4th of July, Family, Friends, and Fireworks!

After a lovely 1 inch rain last night, I get a reprieve from the garden. I've been working hard because I only have five more days and they are going to be interrupted with things to do. After lazy morning of lying in bed and then moving to the gazebo with my coffee, I decided to catch up on my blog. 

Our July 4 celebration stretched out into three days, Thursday Carol and Tom were home and wanted to introduce Tinkerbell to her country cousins. 

This was baby Tinkerbell sleeping in her Mommies lap. She looks all sweet and innocent but that was just a ruse. 

We invited everyone for burgers on the big Green Egg at noon, the white van pulled up, the doors opened and disgorged a crowd, Janet, Tom and Carol, along with Janet's three grandchildren, Jessie, Nikki and Levi, and Tinker. Foof arrived in his pickup and son, Brian made it here later from work but in time for a burger.

The dogs met up in the driveway and did what dogs do, stick their noses in Tinker's behind. She put up with it for about 5 seconds and then told them in no uncertain terms that if they did it again, they would draw back a bloody stub. 

Murphy decided the safest place to be was in Nikki's lap!

Clyde's evil sister, Bonnie, was feeling the love and spread big hugs all around, first to Jessie....

....then to Nikki.

All the animals were showered with love from the kids, this is Levi and Zoe in the gazebo.

The dogs never get in the gazebo but this was a special occasion with Murphy and Tinker squaring off.

Now Murphy thinks the safest place is in Bruce's lap!

"She's Tough!!"

Levi and Nikki moved back to the pond and soon attracted Simon and Murphy, who still thinks she is a lap dog.

Back in the gazebo, Tinker is relaxing in Jessie's arms while looking down at Murphy.

"Back OFF!!"

It was a lovely time with everyone but as soon as they left, we hopped in the car and drove to Battle Creek where they were celebrating their 150th birthday. We thought it would be fun to go to a celebration where we didn't have to work! It was the first day so there wasn't a lot going on all we had some good food and listened to good music and was home before dark. 

Friday night we were invited to Roger and Opal's annual 4th of July picnic by their pond and what a crowd this year! The weather was perfect, there was so much good food and the fireworks after were spectacular! I over heard one little girl say, "I wonder what they are going to do for the Grand Finale!"

After the late night Friday, we had to bounce out of bed Saturday morning to get ready for the big picnic at Leo's pond. I made another batch of deviled eggs, I had made some the night before and so did two other people. Bruce had the fire going when I arrived with my food and soon others started pouring in.

The pond was green with duckweed but that did not stop Brock William from fishing, here he is on the dock with Bruce, sister, Lily and his dad, Brock.

Does he look happy??

"I caught one!!"

The Creel family joined us, Jack, Angie, James, lower left and Andrew, beside his mom, and when they were leaving, and we were thanking them for coming, Andrew said, "Well, it's tradition!"

Yes it is!

Foof and Mark in deep discussion, fixing the world's problems.

From left, Joannie, Leah, Lily, Anna and Emily with the remains of Emily's strawberry/rhubarb pie, wish I had a piece right now!

Leah and Lily in a quiet moment, in a few months she will be a big sister.

The family who fishes together.....

.......lands another fish.....

.....and daddy, Brock, gets to remove yet another bluegill.

It was a beautiful day at Leo's Pond, things started breaking up late in the afternoon when Bruce had to go bale hay. In the mean time we had calls from our friends, the Nothem's and the Hofland's, wanting to meet somewhere to eat and go watch fireworks.

More food, YEAH!!!!

We ended up eating at the Panhead in Marcus and then moving to the fairgrounds for a great show, I had fun trying to photograph them.

Sunday morning I was rudely awakened at 6:30 by Bruce, he said there was rain out west, heading our way and would I come haul in hay bales? Yes I would and then the rain disappeared! We went out to eat after church, More Food!, with the regular gang and then back home to work in the garden. I spent most of the afternoon weeding and watering, mowing and weed eating, waiting for my battery run DeWalt trimmer to run out of power! Run down, Dang it! Finally it buzzed it's last and I could go in for a well deserved shower, then back to the gazebo with some supper and a book until it was time to put the chickies to bed and so could I.

So I've come full circle, as I sit here it's starting to rain again, I need the rest.

But best of all, it's Mexican Monday tonight in Remsen!!

Yeah, More Food!!!