Happy 4th of July!

Happy independence day! We celebrated the holiday in nearly identical fashion to last year - with perhaps a few more stops thrown in for good measure, and without the company of the Avery cousins. (We missed you!))

We went to the PSU farmers market first, to scoop up some berries and cherries and peaches and tomatoes and lettuces and pastries from Pearl Bakery and pretzels from Fressen. And then we piled everything into the car and drove to Hood River, arriving just in time for the 10 am parade. We loved seeing the classic cars, horses, marching bands, karate demonstrations, dancers, and fire engines - it's an hour-long show and isn't overcrowded - there are always plenty of shady spots to watch the fun.

After the parade, we tried to play in Hood River's two very fun, very different playgrounds, but didn't last long in the midday heat and sun. So we went to Solstice Cafe and had delicious sausage-cherry pizza, butternut squash-leek-bacon pizza, a burger slider, and a Caesar salad.

I think Steve was thinking a nap was in order, but instead we hiked to Elowah Falls and enjoyed the cool forest and cold creek water. Another family was netting crayfish and newts and we saw a snake sunning itself on a rock.