A Break for a Family Visit...

You probably didn't notice when our fall 2024 trip seemed to end in Staunton Virginia.  Well, it really didn't end there and some day in the not too distant future I'll post the ending bits regarding this road trip.  As you may or may not recall, the trip started with our first stop in western Tennessee, proceeded all the way back across Kentucky, into Ohio, touching West Virginia a couple of time, then up to northern Pennsylvania, touching extreme southern New York state, then back south passing through Maryland into Virginia.  The last stop I reported on was at President Woodrow Wilson's birthplace in Staunton.

This week Laurie and I have her sister and brother in law visiting East Tennessee all week, so this is the one short post I will contribute until June 24th.  This stop was one of my favorite roadside 'adventures' from that October 2024 road trip. 

This is Duke's Lexington Antique Center which is just off I-81 in Lexington Virginia.  Laurie and I love to prowl antique stores...especially well stocked large antique 'malls'.  I'd listed Duke's on our travel plans and we made sure we didn't miss it.  This antique center covers over 20,000 square feet and it features over 150 dealers offering a huge variety of antiques and collectables.  We had a fun time just looking...but of course we did end up making a few purchases too.

We didn't take a bunch of photos.  Part of the reason for that failure is that I didn't even get very far down the first aisle we traversed.  We always go to the right in stores and then go up and down every aisle.  Laurie did complete the entire journey but, as the photo above indicates, I got 'stuck' in a vendor booth that specialized in antique and collectable postcards!  Yes, rare though it is, that is a smile on my face!  I was a happy camper indeed...postcard collecting is one of my few remaining vices.

I like postcards dating 1920 or earlier, (ideally 1910 or earlier), used with messages on them and they must still have the postage stamp on them.  I prefer ships and trains but I also like city sights and landmarks as they appeared back 'in the day'.  The messages can be quite interesting as well...projecting what parts of life were like over 100 years ago.  I bought a bunch of interesting postcards with my only regret being that Duke's is over 5 hours from our home, probably more depending on traffic and road work.

When visiting Duke's, keep an eye open for Cooper.  He's the house cat and as far as he's concerned he's in charge.  He is very 'chill'!

Duke's Antique Market is located at 1495 North Lee Highway (US Hwy 11) at 30 Pinnacle Drive in Lexington Virginia.  This antique mall is open from 9 AM until 6 PM 365 days a year!  Phone: 540-463-9511.  Website: https://dukedukeantiques.com/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A New Dining Experience - Even Better, It is Italian Cuisine!

Laurie and I are always looking for a new dining experience within a reasonable driving distance of our home.  'Reasonable' is of course a relative term, but in our case we define the word as about 30 - 35 minutes, with 40 minutes pushing the envelope.  Of course, if we're out exploring an area or shopping somewhere further from home and its time for a meal, our 'reasonable' definition doesn't apply.

We now have several good to very good 'American' and Mexican restaurants in the area, a nice Thai dining destination and, most recently, a reliable Indian restaurant was added to the mix.  What we've really needed is a good Italian restaurant.  As luck would have it, a new Italian dining destination recently opened in Lenoir City...about 20 minutes from home. 

Fork and Vine took over the space previously occupied by Joe's Italian Cuisine.  Joe's had shown promise but the consistency of both food and service was an issue.  Just how new is Fork and Vine?  There is a sign on US Hwy. 321 but the only Fork and Vine sign on the building at this point is that very temporary one above where Joe's sign was located.   

Outdoor patio dining is available at Fork and Vine.  It's surrounded by trees on 3 sides and its far enough from US Hwy 321, that traffic noise isn't too bothersome.

Fork and Vine is not a huge restaurant.  As you can see, the dining arear is long and narrow.  Seating is a mixture of 2-seat tables, 4-seat tables and bar stools in front of both the bar and the stone pizza oven.  We arrived early for dinner but before we left, Fork and Vine was very busy.  My only negative is that the 2-top tables are a bit too narrow to be really comfortable.  Another 3 or 4 inches in width would make a truly positive difference.  

Do you remember when any semi-upscale or fine dining restaurant automatically offered bread without charging for it?  Well, Fork and Vine does!  The bread was crusty and nice and the oil and herb mix was excellent.  It was so good that we were given a second helping of bread and dipping oil.

