It was only supposed to be the clown and the cowboy, when Mary Sue and Uncle Sam showed up.

“We don’t need your help,” the cowboy said. “We’ll steer this here crowd, and won’t let those unpatriotic, no good, yellow-bellied killer robots stop the parade.”

The clown looked sad. “We might need their help. All I’ve got is a scooter.”

“I can spin wheelies around you all day,” Mary Sue said.

“And I’ve got a stash of firecrackers in my hat,” Uncle Sam said.

The cowboy looked over his crew. He knew the clown’s aim was better than anyone’s, Uncle Sam was always resourceful, and Mary Sue’s right hook could give a mean black eye.

Putting his hands on the squirt guns holstered in his belt, the cowboy said, “For the land of the free and the home of the brave, let’s ride hard.”

Together, the Patriotic Gang got on their wheeled steeds and rode into the parade and into battle.

Two things I things I love about this picture:

1. Growing up, my siblings and I participated every Fourth of July in our town’s push-em-pull-em parade, riding scooters and tricycles all bedecked in streamers. It’s a great parade you just show up to, similar to the one from the picture above.

2. I found the picture on Flikr Commons, however, it happens to be from a bicycle parade in Vale, Oregon, where my dad spent his summers helping on his grandfather’s cattle farm.

However, since I can’t bring you to the parade with me, I’m bringing a parade and fireworks to you:

I know. That was beautiful. Here’s a patriotic R2 D2 Pocket Square to dab your tears with:

For those who are close enough to visit in person, I’m throwing a Nerd Party with barbecued hot dogs, lightsaber wars, and an all around patriotic round of Bang!, an Italian Western card game.

Even Italian Cowboys are American

And what is any Independence Day without a rousing rendition of our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner:

And, as a bonus for those of you across the pond in England, here’s Queen’s version of God Save The Queen (which sounds remarkably like the US’s My Country Tis Of Thee):

I love the country I live in. We have done many great things, and many doofus things, but have held together and are always trying to be better.

• How do you celebrate your nation’s holiday?
• If you were to decorate your bicycle for a parade, what would it look like?
• What nerd franchise do you consider the most patriotic? (If in England, I’m assuming that’s Doctor Who)

Side Note: Speaking of Doctor Who, here’s the teaser trailer: (I am grateful that we in the US have finally realized the awesomeness that has been going on in England for the last 50 years.)