Happy Birthday, America. Have some fireworks!

While my friends were trapped in their homes in America on the 4th of July, trying to keep their dogs calm and wondering who really thinks it's a good idea to let every neighboring pyromaniac shoot combustible material over their roofs, I was being stunned at amazed at one of Nature's best fireworks displays anywhere--in Italy.

Daughter, her Wonderful Boyfriend (WBF) and I rode a teeny little gas-powered golf cart up a narrow and very rough trail on the side of Stromboli volcano on an island in Sicily. Plants whipped our faces and hands as we defied death in our pursuit of Adventure. At the end of the trail was...a restaurant. (Of course--it's Italy!) where one can consume fine food at night while watching lava spurting from the the volcano. We were fortunate to have a full moon to the left of the summit while gorgeous red fireworks burst intermittently to the right. WBF kept saying, "Wow," while daughter captured photos.

Apparently, vulcanologists have a name for the type of constant, small bursts that Stromboli does: they're called "Stromboli eruptions." (Remember: they're vulcanologists, not creative writers.) It's been going on non-stop for a couple of thousand years. Me, I just call it stunning.

We survived the ride back down the mountain, and now it almost seems like a dream. It's one of the most amazing adventures I've ever had.

Oh, yeah. Happy birthday, America. I don't think the fireworks we saw were for you, but you would have loved them.