JULY 3; HOLIDAY WEEKEND....HOT....SURELY THIS IS NOT ALASKA!

Unfortunately, one of our favorite stopping places is getting to be the wonderful ice cream shop in Howe.....just a few short miles away. :) This is so nice, especially on HOT HUMID days in Indiana. On Saturday, we had such a wonderful opportunity to view and cheer on the 9/11 beam as it was transported from Angola, down state route 120 to Osolo, in Elkhart, where it will be part of a memorial for firefighters and commemorate 9-11.
The day was hot....everyone stayed in good humor.....then.....

You can see the beam, which was once a part of the World Trade Center, on the rear of this truck, draped in a flag. Appropriately draped, as would a military casket would be....

Here's a closer up view of the emblem on the truck pulling the beam.

The beam.....totally moving experience to stand in reverence to it being hauled by.

Then followed the thousands of bikers: estimated as perhaps 10,000; including the Indiana Patriot Guard, and the American Legion Riders.....among MANY others.....

Here's another very patriotic biker....

Back to more mundane adventures.....our pickle plant gave us a second cucumber. That's more than I can say about our tomato plant....it just has blossoms, but no little green tomatoes. :(

Here at the campground, the water is horrible. We have a filter on our drinking water. But, a couple of Chris' white t-shirts turned orange in places. Used iron-out on them....but the orange just came back. So....my idea.....the campground was doing a tie-dye craft for the campers. I just figured, "if ya can't lick it....join it". I decided to tie-dye the shirts. But I'm supposed to leave them in a plastic bag for a couple of weeks. When they are unveiled, I'll show you....
My little "side-kick"....Jackie. She just loves being with people. Forever smiling :)

Last week, we went to visit our friends Greg & Kay at their summer cottage in Michigan. We had such a fun time. Here are some of the pictures to show you:

The lake that they are on was so still and beautiful, that it was a mirror image of the shore. See if you can tell what's the reflection or the real thing....

We went for a nice ride on their pontoon boat....After taking their grandson, David, tubing, we just anchored and everyone (but me! Who would take the pictures if I were in the water?)

jumped in for some wet fun. Here's Chris

David enjoying his ride.
Soaking up the rays on the tube.

Then Greg called our mutual friends on the other side of the lake. Not letting us come and pick them up....they jumped in and swam a long way out to visit with us in the water. Then everyone (except me, of course) treaded water for a half hour and visited. Then Gary and Phillis swam back to their home. Not bad for a couple of 69 yr oldies.

Kay chillin int he beautiful water.

Across the lake there was a heron of some kind standing on the boat dock. At first I thought that it was a fake one.

Then mommy & daddy Canadian geese took their little ones for a swim. I thought that this was a very appropriate picture, considering the holiday.

A

When the campers started rolling in here on Friday, the staff all looked their parts for the holiday. Mark is who I called "Captain America"....when I asked for a picture he decided to give me a good pose.

Happy Fourth everyone....

Until we connect again.....