Remembering the Fourth of July on Wilbraham Mountain . . .

Before the tornado . . . before the tornado took with it the cabin that sat on top of Wilbraham Mountain . . . many Armenian-American families originally from Marash celebrated every Fourth of July on top of their beloved Wilbraham Mountain. How did they celebrate? --Raising the American Flag on a flagpole on top of Wilbraham Mountain, signaling the beginning of summer for the Marashtsis in Western Massachusetts! --Building a fire in the stone fireplace built by the Marashtsi men behind the cabin, a fire perfectly designed for cooking the shish kebab that the Marashtsi women had prepared by hand for all to enjoy. --Putting up the curtains and making up the beds in the cabin (the building which had been the first schoolhouse in Springfield, Massachusetts) on the top of Wilbraham Mountain. --Remembering the blessings of this United States of America, the country that had welcomed these folks, many of whom had survived the horrors of the Genocide of the Armenian people. --And Levon and George as young boys, shooting off fireworks to celebrate with their parents, cousins, aunts, and uncles the freedom and wonders of their country, The United States Of America!

Celebrating Independence Day

PhotoCredit:Nicolette Arlette Bilezikian,WrightsvilleBeach,NC

Fourth of July in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Shirley Tashjian, God rest her soul, was the heart of the Fourth of July in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts.  As every year, the Fourth of July Parade paraded directly by her house, she would celebrate the occasion, setting out food and drink for all her friends and the random passerby who caught her eye!!! All Marash Girl's children loved the Fourth of July Parade in East Longmeadow, as did all kids!  Not only was it colorful and musical with popular tunes played by bands from the many towns in and about East Longmeadow, but most of the folks marching in the parade carried pocketfuls of candy that they would toss to the kids that had gathered along the side of the parade route to cheer the paraders on.    Deron remembers numerous local politicians marching in the parade, leaving the parade for a moment to walk over and shake hands with Marash Boy who, at that time, was employed by Gralia Construction in East Longmeadow.  The politicians (Brian Lees, Richie Neal, and the last two or three Mayors of Springfield, Massachusetts) would greet Marash Boy by name. leaving the parade for a moment to walk over to the side of the road and shake Marash Boy's hand!!!

But that was years ago.  Marash Girl wonders if the Fourth of July is still the same without Shirley Tashjian in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts.

East Longmeadow Reverses Fourth of July Parade Route

A bit confusing for the onlookers, the East Longmeadow 4th of July Parade, for the first time since its inception, marched along Elm Street from the west to the east rather than from the east to the west. The old folks who, through force of habit, looked expectantly to the right were forced to reverse the twist of their necks to look hopefully to the left (that is if they lived on the West side of Elm Street), and the old folks who, through force of habit, looked expectantly to the left were forced to reverse the twist of their necks (or cross the street) to look hopefully to the right (that is if they lived on the East side of Elm Street).  The turnaround was disappointing for all who live on Elm Street, because by the time the parade participants arrived at Elm Street, approaching the finish line, they were too exhausted (granted the temperature was 96 degrees fahrenheit with almost the same number in humidity) to engage in their typical antics and interactions with the crowd.  Even the folks who yearly throw handfuls of candy to the kids were (apparently) out of candy, or at the very least, out of the energy to toss the candy to the outstretched hands of the hopeful!

[To see a few of Marash Girl's photos of the East Longmeadow Parade, scroll down.]

East Longmeadow Celebrates the Fourth of July

24 hours before the celebration began, residents of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, had their chairs lined up along the parade route, ensuring them a front row seat to the festivities on the 4th.

           Local dignitaries march in their shirt sleeves on a 93 degree 4th of July morning.

 

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Fourth of July Cont'd: East Longmeadow, Massachusetts

All the music, fun and games celebrate one thing:  Freedom

Fourth of July and the East Longmeadow Parade!

Getting ready for the celebration: Elm Street, East Longmeadow, Massachusetts

But where are the clowns?  When are they coming?

Crack Cookies, you say?  Oh, you call them that because they're so addictive!

Reading Romans Chapter Two while waiting for the 4th of July Parade, East Longmeadow, Massachusetts

When did you say the parade begins?  It's begun? Oh, it must be behind us! Who is that young whippersnapper out of military dress?

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To be continued . . .

HAPPY DAYS . . . Fireworks, East Longmeadow, MA, July 3, 2011

The eastern skies of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, were lit with works of fire invented in the 7th Century by the Chinese (even Farther East)  to scare away evil spirits. 

Rather than frighten people away this week, the fireworks attracted thousands of what appeared to be fire worshipping folk gazing in awe towards East Longmeadow's eastern skies.

With all that light, wonder if we missed any shooting stars -- probably not; they start appearing in the skies of Massachusetts in August.

To be fair, the excitement with which Marash Girl greets a glimpse of one shooting star far exceeds the excitement of watching an hour of fire works!

July 4, 2011: Monson at the East Longmeadow Parade: After the Tornado

On the day before the 4th, chairs were lined up along both sides of the road, chairs without people, insuring space along the route of the East Longmeadow Parade, ensuring the right of the people of East Longmeadow to celebrate the 235th birthday of the United States of America.  As one man shouted out while watching the parade, "It's a great day to be an American."  I'm not quite sure what he meant by the statement, but there it is!







Amidst the Shriners' clowns










and the marching bands from the towns of Western Massachusetts and Connecticut in East Longmeadow's Fourth of July parade,

 

walked the folks from the hills of Monson, carrying a gigantic flag over an invisible casket, dragging leafless tree branches behind them,

commemorating in silence the destruction that occurred 34 days earlier, a mournful testament to the loss and devastation wrought by the tornado of June 1, a testament which, in the midst of the joy that came before and after, brought tears to the eyes of the onlookers.

The Fourth of July: Monson, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, Springfield, Massachusetts

Hello. It's the Fourth of July and rather than celebrating in Wilbraham which is still under the pall of the tornado, or Monson, which had to cancel its fireworks because of the tornado (and THAT was even announced on the front page of the Boston Globe), the family gathered last night in East Longmeadow to watch the fireworks, and will be going to Elm Street, East Longmeadow in one hour to watch the most magnificent of small town Fourth of July Parades, a parade which consists of floats and folks from all the towns around, including towns in Connecticut. And tonight we'll be watching the fireworks spreading the skies over the Connecticut River; we'll be watching from the roof of 122 Chestnut.  For photos of all these events, check with Marash Girl tomorrow!   Happy Fourth, everybody!  What will you be doing today to celebrate the independence of the good old U S of A?

Fourth of July, Pambook Jack, & the last summer house in Wilbraham

July 3, 2011

Pambook Jack was oft quoted by Peter Bilezikian:  "Pretty soon, by and by, Fourth of July."

The last summer house in Wilbraham, Massachusetts

We don't know how we're going to celebrate this year . . . stay tuned.