Yes, I love the 4th of July!

From the parade to the kids races to the hot dogs-eaten-for-breakfast, the waving flags and the fireworks.

We were all at the parade, of course. The FG was front and center to catch candy that was tossed from trucks, cars, motorcycles and horses.

There was a huge crowd again this year and everyone I saw looked really happy to be there. So many families, people of all ages, dogs and balloons and lots of hugs as people who hadn’t seen each other in a while (Covid?) reunited.

Is this what “normal” looks like? Hallelujah!!!

We entered raffles, ate snow cones, watched the little children race each other (a very important and much loved tradition) and then headed home for a little while.

The guys went back for the sawing competitions. And then it was back to the lake for more swimming. And hamburgers. And strawberry shortcake.

At 10:00 the fireworks began and we were all lined up on the dock to watch.

Oh beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain.
For purple mountains majesty above the fruited plain.
America, America, God shed His grace on thee.
And crown Thy good, with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

I am rarely political on this blog–Lord knows we have enough politics in our lives–but this performance of twenty years ago touched my heart.

Could this happen today? I wonder.