Savoring Summer Part Three

Oh boy!  We had a good Fourth of July.  We kept it pretty low key and stuck close to home.  The first thing Dusty did was put out our American Flag.  It sure makes my heart shine to see it outside our porch. 

 

After getting all dolled up (not), we drove up to Main Street for our city's parade.  On the way, we passed our good friends, flagged them down (meaning I did funny things in the passenger window to get their attention) and ended up all sitting together.  We have bumped into them at the parade before.  They must be our parade buddies.  :)

Check out those awesome sunglasses!  My boys won't wear them, even though I bought them the cutest aviators ever. 

Jack, the parade scout, was excited for it to begin. 

We got all quiet and emotional as the colors walked by us. 

This year, the parade was filled with candy and squirt guns.  I was a little leery about getting wet, considering I was wearing white pants, but in the hot hot sun, it felt amazing. 

Joy helped us referee the children.  She is such a good sport!

Back at home, we decided to set up the kid pool out back.  Tyson would have none of it-- which surprised me considering he is such a fish in the water.  It was chilly but so lovely in the hot sun.  Jack obviously didn't have a problem!

We all got changed and hopped in-- ( I decided to spare you a shot of my lily white, sun-screened skin).  You're welcome.
 

The rest of the day brought us naps, a mini-BBQ complete with a flag cake, corn on the cob, chips, water melon (such a sweet one), and soda.  No meat, you ask?  Not this year.

The weather ended up giving us an intense and cooling rainstorm.  I was grateful we didn't have to stay outside.  There was also some nearby lightning.  By fireworks time, the boys were tired and put to bed.  Dusty and I watched the PBS broadcast of the Washington DC firework show.  Good enough for us.  :)

Savoring Summer Part Two

 A local favorite, and admittedly a traditional family favorite as well, is the Greenshow.  This accompanies the Shakespeare Festival that has just begun this year in our city.  Small, but charming, the Greenshow is filled with actors frolicking and musicians music making.  We bring chairs and quilts and nestle under the old trees prepared to be entertained.

I grew up watching the various themes of the show each year;  being spellbound by the precarious egg dance, the impressive sword dance,  and the actresses mightily screeching "female virility"  at the top of their lungs (hilarious, but not politically correct twenty years later it seems).

I feel so lucky to pass this little delight on to my children.  We can't help but purchase a simple sucker or bag of humbug" candy for ourselves--sometimes even indulging in a summerberry tart sold by a nice chap with a basket and fake British accent.

Soon, the show begins.  The filtered evening light provides the gorgeous atmosphere, as does the crowd with ready smiles and clapping hands.

Gone are the days of the competitions between the men and women, but the cute (and innuendo filled) sketches remain. 

Tonight's show featured a talking (and singing) dog, which was my boys favorite character.  Spoiler alert!  Turns out at the end that he wasn't a real dog.  We.  Were.  Shocked.  :)

It helps if you come with an open attitude.  The players like to pull unsuspecting people out of the crowd to help them dance, sing, or to generally make them blush as much as possible.  Tyson refused to get up and dance.  Perhaps next time?

This is my sweet auntie, who loves this show even more than I do.  She brought the boys to campus when the actors were rehearsing.  They all got to be good friends. 

And now to show you around:  the hanging plants filled with coleus, potato vines, and flowers.

The historic Shakespeare Theatre in the round.  Soon to be outdated by a new and improved Theatre complete with retractable roof.  We may or may not have been in plays that were rained out half way through. 

Alas, we did not have tickets to the play tonight.  But no matter, we could cool off in the fountain instead. 

Dusty also may have fallen into this fountain when he was eight.  It's either his word or his mother's.

All in all, a perfect way to spend a summer evening. 

Savoring Summer Part One

Ahhh. . . the delights of summer. 

I so enjoy the summers where we live.  Cool evening breezes.  Hot concrete to lay-out on after swimming.  No annoying bugs in the backyard.  (truly!)  Cascading flowers in pots and thick trees shading cool, soft grass.  Fragrant honeysuckle plants and basil and tomatoes growing up a storm.  Afternoon showers with sunlight streaming through, making the raindrops sparkle.  

I have been wanting to document our summer-time romps for awhile and finally pulled myself out of a freeze-pop stupor to do so. 

 We are lucky to live close to our University campus and can watch the Summer Games Opening Ceremonies.  The firework show is amazing.  And we always have friends come sit and gab with us and have a good time together.

 
More summer goodness on its way. . . . .