Independence Day

 Wishing you a beautiful Independence Day from Mackinac Island!

Happy Day

Happy Independence Day from Mackinac! I hope you had a perfect day. We were lucky enough to get two fireworks displays this year. I'm still not quite sure why there wasn't one, larger display, but by all accounts it was wonderful.

Happy Independence Day

Everywhere you look there are flags on Mackinac.

It seems as if everyone is in the mood to celebrate.

Happy Independence Day!

 

Independance Day 2020

Happy Independence Day from Mackinac Island! I snapped this picture of Market Street Inn yesterday when I was in town. Downtown has been absolutely packed lately. Only about 50% of the people are wearing masks and social distancing is impossible while walking on the sidewalks, so I'm steering clear of town whenever I can. (I get that masks are hot and it's impossible to wear one and eat ice cream at the same time, but come on people!) Since we are trying to avoid the throngs of people, we are also skipping the fireworks tonight.  My husband will be able to watch from out on the Rescue Boat while they enforce the "safety zone" around the fireworks barge. I'm quite certain he'll be too busy to stop to take pictures for me. So instead, I'll share this picture of the Island's fireworks I took back in 2017.

The only fireworks I will be seeing this year are the ones on my mask when I venture into town. Missing the fireworks makes me sad but getting sick would make me sadder, so I've made my peace with it. The kids don't know it yet, but we're going to celebrate tonight with homemade ice cream and the 1990s classic movie Independence Day.  What are you doing to celebrate this year?

Fireworks!

The Island's fireworks this year this year were really good. They started out a little on the slow side but built up into a wonderful finale. Well, three finales actually. The technicians  kept psyching us out, but when the horns sounded after the third one, we knew they were over. It was a great way to end a fun-filled day.

Independence Day

Happy Independence Day!

Our day is going to be filled with good friends,

games, a picnic, and of course fireworks.

How about you?

An Island Fourth

After a pretty sunset over the Straits (and in spite of the wind) Mackinac Island celebrated our nation's birthday with a great fireworks display! I had hoped to post these pictures last night, but it was after midnight before I got the kids in bed and I just didn't have the energy.

I love fireworks even more now than I did when I was little. I remember getting on the bus with my mom and riding into downtown Detroit to see the big display in the city. Seems like so long ago...

These days part of the fun for me is watching my kids and listening to their comments. My son was in complete awe last night. 

He must have yelled, "Awesome!" 50 times last night. I must say, I have to agree. I'm just always sad when they're over - I could sit and watch for hours... Couldn't you?

Independance Day

This year, for Fourth of July weekend, we camped with friends here. Well, technically since we were in a camper it was camping, but Sandy Pines really isn't camping in the true sense of the word. For me, it isn't about the camping part of the weekend - it's about seeing some really good friends.

The kids had a great time, too.
They loved sleeping in Grandma and Grandpa's A-Liner,
(it's like a sleepover for the whole family)

spending time with friends,

fishing,

toodling around in our super-cool ride,

catching fireflies,

blowing lots of bubbles,

and spending time at the beach and the pool.

There were some sad moments when the kids realized they were two inches
too short to try the the ropes course,

but fireworks made everything better.

Is it possible to be grouchy while watching fireworks?
I don't think so.
However, my daughter did fall asleep.
I guess all that fun caught up with her...

Camping

Camping at Sandy Pines was a hit. Literally.

We fought (but in a good way),

and we couldn't not follow the Sandy Pines tradition of pimping our ride for Independence Day. I mean come on, if you are going to drive a golf cart all weekend, it had better look really good, right?

The fish weren't biting, but we still had a great time. Mostly due to the fact that we met a bunch of friends for the weekend and had fun just being together. Living on Mackinac Island can make doing things like this challenging at times, but it's always worth it. You can bet we'll be there again next year. Thanks Shannon for organizing everything.

Yes, my 40 year-old body is thrilled to be back in my own bed! Now that I'm home it is back to my sewing room (stuffed as it is.) I have an order of bibs, dresses, and mittens to fill...

For Grandma

The kids and I had a nice visit with my grandma yesterday. We are so lucky to get to see her regularly. In fact, of her approximately 30 grand and great-grandchildren, my children and I are the only ones who get to see her with any regularity; everyone else is too far away. (Japan, Ireland, Oklahoma, California, and Arkansas to be exact.)

Grandma knew that we had all gone camping over Fourth of July weekend and was frustrated that I hadn't posted about it. I love that my grandma reads my blog, so G-ma, this one is for you...

We met friends here on Thursday. Picture 1950s Florida - complete with lots of seniors and golf cart traffic jams. My husband's idea of camping does not include playgrounds, a water park, heated pools, or anything else this place had to offer, but the kids loved it. My children ride in a car once a month, so you can imagine how much fun it was for them to get to cruise around in a golf cart all weekend. Our group ended up being four families - eight adults, eight kids and a dog split between three tents, and a camper. Oh yeah, and four golf carts.

We split meals and each family took a turn supplying and preparing a meal. Well, except for us. Everyone took pity on us since we had so far to come and our trip included hauling everything by bicycle and ferry boat, so all I had to do was write a check. (Thank you Rachel!) Plus our tent was already set up when we arrived. (Again - thank you Rachel.)

The kids slept remarkable well considering it was the first time they camped outside in a tent. Night number one was a bit rough, but after that all went well. Nap time, however, was another story. My daughter must nap; no discussions, no debates - unless you want a moody grumpy obstinate little girl who believes absolutely everything is a huge crisis worthy of a screaming crying fit. Sleeping in a tent where she could hear everyone else discussing how they were going swimming or to the playground, didn't work very well. But we managed as best we could. Nap time ended up being a "quiet-in-the-tent-time" until everyone left and then K could usually fall asleep.

The night of the Fourth was fantastic. The younger kids had a great time with glow sticks, the older kids had a blast with sparklers, the fireworks were great, and the sunset was amazing. (The science geek in me loved the sun pillar.)

On Sunday we didn't even have to take the tent down. We had to get an early start (so we could drive north and stop to buy groceries) and our friends wanted the tent to stay up to dry for a bit longer. While it didn't really fit my husband's definition of camping, it was a great weekend with good friends who we don't get to see often enough. I'm thrilled that we've already decided to do it again next year. Now that we have gotten the lay of the land, next summer we're going to be prepared to enter the parade. My son thinks we need to decorate the golf cart to look like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Won't that be fun...

An Island Fourth

Such fun... The kids and I headed downtown yesterday to celebrate the Fourth. We took Papa a picnic lunch and then all headed to Windermere Point for the holiday festivities. We watched the International Stone Skipping Contest (the winner had more than 20 skips!) and the sack races, enjoyed the face painting, and explored the fire trucks before nap time beckoned...

The later-than-usual nap was the only reason S and K made it through the fireworks. (We are above the 45th parallel, so this time of year it is still dusk after 10:00 pm. Our fireworks didn't begin until after 10:30.) This year marks the first time I made a serious attempt to photograph them. I must admit, I am pleased at the result. (For those who are interested: ISO 200, f/11, & approximately a 10 second exposure.)