Country 4th of July Celebration 2013

We hit the ground running yesterday!  They close the roads here at 10:30 am for the parade, so our guests started arriving early - and our younger son's family spent the night here to be ready for the day.  We decorated our gazebo the night before the 4th so it would be ready.  How do you like it?  For our readers in other countries, Americans celebrate the 4th of July to remember their Independence.

We don't have to go far to watch the parade, just 1/3 of a mile or so east of our farm.  The parade used to go right in front of our house, then then switched it to the Historic Columbia River Highway and it's remained there ever since.  Our neighbors were set up across the road and they had a tiny puppy, so she brought her over to show the kids.  The little guys loved her!  The pup doesn't look that happy.. :-)  

And then the parade began!  Our local cheerleaders marched and cheered.

There were lots of classic cars, I love the dark cherry color of this one. 

My favorite part is the horses.

Here is a 1957 Chevy, one of my favorites - I was 8 years old when this came out. :-) 

Boy Scouts from Gresham.

Another family favorite is the classic VW bus - our son had some while attending and driving to and fro to college in Tennessee - and we had a brand new red 1970 VW Campmobile when first married and for years afterward.  Travis and his wife have one now.

LOTS of horses!

A gorgeous 1950s Ford Thunderbird.. Dayle and I have drooled over these for years. 

This float is special - this is an authentic covered wagon owned by our friend Woody Davis who passed away not long ago.  His handmade coffin was transferred to the Mountain View Corbett Pioneer Cemetery inside this wagon.  

 Another beautifully restored classic car of the 1930s.

This little girl's daddy was leading her on this cute little pony.

Our local volunteer fire department heads up the parade and another of their trucks brings up the rear.   

Look at this beautiful antique fire truck from California! 

All the cars and floats threw out wrapped candy which our boys had a blast picking up.   

2 of the horses in this group had "FOR SALE" signs painted on their rumps!  :-) 

These 2 magnificent Percheron draft horses were being ridden, last year they pulled a beautiful white carriage. 

The 4-H group had a cute "float" with a little burro in the back and... 

A Nubian goat in the back.  These are the type of goats we raised while the kids were growing up.  They only had fresh home produced goat milk and we also had fresh eggs from our own chickens.  And we had a Quarter Horse (mine) and my daughter had an Arabian horse - she was in Horse 4-H.  I was the dairy goat 4-H leader for 5 years.  Great memories of county fairs and showing them and getting trophies and ribbons. 

We got a new shade canopy and put it up on the roadside, our older son Shawn and his wife drove their recreational vehicle up and watched the parade from it, and they let their two boys ride their quads up there, too.  There is Kristi in the front, my BIL Steve, on the left and my sister Denise, then Dayle and Travis and all the boys.  Here comes the parade!

Then back to the farmhouse - I finished making the potato salad, sis helping me chop things, and Kristi made a fruit "flag" out of mini marshmallows, HUGE raspberries and some blueberries.  She also made a fruit salad and fruit Ambrosia salad with coconut and whipped cream. 

Almost ready!  We had copious amounts of corn on the cob finishing up on the stove and a big platter of BBQed chicken breasts to put on the table then we all dug in.  Sister Denise brought a new recipe of baked mixed beans which were a hit.  Notice the Shawnee corn "rollers" and corn picks?  You put the butter in the roller, then put your hot corn on it and roll it around.  Works well! 

Travis ran into a high school buddy and invited him over to visit - he brought his very cute 16 year old daughter named Kelsie.  Caleb took an immediate shine to her and flirted up a storm.  He's starting early liking girls! 

What a day we had!  While we adults chatted and prepared for the meal, the bigger boys were racing around the pastures on their quads, the little guys were swinging and sliding and enjoying the play fort.  It was a perfect day!  

Dayle grabbed the camera and went out at dusk and got this nice shot of the gazebo - after it was all cleaned up after the fun day.  Today we're resting!  I need to get off to the pool soon.  I hope you have a GREAT weekend and thank you so much for visiting!!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

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