The 4th of July

What a week end we had at Sand Creek Ranch. It was the 4th of July and our Brood all returned home for the celebration. It was a great time. Our family loves the Summer holiday. It is a time when I don't really have to deck the halls, worry about buying gifts, and best of all I don't have to do all of the cooking and worry about entertaining everyone.

Our family started coming on Friday the last ones left on Monday morning. The days were spent playing outside games, fishing, taking in small town celebrations, fishing, having a two hour fireworks display of our own on Saturday night, going to church as a family on Sunday, and did I mention fishing?

The plan was to all go to a parade in one of the nearby towns. The Professor and her family were anticipating going to The Deutches Fest across the border in a Texas town and The Nurse and family were going to our hometown and just do the parade, hamburger feed and see all of the people. Guess what, someone mentioned fishing and we lost the whole crowd to the creek. The Nurse and I did take in the parade and hamburger feed but we were also to get more fireworks. We also took in the great "Pumkin
Chunkin" event.

Now if you have never been to a "Punkin Chunkin" you are missing a lot. This is hard to imagine. These Rednecks have built a huge contraption of a cannon that shoots pumpkins. Well, in July it is actually a Melon Bomb. Anyhow they had an old van set up about 1/4 mile away and successfully demolished it with their dead-eye shots. Of course it took awhile. Then just to show how far they could shoot, they did a show for distance. Nearly a mile away, you could see the plowed field errupt as the melons hit the ground. What a waste of good watermelon on the 4th of July.

The Librarian and her family and friend came later in the afternoon and we were ready for the feed. She brought a delicious brisket and homemade vanilla ice cream. We also had Potato Salad, Slaw, Beans, Cake and homemade peach ice cream. We did GOOD!!!
We stuffed ourselves and were ready for fireworks.

My 89 year old mother in law was brave and stayed almost to the end. She lives 3 miles down the road though and left before the grand Finale. Son in Law had brought a wonderful, huge work of art for that event. WE couldn't wait. He had spent MONEY to give us all the best in the very end. He lit the fuse, The fountains errupted, Stars, shot into the air, It stopped, WHAT!!!, Wait!!! it isn't over, But alas it was, and so was a wonderful day. Even if the ending wasn't as planned, the day was the best.

In it all, we had a small parade of our own and the grandkids led us in the Flag Salute and we honored the ones who have fought for our country and made it what it is today. Pray that we can keep it "The Land Of The Free and The Home of the Brave." God Bless America.