Fireworks

Lake Park Bash 2016

/ Jodi / 49 Comments

flags and roses

Happy Fourth of July to the USA!

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We are relaxing today after a fun-filled weekend

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at the Second Annual Lake Park Bash

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hosted by the the best ever “hood”

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in Conneaut Lake, PA…

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Look at this crew in their red, white, and blue

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from Lake Park Way!

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Whether by land or by sea…

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a fun time was a guarantee!

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A photo booth welcomed guests

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and hosts alike.

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Some of us were silly…

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an others were very pretty.

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Friends and family

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and my most specialiast of all ladies.  ❤

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There were refreshing drinks

beer

sangria

wine

greenhouse drinks

because the cutest mixologists/most generous hosts/sweetest family ever made sure!

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There was food galore…

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with lots of meat…

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food chicken

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and of course there were also

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plenty of treats!

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To work  play it off

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there where games a plenty…  Like Twister

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and life-sized Kerplunk

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and Jenga

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and corn hole

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and Bocci Ball to name a few.

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There was also music

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and young ones to make life bright.

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kids mason

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All were winners

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on a gorgeous Saturday.

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And when the sun set

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the bonfires lit and the sparklers twinkled

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while fireworks glowed and banged and shined.

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And then since one day was just not enough…

there were bloody marys and screwdrivers with the next morning’s coffee

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and a shared breakfast of pancakes with blueberries and chocolate chips

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and scrambled eggs and bacon and sausage.

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The Lake Park Bash was a real holiday treat!  Thanks to all that made it so sweet!

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Hope you are enjoying –
wherever you are –
the special moments to cherish.
Reach for a star!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Hope Your Fourth of July is a Splash!

/ Jodi / 32 Comments
watercolor fireworks 5x7 fourth of july

watercolor fireworks 5×7 fourth of july

Happy Independence Day!

Not much time for painting this weekend since we are busy celebrating, but had to at least splash a little red, white and blue (with a touch of quinacridone gold too) for #WorldWatercolorMonth!

watercolor abstract fourth of july flag 5x7

watercolor abstract fourth of july flag 5×7

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Cause, baby, you’re a firework

/ Jodi / 16 Comments

fireworks

This past weekend was our local Cranberry Township Community Days.

One of the highlights of this event is the fireworks display that occurs on the last evening of the three-day celebration.

Cranberry Township Community Day used to occur on July 4th (Independence Day) every year, so the fireworks display has become a tradition and symbol of this celebration.

Hubby works for Cranberry Township.   So for the past 15 or so years, we have had front row “reserved” seats for the show.

In fact, we are so close that we have been hit with ash and get to “enjoy” the sulfur smell of the explosives as they light up the sky.

It’s all part of the fun and adventure!

Photographing fireworks is quite difficult.  I should have researched and studied a bit, and I should’ve taken a tripod!

But here is one that represents a snippet of the fun and beauty of the night.

It was a great show, and a great celebration of a wonderful community.

I hope you had an enjoyable weekend – finding time to relax and celebrate – all the traditions, symbols, and activities that make life so sweet – at life in between.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Rompin’ around @ Cranberry Township Community Days & Fireworks

/ Jodi / 1 Comment

Cranberry Township Community Days is a big deal in our local community, and it was a fun opportunity for me to romp around a take a few pictures this past weekend.  Marty, on the other hand, is a wee-bit tired as he is tasked with assuring everything goes right with electricity for the hundreds of food and vendor booths and the variety of bands playing at the outdoor stage, as well as assuring that traffic operations cooperate with the influx of activity in the area.  It was the first year he was able to remotely coordinate the traffic lights to go into “flash mode” after the fireworks show when over 10,000 people are trying to get out of the park at the same time.  It was a great day, and here are some pics to give you a flavor of our local culture.

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loving all the locally knitted artwork on trees and this quaint bridge that crosses a small creek flowing through a part of the park

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adorable face painting and plenty of fun with bubble-blowing and catching

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Art in the Park comes in many forms

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funnel cake wantin’

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a spot for everyone

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We had the BEST Pork BBQ Sandwiches, Homemade Chips, and Coleslaw from the Cranberry Rotary Club’s booth. I so should have taken a picture, but was too busy enjoying it and forgot!

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bubbles and tattoos and popcorn and delightful precious young faces everywhere

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I’m not sure this darling little guy likes the look of that hot dog on a stick

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Momma joy and love

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this little sweetheart had the best seat in the house for the #BonJourney concert

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just wanted to pinch those sweet cheeks on this little guy enjoying his soft pretzel in the grass

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this young guy is just chillaxin’ amongst the activity all around him enjoying the concert in the park

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riding a mini ferris wheel at dusk

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Oh these sweet little ones enjoying the thrill of a three foot dip in the snake roller coaster. I love how big brother in the last seat is watching over little brother who looks completely thrilled (and a teensy bit nervous), the bravery of the one with her hands in the air, the “I’m not so sure about this” look on her seat mate, and the perfectly poised young lady with her stylish glasses smiling at her family in the front. The joys of childhood captured in a split second.

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Carpet Slide Racing

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I ADORED this knit covered bridge

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My first go at trying to capture fireworks. We were RIGHT UNDER THEM. It was a great show!

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laying on a blanket on the ground as the fireworks lit up the entire sky above us

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Another great show from #Zambelli Fireworks!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi