It's a PARADE!!!

There's nothing like a small town parade and that's just what was on our schedule!!  We drove up East End Road to see how far it went ... which was farther than we wanted to go!!  Since we couldn't find the Hillenbrand's Time Bandit homestead, we checked out our point of parade watching ... and headed down to the spit.  One of the charters had just come in with their catch and proudly hung them up for pictures.  You are allowed to catch two halibut each.  The end ones looked pretty small to me, at around 20 pounds before cleaning ...  Dan calculated it might be worth the cost of the trip with halibut at $21.00 a pound!!

Finally ... moose!!!!  Out in the meadow next to the spit was this young mama browsing.  She definitely kept an eye on her surroundings and soon wandered off.

The flowers here in Homer are amazing.  They grow HUGE and beautiful.  While checking out some calendula I spotted this bumblebee snacking in the next door restaurant.  

Time to head back to the ranch for OUR fourth celebration ... barbecued cheeseburgers with all the fixings, potatoe salad, chips and good company with a view to die for.  Overcast all day, but no rain.  It doesn't get better than this!!!

Dan made the best burgers, I made the potatoe salad and Patty made the fixings and decorated for the event.  Even though it was a little chilly outside, we had a great lunch celebrating our American Freedom.

Then it was off to the parade!!!  Wouldn't you know, we would find the local town  .... well you know ... he occupied a small part of the bench, so I asked if we might sit down (that was before the smell of alcohol wafted my way).  His name was Steven, he came here years ago on the K-Mart of Cruises (??) as a band member, said he came down from the moon to watch the parade, knew everyone, including this blond Russian lady that had at LEAST ten children,  loaned $10 to his friend who just got out after 30 days incarceration, was co-producer of a radio station and never stopped talking the entire two hours we were there!!!  Pretty natty dresser though ... check out the red handkerchief in this pocket ... oh, and just turned 60!!!!

Leading the parade was the local fire department with sirens blasting and lights flashing!!

MY favorite ... this gorgeous dog was looking for a home.  I'm pretty sure she found one ... I would have taken her in a minute, but smarter heads prevailed as I was reminded Jessie probably wouldn't go for it!!

What's a parade without tractors????  A second one pulled a car along ... proud drivers!!!

And gorgeous green motorcycles!!  He did a pretty spectacular burnout in front of the judges stand!!

The Scottish Highlander group showed up, even with the cold weather.  Two were on motorcycles ... in skirts ... with drawers.  Sorry ladies ....

They even had horses ... and to make it better, when they stopped, the baby took the time to have a snack provided by his mama.  This group has horse and pony rides, ATV rides and clam digging!!  You have to be versatile here!!!

I'm sure the star of the show, Eye Candy here also did a spectacular burnout, leaving everyone else coughing in his smoke.

And finally the end of the parade ... the Police Department.  What a cutey patooty!!  Dan keeps saying "cradle robber", and I just can't figure out why!!!!

A fun time was had by all ..........  did anybody get the nice officer's name???