Before I get into the food itself, I thought that I'd provide the introduction provided by Fork and Vine as regards their menu and approach to Italian cuisine.  Will the restaurant live up to their introduction?

"Inspired by generations of Italian cooking, our menu features handcrafted dishes prepared with passion and authenticity.  From rustic, wood-fired pizzas to perfectly seasoned seafood and savory pastas, every plate is a celebration of flavor and tradition.

Experience the rich tradition of homemade Italian cuisine, where every dish is crafted from scratch using time-honored recipes and the finest ingredients.  From fresh, hand-rolled pasta to slow-simmered sauces, every bite is a taste of Italy's culinary heritage."

Given all the bread and oil, (another reason restaurants don't offer it gratis any longer), I skipped the appetizers but as this was our 'early' Mother's Day dinner (by two days), Laurie ordered a cup of the Italian Wedding Soup...with meatballs, spinach, pasta pearls and broth. ($5.00 cup/$9.00 bowl) She really enjoyed it!  I tasted it and I thought that it was very nice...

There are 9 'shareables'/appetizers on the menu.  They include: Burratta and Ciabatta with roasted tomato jam; Drunken Mussels with vodka, white wine, basil, garlic, tomatoes, onion, banana peppers herb butter and sliced Ciabatta, and; Clams Casino, baked clams topped with bacon crumble and lemon herb compound butter.  Six different salads are also on the menu with a couple of them being 'dinner salads'.  One of them is The Palermo with mixed greens, fresh mozzarella, banana peppers, black olives, croutons, tomatoes, ham, capicola, pepperoni and salami tossed in Italian vinaigrette.

On to our entrees.  This was Laurie's Vodka Di Gallo with Italian Sausage. ($16.00 without the sausage and $22.00 with it) It is fresh Creste di Gallo pasta with pink vodka cream sauce, onions, basil and mushrooms.  Chicken, meatballs and shrimp are also options with this pasta. Laurie really enjoyed her entree although she thought that the sausage would be cut up and in with the pasta.  Still...winner, winner!

Laurie had a tough time deciding what to order.  One of her other options (perhaps next time) was the 1809 Risotto...creamy parmesan risotto, mushrooms, seared scallops, limon wine cream and herb broccolini.  If Laurie's sister Bonnie and her husband Bill were here, Bill would definitely have ordered the Ciopinno Lenoir...with mussels, clams, shrimp and fish simmered in a robust tomato broth served with grilled Ciabatta.

My entree was the Pistachio Chicken. ($24.00) This included fried chicken cutlets (a whole breast), goat cheese, pistachio crumble, and lemon wine cream sauce, served with risotto and herb broccolini.  The chicken was moist, the breading just right and the lemon wine cream sauce put this dish over the top.  I'm not supposed to eat greens but I did consume 4 pieces of the tasty broccolini.  The one downer for me was that the risotto had mushrooms in it and I just don't like mushrooms.  They should be listed in the description. I'll have to see if any options are available on our next visit.  In any case I was very content.  I actually took half of one of those breasts home for breakfast the next day.  I also scored one of Laurie's sausages!

In total Fork and Vine offers 10 pasta dishes, 8 entrees and both 12" wood fired pizzas and assorted flatbreads.  Plus there are a number of Chef's Features.  The current specials included 2 more options for an appetizer and 3 "Main Courses", one of which was the Warm Langostino Lobster Rolls.  I was surprised that Laurie didn't chose this for her entree...

It was Laurie's Mother's Day treat and she wanted dessert.  She chose the Tiramisu...made with lady fingers, coffee and marscapone. ($10.00) She really liked it.  I tasted it and concurred with her, it was very good.

I was going to skip dessert.  Options included Peanut Butter Explosion, Red Velvet Cheesecake, a Tuxedo Bomb and a Fried Strawberry Cheesecake topped with white chocolate, kiwi lime and raspberry sauces.  The 'explosion' and the 'bomb' were loaded with too much chocolate for my taste and I'm not into cheesecake.  Many of you are probably saying "How can there be too much chocolate?!"  

