun we had.  I know that there are still families that do that.  Honestly, I prefer now to just stay home and watch the parade.  This year I am working so I will miss the parade. I love the Days of  ’47 and it reminds me of the pioneer heritage that I have and the all the sacrifices that those pioneers made.  I am not sure if I would have made it as a pioneer.

 

It is really nice to have an extra holiday in July but it also signals the beginning of the end of summer for me. Technically, we have the whole month of August to enjoy the summer but it seems like things start to wind down and gear up for the fall.  When I had children at home, we started to think about back to school and everything that includes.  The pool was long forgotten in August and plans were usually being  made to spend one more trip out camping on Labor Day and then of course the holidays and all that entails starts to creep in. I am trying really hard to just enjoy August and put everything else on the back burner this year.  I hope that you are enjoying your summer.