Fourth of July

Things have been busy, and we didn't make any big plans for the fourth of July. A nice, quiet day. With swimming, a rain storm, a lot of heat and humidity, a bonfire for roasting marshmallows, and fireworks. And then, Cody came home that afternoon. He just finished canoeing the whole Mississippi (2 months of paddling over 2 years) and after a weekend in New Orleans with our cousin, he drove his motorcycle through a lot of rain and made it home in time for the festivities. It made the fourth of July much more fun for our kids, who were pretty worried about the lack of parties we had planned. We had a big, all-American supper with Owen, Ashley, and Cody. And then roasted marshmallows and headed off for fireworks

(Okay, these first pictures are from July 2nd. Just so we are clear.) 

Lily with her badminton rackets. Her favorite accessory.

Gilbert helping me empty out the compost bowl.

My Orianna girl

Very early raspberries

Some ripe black raspberries out near the compost pile

Canada Lily. I really like this wildflower. 

My fourth of July cake

Ashley's apple pie

I did. I just posted a picture of our dinner table. But it was so yummy looking! And it was yummy.  

Ashley distributing sticks for roasting marshmallows

Owen, carefully defoliating the aspen tree for marshmallow sticks

Kids in grass with sticks

Love this

Setting up the bonfire

She loves being on chairs

Excitement

And then mummy made them go back in the grass for a picture

Elsie girl

Boy-o 

Us. 

Yes, my hair is leaning drunkenly. 

Justin and some kids I know

Roasting marshmallows

Crawling in the grass

Owen, Cody, and Justin played knock out while Ashley helped the kids roast marshmallows and I stood around taking pictures. 

Lily is avioding the fire like the plague

Marshmallow kids

Grass girl

Ashley is a nice aunt! 

Knock out

Someone's ball

Sunset

Silos against the sunset on the way down to St. Regis Falls, the closest place to see fireworks.

Owen, Ashley, and kids

Justin messed with the camera and took much better pictures of the fireworks than I generally do.