In any case, as Laurie was waiting for her dessert, the chef stopped by and asked about the food.  When I told him that I was skipping dessert for the reasons stated above, he pointed out that the "Chef's Features" included a dessert.  Shown above, this was my Limoncello Marscapone Cake. ($12.00) It was excellent and my opinion was supported by Laurie too...

Service was competent and pleasant.  The chef stopping by was a plus.  The food was very good, some of the best we've had in the Knoxville area in recent years.  We will return...and we will bring others with us.

Fork and Vine is still waiting for a liquor license but you can bring your own adult beverage for the time being.  The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday (11 AM until 10 PM) and for brunch/dinner on Sunday (10 AM until 4 PM) This restaurant is located close to I-70, right off US Hwy 321 at 131 Kelsey Lane in Lenoir City Tennessee.  Phone: 865-317-1098.  They do not take reservations.  Website: https://fnvlenoir.com/, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/p/Fork-Vine-Lenoir-City-61568667290284/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Found - Family

Both Laurie and I are interested in our family histories and we've gathered a plethora of family related items, articles and documents over the past few years.  In addition, off and on we have subscribed to and participated in both the Ancestry.com as well as 23andme.com on-line sites.  While it is interesting to learn that our genetic roots lead back to Scotland, England, Germany, Ireland, Sweden...and most recently Iceland in my case, the real payoff takes place when you discover family and begin communicating with them...    

What better way for us to start a 13 day road trip than to actually visit 'found family', in this case via 23andMe... So off we headed to western Tennessee to meet Laurie's 'found' cousin, Meggen, and her family!

This is Meggen's family's home which is just a bit south of Paris Tennessee.  The family lives out in the country on a nice piece of property.    

I took this photo of Laurie and Meggen shortly after we arrived.  Meggen had just gotten home from work and apparently Belle (the pointer) was really happy to see her.  

Meggen and her husband Bradley have a lot of critters...and both Laurie and I love critters.  Tucker aka "Tuck" is more or less the 'house dog' and his favorite place for cuddles is in Bradley's lap.

This is Bravo.  Despite the presence of so many canines, he is about as 'chill' as a cat can be.  Its like he owns the place!

Meggen and Bradley's farm includes a flock of chickens and one very busy rooster.  Laurie has always wanted chickens but 'sadly' our POA doesn't allow for farm animals.  We both do love fresh eggs and Meggen told Laurie that almost all of her chickens lay eggs with a greenish tint.  FYI, Laurie almost never buys white eggs...

Meggen and Bradley live on a nice parcel of land...wooded acreage with plenty of pasture land and privacy.

Lots of dogs!  This is Gabby and he is an old boy.  When Meggen and Bradley bought the farm, Gabby had been living there for quite a while...so he actually came with the farm.

While both Bradley and Meggen also work elsewhere, he in manufacturing and she in health care, they raise Katahdin sheep on their farm!  Neither Laurie or myself had ever heard of this breed.  This breed was developed by a breeder in Maine...so it is an American breed.  They are a cross-breed involving African Hair Sheep with various meat breeds, principally the Suffolk.  

The Katahdin breed are easy-care sheep.  In addition, they are resistant to many common parasites.  They grow a hair coat with little wool which molts naturally in the spring...no sheering needed.  Meggen and Bradley raise them for their high quality meat, selling off all of their lambs every year.  Meggen does have 4 sheep that have been given names...and those will not be sold!

Note the large black and white sheep in the middle of this photo.  It's the ram in the middle of his 'ladies'.  He is a Dorper ram...the Dorper being a South African breed that was created by the South African government to breed a meat sheep suitable to the more arid regions of that country.  While his 

'harem' of Katahdin ladies average 145 lbs., Dorper rams can weigh 230 lbs.

When raising sheep, goats or other small farm animals, coyotes abound in Tennessee so its a good idea to provide them with a protector.  In this case he is a Great Pyrenees whose name is Buck.  Buck does like a bit of human attention, especially if one of us would pick the burrs off his coat, but he is not a house dog...not his thing.

When owning a farm with critters to care for, an ATV is pretty much a necessity!  Meggen and Bradley rode down from the house to check out their flock of sheep.  They drove the ATV and we rode down to the pasture on a golf cart. 

After visiting the family at the farm, we headed into Paris Tennessee for a family dinner and gathering...

