Family, Friends, Food, Fun and Fireworks: Celebrating Independence Day

In the morning we met up with Jill and the kids to go to the Normandy Park Children's Parade, a community event of a very casual nature.  We came early to get parking, and parked ourselves on the parade route to wait.

 People who lived on the route only needed to park their chairs.

 Some of us went walking to see if we could find the parade, or anyone we might know.  

 There was the standard fire engine and police car and then a long contingent of vintage automobiles, followed by other "entries", all full of kids.

And there were plenty of candy throwers, and candy scramblers.

 We followed the parade down to The Cove, the community center, where there were piles of free hot dogs

 and lemonade and popcorn and ice cream bars and celebration cake.

 A good time was had by all.

 We visited the duck pond

 and the beach, where we looked for shore crabs.

 We all went home by 1:00 to regroup for the next activities.

By 5:00 Tom and I arrived at his sister Jan's house for the annual food and fireworks fest, and very festive it was. 

Jill and Isaac rowed out to get a closer look at the fireworks barge.

 There was so-o-o much food, topped off by grilled pizzas, managed by master chef Jan.

 Irene likes veggies on her pizza.

Jill put on a small fireworks show while we waited for the big show.  Eating continued.  Then the kids hopped into the hot tub to view the fireworks from there while the rest of us o-o-ohed and a-awhed from our deck chairs.

 The 5th of July brings clouds, a good day to work in the garden, and begin to work off the newly added pounds from all the good eating.
Summer is launched!  Have a good one!