Celebrating America
Our Fourth of July festivities have settled into a nice routine.
Tom and I attend a potluck brunch in Normandy Park, on the parade route, where we visit with friends prior to the parade.
Meanwhile, the kids are busy getting set up to be in the parade. Gus the Bus is a fun feature in the Normandy Park Community Parade.
The parade is made up mostly of vintage vehicles, so Gus fits right in.
Then we all meet up at The Cove, where the community gathers for free hot dogs and popcorn and ice cream. People get close up looks at the old cars, and many of us eventually wander out to the beach.
After a quiet afternoon at home, we pack up our food contributions, and head for Jan's place on Henderson Bay, across the Narrows Bridge, on the Kitsap Peninsula.
Cherry pie for the 4th of July.
The kids paddle about in the bay.
We eat, too much, and wait for the big show to begin.
Jill and the kids always bring a bang up bunch of fireworks of their own.
All around the bay people are setting of their own displays.
Then from the barge in the bay, the big show erupts.
It's Americana at it's best, celebrating our nation's birthday with community, family, and friends, having fun together, and feeling grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in this great country of ours.
Great day! The pie looks especially good to me. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, that pie. I'm dieting right now, on salads pretty much every meal, and boy does that look good. I did buy some fresh cherries to eat out of hand for a treat. Your Fourth of July festivities look like fun. Nigel begs every year to be allowed to buy some fireworks, but I drive the car and refuse to stop. He would be so jealous of that big box.
ReplyDeletehow fun, hot dogs, parades and fireworks with family!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like our nation at its very best.
ReplyDeleteBeing so close to the border we could hear the fireworks last evening; too bad we couldn't see them as well!
ReplyDeleteDoes Gus the Bus get insured especially for the 4th every year? Or is there a special "parade permit" issued?
Gus is licensed at a special rate for seldom used vehicles. Between our son and our daughter he does get to go on a few camping outings each summer.
DeleteIt's important that we celebrate the good things.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you enjoyed a wonderful day of celebration. The cherry pie looks yummy.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like super fun, and Gus the Bus is cute.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful full day with family, tradition, and fireworks!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a perfect way to enjoy the Fourth. Thank you for the great pictures; you always seem to get fabulous fireworks shots. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely day and how it should be celebrated. Thanks for my Gus the Bus fix. I just love that VW. Brings back great memories.
ReplyDeleteYou and Tom always have the absolute BEST ways to celebrate every holiday. I am always in awe of everything you both do with your family. That cherry pie looks scrumptious and your fireworks are just spectacular!
ReplyDelete...and not a tank in sight! We didn't have tanks either in our little local parade, or a military flyover. Our Warming Station, where I volunteer in the winter, won first place in the Parade. Celebrating families, communities, and our country is what it's all about.
ReplyDeleteGreat parade and Gus looks great! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat traditions with family and friends! We went to Tacoma's Freedom Fair on the waterfront for the first time. Lots of fun. Ran into a couple of my current students. A man with grey hair approached me and said, "Didn't you used to be a teacher?" He remembered me and my name from the semester I was a student teacher 34 years ago. He seemed amazed that I was still vertical. (He is only 7 years younger than I.) Good times.
ReplyDelete