We got together with everyone at Moustos Pasta and Grill.  This restaurant is family owned and has been in business for over a decade.  With over 1,400 reviews on TripAdvisor, the restaurant has a 4.6 out of 5 rating.  As the focus was on meeting 'found family' I didn't take photos of the food, however both the food and service were very nice.  This restaurant has 2 locations in the area now, with another one opening soon.  Website: https://www.moustospastagrill.com/.  Unfortunately, this restaurant's website doesn't feature a menu which is a bit strange.   

Our family gathering included Meggen's son Collin, his wife Jordan, Meggen's mother Alice, then my better half Laurie, Meggen's son Alex at the head of the table, then Bradley and Meggen, then their son Sam...and at the end of the table their son Isaac with his girlfriend Kimora.

One final photo from our visit with Laurie's found family.  Laurie is at the left, then Meggen, and then Meggen's mother Alice.  Alice's mother was Laurie's grandmother's older sister on the paternal side of Laurie's heritage.

It was great meeting everyone and we loved the farm visit with all the critters.  The family has an open invitation to come and visit us at the eastern end of Tennessee!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for our family gathering!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave and Laurie

Off to a Play and Dinner!

 It was a beautiful Thursday afternoon in early September when we picked up our neighbors, Sue and Steve, and then headed west to Crossville Tennessee.  The drive is just a bit over an hour and we'd allowed plenty of time to reach our destination.  We were all looking forward to the day's activities...

Our initial goal for the afternoon was the Cumberland Country Playhouse.  I'm glad that I'd left plenty of time to get to the Theatre, park in an advantageous spot and pick up our tickets.  The timing was tighter than I'd expected as the most direct route to the Playhouse was closed for road repairs.  After trying to find our way with little success, kudos to the young lady in the ticket office who literally stayed on the phone with us and guided us through back streets to the theatre!  Upon arrival, we all relaxed...and Sue and Steve were more than ready to see the play.

As it turned out, Steve reciprocated photo-wise, capturing this picture of Laurie and yours truly...and I was almost smiling too!  By the way, my normal retirement daily attire includes shorts and a t-shirt, preferably a Carhartt.  However, in this case I dressed up!  I wore a collared golf shirt...but it too is a Carhartt.  

By now I'm sure that you have figured out what play we going to see at Cumberland Playhouse... Laurie and I are partial to musicals and we've seen several at this theatre over the last 12 - 15 years.  "Grease" was scheduled for 19 shows and it was so popular that the management added 2 extra shows in order to meet demand.

About half of the performances of "Grease" are matinees.  Afternoon performances attract more groups (churches, clubs, retirement communities, etc.) and the crowds tend to be older.  The main theatre has 500 seats, and as expected, all of them had been sold out.  This indicates that roughly 10,000 patrons attended performances of "Grease".  Photos aren't allowed inside the theater itself...

We all agreed that the music was fine but the flow of the show seemed somehow contrived...didn't really work all that well.  Still, the play was quite enjoyable and the actors were very professional... Cumberland Playhouse featured or will feature 6 other plays on their mainstage in 2024.  They include "Finding Nemo Jr.", Dial M for Murder", "Live...in Living Color", "Anastasia", "Beautiful" (Carole King musical), and "White Christmas".  Other plays are offered in Cumberland Playhouse's Adventure Theater.  In addition several live music concerts are presented every year.  

The Cumberland County Playhouse has been in operation since 1965 and over 5 million people have attended its many plays and shows.  To learn more, go to https://ccplayhouse.com/.

Crossville Tennessee is in the Central Time Zone and we live on the east side of the Cumberland Plateau in the Eastern Time Zone.  It was time for dinner when the play was over and, rather than wait and eat after 7:30 PM or so when we arrived back in our area, we decided to find a place to eat in Crossville.  

Two restaurants were well rated on-line and both expected large parties after the play was over.  The Pour House Bistro said that they would be able to seat our group of 4 if we arrived promptly  after the play.  We had a great parking place at the theater and we made it to the restaurant with time to spare!  I will admit that the shabby front entrance to the restaurant did give me a moment of pause...

The Pour House Bistro was already fairly busy when we arrived...but the big group of 19 that they expected hadn't arrived yet.  I would describe the interior of the restaurant...the bar and the dining area...as country casual, which was just fine with us.  

