A Grand Old Fourth

 

Here we are in our team colors, the USA Team!

Our 4th of July celebrations are fairly simple. Other people do most of the work. We do love the Red,White, and Blue, everything and everywhere. 

We started our day by attending a parade-side potluck brunch in Jim and Becky's driveway.

This year, with no Gus-the-Bus to drive in the parade, Jill and Irene joined us. 

After eating and visiting, we moved to the curb for the Normandy Park Parade. 

Of course the fire department starts it off. 

I like red cars, old and new, but mostly old. This parade is mostly about vehicles. 

This Sounders Green one got my attention. We tried to identy the make of each one, but I can't remember. Just cool cars.

This one is older that I am!

The "floats" were vehicles too.

There were lots of kids standing by, eagerly awaiting the candy being tossed. They all came equipped with Ziplock bags. 

This is a neighborhood parade, with a small town feel. Even big cities like Seattle have "small town" suburbs. 

After the parade Tom and I came home to some quiet time before driving to SIL Jan's house on Henderson Bay near Gig Harbor. Our whole immediate family was there:

Front row: Linda, Tom, Jan, Back row: Jill, Seala(Isaac's girlfriend) Isaac, Irene, and Jake.

Then young people went canoeing and kyaking and paddleboarding. 

Before, in between, and after, there was food.

Hors d'oeurves 

Salmon dinner

Desserts. Irene made the Flag cherry pie, her first pie ever. She did good!

And of course there were fireworks. Jill provided a close up show, and there with pyrotechnics going on all around the bay.

Sparklers, fun for even me.

We enjoyed Jill's show and everyone elses too. 

It was after midnight when we got home. The booming of rockets bursting in air went on in the neighborhood until 2:00 am. I didn't care. We were all celebrating our nation's birthday.

It was another Grand old 4th!

Happy Fourth of July!

 

You're a Grand Old Flag

By George M. Cohan

---

You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of
The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

I want these words to be true, for us and for our country. This Fourth of July, let's celebrate all that's good about our United States of America!

Happy 249th Birthday, USA!

Garden Club Outing

 It's July! 

It's currently 86 degrees as registered by the National Weather Service. Yesterday, Monday, was a bit warmer. Any garden work is done in the mornings now, or in the shade.

On Saturday, when it was cooler, our garden club went on an outing to the gardens at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma. It was going to involve quite a bit of walking, but there were benches, so I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. It was beautiful.

Begonias in the borders by the rose arbor.

The rose garden and the arbor were in full bloom.

There were interesting perennials. 

A few dahlias were in bloom in the dahlia garden.

And of course there were roses. 

There was more walking and a few more gardens, but by the time we got back to the car to meet the group for lunch, I was hot and exhausted.

Once I could hydrate and sit down, Tom and I had a good visit with several members we were just getting to know. Lunch was simple and good. 

On the way home Tom and I topped off lunch at a Starbucks for coffee and dessert. I was done, and done in, for the rest of the day, and most of Sunday too. Tom and Jill went to a Sounders game and I stayed home and watched on TV, quite comfortable in my recliner. 

Sunday we puttered a bit in the garden. Monday we did house work. Today we did more garden chores. Now I am done for the day. It's hot.

It's July.