happy birthday America

It's the fourth of July1  Happy birthday America.  If you are lucky enough to be a citizen of the United States  you have have been truely blessed .  If you are a woman, consider the attrocities that are inflicted daily to women around the world, and say a special prayer of thanks.  As messy and inperfect as it can be, there is no better place on this earth to live than the US.  This wonderful freedom does not come free.  As the granddaughter, daughter, wife, and mother of veterans I know the sacrifices our military and their families endure daily.  So thank a vet, help their families when you can and keep them in your prayers.  They are the reason you can enjoy your cookouts, family reunions, parades and fireworks today.

Garden sparklers  you will need:

stiff thin wire I used 17ga electric fence wire on one, aluminum on the other

glass and plastic beads they need to have holes big enough for the wire to go through.  I got mine in tubs from Joanns
crimp beads
6-8" of aluminum or copper tubing 1/4-3/8"
vise you can do this without it in a glass or vase but it really is handy
wire cutters
pliers

Cut the stiff wire in 9-24" pieces. Make about 15-25 wires.  Slide a crimp bead on about 6-8" from the bottom.  Add beads and crimps in a random pattern.  Don't put too many beads on each wire or they'll droop too much. See pic one.  Add a crimp bead to the top of the wire, cut it off if it's too long, or if it is bendable make a small loop or curl around a pencil..  When you have all of your wires beaded, slide them into the copper tube and arrange then to suit you.  This is where I use the vise to hold the tube while inserting the wires.  When all of the wires are in place squeeze the tubing around the wires tightly.  OK, I didn't have enough muscle to do this and AH did it for me.  He's very helpful that way.  Use your sparkler in a pot, a vase or put the end into another bigger tube cut as a stake for the garden.

To me they look like strange alien spiders, but they sure are happy and will bring a smile to your face..