For an appetizer, Steve chose the Fried Pickle Fries served with a house-made ranch dressing. ($14.00) While Laurie and I have had plenty of fried pickles, they always been in chip form.  Laurie and agreed that this 'French fry' form was very good and it was easier to dip and eat.  

Appetizer options at The Pour House Bistro were somewhat limited in comparison to other restaurants. The others listed are Fried Green Beans, Crispy Brussels Sprouts + Pork Belly and a Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip.

For his dinner, Steve ordered the Carolina Smash Burger. ($15.00) The burger was topped with candied jalapenos, Carolina Gold BBQ sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese and fried onions.  Steve really enjoyed his burger and those crispy fried onions were a great topping.  He really liked the seasoned French fries too...

Sue went for a burger as well.  Hers was the Southern Scarlett Burger. ($15.50) Her burger was topped with a bourbon BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, bacon and fried onions.  Instead of French fries, Sue's side was the house potato chips.

Other hand held creations available at The Pour House Bistro include a Vegetarian 'burger', pork sliders, a Cubano, a shrimp po' boy, a chicken caesar wrap and a seasonal wrap.

Laurie went in a different direction, ordering an item that we hadn't seen on another menu.  This was the Spicy Korean BBQ Steak Tacos. ($13.50) These tacos included steak, the spicy Korean BBQ sauce, Asian style coleslaw, cold pickled cucumbers and carrots.  Other proteins she could have chosen for her tacos were fish, pork, shrimp and mahi mahi.  Depending on the protein chosen, prices ranged from $12.50 to $17.50.

Laurie did enjoy her tacos...especially with all the textures and flavors that enhanced the dish.  The house-made chips were disappointing though.  I tried them myself and they lacked any real flavor and adding salt didn't help.

For me, the burgers were off the menu.  The Pour House only serves burgers medium well or well done.  If it isn't medium rare, its not on my personal menu.  So I wandered over to the restaurant's list of Signature dishes.  I ended up choosing Alexander's Chicken Gnocchi with gnocchi pasta, grilled chicken, sundried tomatoes, rep pepper flakes, and parmesan cream sauce, all topped with goat cheese. ($20.00) I really liked this dish and there was so much food that I ended up taking the leftovers home with me to serve as a breakfast entree...

The list of Signature entrees includes some creative options in addition to the sirloin steak, pork sliders, a Cubano, a chicken tender platter and other usual items.  These more creative items, (here in Tennessee), include Low Country Shrimp and Grits, Cajun Pasta, a Spicy Korean Rice Bowl with protein, white rice and a fried egg.  In addition, there is the Judah Buddha Sushi Bowl and a Coconut Shrimp Bowl.

The Pour House Bistro/Restaurant is located at 42 North Street in Crossville Tennessee.  Phone: 931-456-0066.  This restaurant is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday through Saturday.  Website: https://www.thepourhousebistro.com/.  

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by to see what we've been up to!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

On to Omaha and July 4th!

Continuing with our road trip to visit family in both St. Louis Missouri and Omaha Nebraska...

When we're heading from St. Louis on up to Omaha, we always take US Hwy 61 north to Hannibal Missouri and then US Hwy 36 west across the state.  That keeps us off of the super busy, more dangerous and stress filled I-70 between St. Louis and Kansas City.  US Hwy 36 is a 4-lane highway all the way across Missouri.  The speed limit is 5 mph lower than the Interstate but US Hwy 36 features limited vehicular traffic, especially truck traffic.  However, less traffic means less opportunities for both fast food and sit down restaurants.  Thanks to GPS and the Internet, we have learned where dining opportunities exist...and it was time for lunch.

For the rest of the trip, I had one little problem.  I'd left my camera in Bill's SUV back in St. Louis...and I don't carry or want a cell phone.  Laurie wasn't too happy that I'd forgotten the camera as that meant that any photos we took were hers to do on her phone.  I didn't request very many photos for the rest of the trip...but, as you'll see...she did take some for my eventual use.

In any case, thanks to her smart phone, she found Robyn's, a local restaurant in downtown Cameron Missouri.  I borrowed the preceding photo from this restaurant's website.

