Fireworks, Turtles and Bears, Oh My
aka, what we encountered last weekend!
[OK, I'm kidding about the bears - it just sounded catchy]
Coming into the start of July with no definitive plans for the 4th of July holiday weekend, I was expecting a low key, slightly boring long weekend. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to schlep out to see the local fireworks (sometimes I don't like battling the throngs of people).
Enter in friend Jill - we made last minute plans for each day and it turned out to be a great holiday.
On the 4th of July, we went to the city pool. We had expected the place to be swarming with people, but it wasn't crowded at all. The air temperatures in the mid 70's might have kept people away, so we enjoyed lounging (and not overheating) on the pool deck. In the evening, we stumbled upon the best vantage point for viewing fireworks, close to the launch pads, on a great expanse of lawn that wasn't teeming with people. It was sweatshirt weather, just perfect.
For those viewing on apple devices, the following is a flash video snippet of the fireworks (sorry). You can also view from my flickr stream.
We started Saturday with an outdoor Yoga Session - right on the prairie. I attended the same session two weeks ago and loved it. Jill and Amy joined me and I think we'll be back next Saturday.
After yoga, we drove to the Farmer's market and picked up some great produce - zucchini, kale, herbs, peaches. It was my first trip this year and I love that the market continues to grow with vendors, musicians and food trucks. I stumbled upon a jewelry stand and was smitten with the artist's simple, personalized pieces. Those who know me know I'm not really into jewelry - I wear my wedding rings and maybe a simple necklace - that's it. Here is what I bought:
For Sunday, we went kayaking on the Middle Fork River:
Even though our group included six boys, I was still able to find some solitude along the way. That is the beauty of kayaking - you can always linger behind or go ahead of the group.
One of the boys found a baby turtle which catalyzed river wide treasure hunt for more turtles. All and all, they found three turtles and this trip will always be remembered as "kayaking with the turtles"
So while we didn't encounter any bears this weekend, we enjoyed the company of friends, enjoyed the glorious weather and created memories to fondly remember.
