It’s been a busy few days since I last posted. I skipped the sign of the week and a few other things. I have been at the lake for the Independence holiday weekend.

America’s 250 years since declaring our independence from the United Kingdom, pales in comparison to our mother country and almost every people across the globe besides those of us whom live in the New World. Yet, we celebrate our milestone proudly.

I bring you three flags, yes there is a third flag in the background.

Last week, I happened to drive past our town’s celebration of the America’s Independence –  Field of Honor sponsored by the Wheaton Park District. The park district does this annually, but I have never seen it in person. Wednesday evening I drove past it and turned around to learn more. I ended up sponsoring two flags of the 2000 planted in the field. I spent more than an hour wandering the field much like I did last summer in France and the Netherlands at the American Battle Monument Cemeteries.

Attempting to capture a image which does justice to the alignment of hundreds of American flags flying in the breeze is impossible, but I tried.

I was allowed to pick up the flags and planted them along the road at our lake house Friday.

I left Friday morning and was surprised by the lack of traffic on the highway as I patiently drove east, then north.

I was two hours into my drive when I remembered a blog post from my friend Dawn at Change is Hard. She had posted about a field filled with poppies which she and a friend had visited in mid-June. I commented that I drive past the field on my to our lake house. At the time I thought about driving over and back, but decided I had other things I should be doing and filed it away for another time. As I drove along, I remembered the poppy field and recalculated my route to include stopping and paying a visit.

I am glad I stopped. Words cannot describe, nor can a picture; but I tried.

The poppy filed was stunning. I’ll be passing there this evening as I head home for a doctor’s appointment and a  few other things before coming back for the canoe race. I am excited to see the poppy field in the evening sun.

Independence Day at the lake is always fun, except if you are a dog. Especially, Fern who is terrified of fireworks. She’s a hunting dog breed, but we aren’t hunters so she hasn’t been acclimated to the sounds. She’ll hide when the Guard Camp is doing live fire across the lake or during thunderstorms.

There were fireworks on the lake Friday and Saturday evening, but I chose to stay close to Fern and Nova.

Saturday morning was the day of the boat parade and my daughter had been busy creating her theme for this year’s 250th Independence Day Lake Margrethe Boat Parade.

She dressed as George Washington with her ‘troops’ riding behind. It’s her cousin and his young family as American soldiers crossing the Delaware for a sneak attack on the British at Trenton on Christmas night 1776.

The boat parade wound the shores of the lake and lasted a little over an hour before we finished and gathered for hot dogs, hamburgers, and judge’s results. I am surprised our little band of soldiers made it.

I created the video of the event with other entries, but not all of them. I set it to Ray Charles’ rendition of ‘America the Beautiful.’ Enjoy.

So there you have it, three flags (in front of the house) with three events to celebrate American independence.

It’s Wednesday and it’s already the best Wednesday this week. I’ve got a couple of chores and some packing before I head home. So, I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the rest of the day. Making the days COUNT, one day at a time, making every moment worthwhile.

Have you ever been somewhere special and gone back to see it in a different light?