3rd of July. It's almost here, my favorite holiday

The 4th of July. Independence Day. Love it. Usually hot, which I love to sweat, the heat never bothered me, nope. But then, I like girls in summer clothes, sorry can't help it, I went to a Catholic boys school, didn't have any sisters, and on top of that...I'm a Scorpio. But back to the 4th. So full of memories, after my brothers and I moved out of the nest in Robbinsdale, we all made a point to come home for the 4th. Little by little more children came, sometimes wives, sometimes girlfriends, sometimes new girlfriends...sometimes new wives. We'd play lawn games, lots of catching up..."who's she"? The highlight was "Tops" cookin' up the burgers on the grill. He'd mix in egg and milk and some onions for everyone except brother John. He'd make them all the same size and completely round. He'd do that by flattening them out, and then pushing a bowl over the patty so they'd be the same size and round. That's what ya get when ya have a soldier for a Dad, and if I do say a bit of a perfectionist. But he was charming as a campfire. He'd play the harmonica and recite poetry by memory. Some very whimsical. Oh and Mom? She made the best doggone potato salad you ever tasted. Yummy. Chips, pickles, tomatoes, B & M baked beans, fruit salad, and corn on the cob. Now that's livin' in my book.

After dinner, near dusk there'd be 8-12 of us heading down the hill to Lakeview Terrace Park near Crystal Lake, a place that used to be woods when we were kids, and we'd have tree houses, smoke our first cigarettes, and went through other rites of passage. Ah, but now it was a park, and this is where Robbinsdale would shoot off the fireworks. The price of progress. We'd wander around waiting for the fireworks to begin, we'd see several of our old friends from the neighborhood, who would also come home for the 4th. Yeah, those days are gone, but the brothers and I still try keep it going, and if we can't get relatives here, well we find some good friends to share the celebration with. Yup, it's different...but it's also the same. Summertime in Minnesota, ya can't beat it in my view.
As part of the work we had done this Spring with the windows, included a sidewalk finally to the garage. And where the dog kennel used to be, Barbara had a potting bench made. Yup, she created a couple new gardens. Here our friend Rachelle who is such a flower freak, offered to go shopping for plants with Barb, they came back and the two of them got so into it, they planted gillions of plants in the ground and in cool pots. Here they are shown finishing up, taking a break and seem to be quite proud of their work...some of which can be seen in the photo. Got to admit, it's nice to have a woman's touch. I sure as heck wouldn't spend much time on it...although, guess who dug the gardens, but c'mon, who can say no to these two? Just the smile would get me digging.
Potting Team: Barbara and Rachelle do a fist bump? Is that like a high five? Nice job girls.
Still the third, but a trip over to Lizette and Gregory's on Big Turtle Lake, about twenty minutes north west of us. Here Barbara and Lizette enjoy some kind of beverage in some Irish Waterford Crystal.
Father and Son. Alex and I drink soft drinks out of not so fancy glasses. Somebody's got to do that. Alex is nearly always mildly amused if he isn't receiving a lecture about some darn thing.
Wouldn't ya know. A good omen for Barbara. She found this eagle (tail) feather in the yard. We see Migizhi (Bald Eagle) often flying over our property, sometimes even sitting in the trees near the river, watching closely with eagle eye for the next meal. A good harbinger for sure.