Thursday, July 5, 2012

4th of July Fun



Say, "Cheese Ball!"

We had a very unusual 4th of July this year. Temperatures were in the low 60's for most of the day, and it rained, and rained, and rained all afternoon and night.


Thankfully, the rain held off until after the parade was over.  The girls were looking festive as usual.


Here, they're putting on the charm so passers by would throw them lots of loot.


We had the usual small town floats...


As well as a few remarkable ones.


This float was my favorite! It has moving parts, which is pretty fancy for a little parade.



Afterward, we had a BBQ at Pop Pop and Grandma's house.



 Grandma taught the girls how to make cherry earrings the way she did as a kid.



When our bellies were full, we changed into pants and sweaters and headed out to the 100th annual Springerville Rodeo. Yes, it's been going on as long as Arizona has been a state. It was extra large this year, and the grandstands were packed!


Thank goodness the grandstands were also covered, and had wooden bleachers because the rain and lightning started shortly after the rodeo began, and you wouldn't catch me hanging around in metal bleachers! 


In addition to the usual riding events, this rodeo has a mix of ranch rodeo events, and some rather comical events that you won't see at a normal rodeo. For instance, the "pick-up" event involves racing on horseback down the arena, loading the horse into the back of a truck, and driving the pick-up down to the other end of the arena. People were bucked off, horses were crazy, and it was worth the price of admission.


After this shot, it started pouring, and the arena was a total mud hole which made for massive wrecks all around. Not one bull rider covered his bull.  We've been to two rodeos this week, and both have had tons of bull riders, and no one's made it to the timer. It was an entertaining rodeo, none the less.



Fireworks were canceled last night because of the lightning, rain, and cloud cover. They've re-scheduled them for Saturday.

Despite the set-backs, I didn't hear any complaints about the weather. We are so thankful for the rain!




6 comments:

  1. A great 4th! It looks like a fabulous day even with out the fireworks. A Rodeo seems like a fantastic way of celebrating too. I wish I could have been there! The shirts look great! Hope the gals got lots of loot.

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  2. I bet that pick up event was something else! I'm pretty sure none of J's horses would get in the pickup!

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  3. Looks like y'all had a fabulous 4th of July! Man, I would love to feel 60 degree temps! :)

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  4. Oh that sounds too fun!! Love the pickup event, too. Sounds like it would be interesting to see!

    Glad it rained!! We've been rainy all week, too!! Whoo hoo!!

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  5. We used to host groups of musicians from all over the world. The week would start with a concert at the local bandstand and then we'd collect "our" kids and head home. One year, immediately after the band had played "My Country, Save the Queen" (or something of that sort) the audience began to scatter. The band members were very obviously distressed, as well they would be, but a few moments later the storm which had been blowing up behind the bandstand began pelting down on all of us. The audience could see the rain coming, but they couldn't.

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  6. Your girls are too cute! Very festive!
    I am gathering from your pictures and Springerville that you live close to me? Well a few hours driving distance maybe ?? That would be so cool!

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