Thanks to Laurie I can show readers that the interior decor at Robyn's Restaurant is decidedly southwestern.  The website states that the menu also reflects southwestern cuisine but, to me at least, it featured a nice basic diner style selection to chose from.  

FYI, Cameron was founded and prospered in the 1800s as a railway town.  Weirdly, parts of the city are located in 3 different counties.  Cameron has a population of about 8,700 residents.

For her mid-day mid-drive break, Laurie ordered the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich, opting for cottage cheese vs French fries as her side dish. ($8.99) She said that it was one of the better BLT's she's had when dining out in quite a while.  Translation - There was plentiful bacon!

In addition to other basic sandwiches, Robyn's offers a number of appetizers such as fried pickles, fried mushrooms, cheese curds and sweet potato fries. Wraps and dinner salads are also featured.  

My luncheon entree was this Hand-Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. ($10.99) The pork tenderloin was breaded with seasoned cracker crumbs, then fried and served on a buttered toasted bun...with lettuce, tomato and onion, all accompanied by French fries.  

From what I could determine, the Fried Catfish at Robyn's is very popular.  I also noted a truly unusual sandwich specialty.  It was the Salted Caramel burger with sea salt, caramel and bacon. ($9.99) If a customer wanted to 'jazz up' this sandwich, they will add peanut butter to the sandwich.  Hmmm...

FYI...Friday night specials include a 12 oz. Ribeye Steak with salad, vegetable, roll and potato for only $21.95 and a 13 oz. Catfish filet dinner for only $17.95.

Robyn's is located at 115 East 3rd Street in Cameron Missouri.  They are only open for lunch on Monday and lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday.  They are closed on Saturday and Sunday.  Food was good and the prices were right.  With 528 Google reviews, Robyn's has registered 4.7 out of 5.0.  Website: https://robynsofcameron.com/.  

Our next stop was our son and daughter-in-law's home in Omaha Nebraska!  One of the first things we noticed upon arrival was this grouping of my mother's hand painted tiles in the kitchen.  The tiles are among the large selection of family related art work that we've given David II and Amy for display in their home.  Laurie and I have always loved these tiles but we just didn't have any appropriate place to show them off.  There is one tile for each month of the year, each with a scene that fits what might have been happening that month in times gone past in a northerly state.

These two tall (6'4" +) young fellows were the key reason for this particular trip to Omaha.  Emmett Lee, on the left is 21 and he has been off to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln studying computer science and business management.  This summer he had an apartment in the Kansas City area where he had a summer internship with Garman Ltd in Olathe Kansas.  David III, 23, attended New York University and he's now living and working in Evanston Illinois.  The odds of seeing the two together are slim to say the least.  David II and Amy are now adjusting to being empty nesters.

This is David III's girlfriend Ryanna.  She has graduated from college as well and is about to start her career in the field of social work.  We were fortunate enough that she was part of the July 4th family gathering and food fest.  It gave us a chance to get to know her.  Despite her being in Omaha and David III being in the Chicago area, they do travel back and forth to spend time together. 

Alas, Emmett attended the July 4th festivities without his girlfriend Carly.  They both attend the same school at the University of Nebraska Lincoln but Carly was off in London England for her own summer internship.  This photo was taken at the WWI museum in Kansas City.  School will be back in session very soon now so they won't be apart for long.

In another upcoming post, our grandson's parents will be included.  But for the moment, it was all about Laurie and I plus our very tall grandsons.  I used to be just a hair over 6' tall...probably 5'11" now...but 'the boys' just tower over both of us.

As I was without a camera and didn't want to keep bugging my better half to take photos, I don't have any photos of the big July 4th food feast that David II and Amy prepared for the family.  It was all about tacos with grilled chicken, sliced steak and more, with all the related accompaniments...including watermelon and adult beverages.

Fortunately, the family's deck sits up high and it overlooks a huge field/shallow valley used by residents for sports, games, etc.  Although the trees around the perimeter have grown significantly over the past few years, there is still good visibility for fireworks viewing.  The area was completely lit up, whichever way we looked.  Explosions rattled the scene.  Laurie did manage to capture a handful of fireworks photos... We hope that everyone else had a great July 4th!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave