July 4, 2008

July 4th - fireworks, a boating adventure and black raspberry pies

VALOIS, New York, USA - July 4 dawned foggy and quite cold, about 58 degrees (news that probably has my amigos in Mexico quite envious, given how hot it is south of the border).

But as soon as the sun peeks over the hill and boosts the temperature to, say, 65 degrees, the Admiral and I will head out to the berry patch to pick another couple of buckets of black raspberries for pies and to make jam. Two beautiful berry pies are sitting on top of the stove, ready for tonight, courtesy of the Admiral's work last night.

Sylvia goes wild for berries
Admiral Fox in the thicket picking berries

The growing season in this part of New York is quite short for all manner of plants, so when you see that the black raspberries have ripened, you don't wait around for a week thinking about going out with a few baskets to pick. We have had a lot of rain in the past week, followed by hot weather, followed by more rain which has boosted the berry crop compared to last year.

And last year was a great year.



We've been invited to a big July 4th soiree at Cousin Ruth's cottage where a very traditional dinner of burgers, corn - and probably macaroni and potato salads - will be held late in the day, just prior to the fireworks display in Watkins Glen.

Weather permitting, the Spirit of Louise will travel the 14 miles down the lake to view the display, in the company of a few hundred other boats from up and down the 40-mile long lake.

The real fun starts when the fireworks is over and those few hundred other boats all turn around and head back up the lake in the dark - usually going full throttle - with a more than a few captain/drivers feeling the effects of a full national holiday of sloshing beer and wine.

More on how that boating adventure works out tomorrow.

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