Redbuds and Wrens: A great 4th of July celebration!

Saturday was a great day for a family picnic! We were invited to Bruce and Nancy's at 4:00 p.m.

It was nice to see everyone after a while of not being together. It was very relaxing under Bruce and Nancy's covered picnic pavilion.

Love seeing the newest Long's. This one being little Ainsley Grace, Jeff and Mandy's daughter. She's a beautiful blue eyed little lady who was quiet and very comfortable being held in her grandmother's arms and looking on at Aunt Lenora.

The food was delicious as always with sloppy joes, hot dogs, wings, pasta salads, potato salads, and other refreshing salads.

There were festively all American decorated cookies, cakes...

treats, pies and ice cream.

It was a warm day and after playing one of Rylan's favorite water balloon chase games,

a short time out for a cold refreshment and right back to provoking playful attacks.

Until someone had to finally give! Dennis favored the flat out direct hit while...

Norman, on the other hand, preferred the "my balloon has a pinhole in it and I'm oblivious to the fact that I'm pointing it directly at someone, not realizing it's leaking", method!

At times, guys would hop on four wheelers and ride off into the distance.

Only to return to being persuaded into joining in the world's longest on going card game!

Card playing came and went with Becky, quiet Becky, "winning" with flying colors! Just like clockwork or maybe it was the angle of the sun, we broke for dessert and ice cream. Being content, relaxed and enjoying one another's company, the afternoon turned to dusk and on into twinkling starlight where we gathered round a small campfire being mesmerized by it's flickering flame. We were just as the way folks used to be when they gathered on their front porches, on rockers, swings, loungers and leaning against steps lazily inhaling fresh air and feeling the occasional cooling breeze, watching the faint firefly lights and listening to the croaking of a distant frog. A deer even went running by. So calm, so peaceful, all is well in the world. How blessed we are.