Fourth of July in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor combined with celebrating the Fourth of July had a nice feel for me this holiday.

I started the holiday off with meeting some of the regulars at the Washtenaw Dairy.  We couldn’t miss meeting there this morning.  It was Kenny’s birthday and if your birthday is on the 4th of July you need a little bit of attention, especially if it’s your 81st birthday!

Kenny, (the guy born on the 4th of July)

I made some no-bake cookies to share.  Usually another woman brings something for birthdays, but I figured I’d take a chance at making the cookies about an eighth as good as my mom makes them.  

Our conversations ran from having chicken every Sunday for dinner, to killing the chickens, to using all the parts of the chicken to make other things.  From my sister’s chickens getting slaughtered by a local dog, to sheep being killed by packs of dogs.   Then we moved on to the different colors of fresh eggs, to the need for rain before the fireworks all the way back to someone’s mother who use to hang the chickens on the line (after their head had been chopped off) to bleed them.  

There were a few sidelines about family barbecues, biscuits and gravy and corn bread.  And the familiar “Knee-high before the Fourth of July” even got in there.  Everyone is waiting for the Michigan corn on the cob, which is the very best. 

After I left the Washtenaw Dairy I made my way to Main Street to catch the parade in downtown Ann Arbor.  It was to start at 10 a.m. and I found a great place on a corner to catch everything.

She was Not Masking her Amazement

Last year I was in St. Ignace, Michigan, during the parade on the Fourth.  Some of the same traditional things were in this parade.  Firetrucks, police cars, bands,  decorated children’s bikes, candy-throwing to the crowds and spectators dressed in every “Red, White and Blue” imaginable.  

Young Candy-Thrower

I missed the Castle Rock float, the clowns and at least one high school band that are always in the St. Ignace parades.  But, who could compete with an Ann Arbor celebration of freedom?  See for yourself.  I’ve included some of my favorite pictures I took today, for you.  

You can’t see me laughing in the pictures, but there was plenty of laughter.  My favorite being the troop of lawn-mower-soldiers being led by a yelling sergeant.

A Video Game Character

A Ukulele Band Singing "You Are My Sunshine"

You can’t see me crying when the Blue Angels flew over.  But, I did take a picture of two young children looking up in awe at the sound and the sight.

You can’t see me cheering.  But, these pictures of the LBGT Pride group had me clapping and cheering.

The Parade Did Not Keep These Two Kids Awake

You can’t see me chatting with all the groups coming by, “What is your group?  Do you have a flier?”  But, there were plenty of them I was too curious about to keep my mouth shut.  

There are still Boy Scouts and Statues of Liberty included in parades.  And no parade would be complete without a baby.  

This Proud Dad Said His Little One Was Only 5 Months Old.

Some pictures have to be shot!  

  

He Will NEVER Again be Shorter Than a Fire Hydrant on the Fourth

 

This Little One Was Not Even Aware of Being in a Parade 

Who doesn’t love a service dog or a dog who is seriously watching the parade like a human.

Hope your holiday was glorious.

These two I took after the parade.

A Woman Walking  With Her Pet, Down Liberty

Three Elderly People Engrossed in Some Children's Books
(At "Good Reads" bookstore)