Vintage Images and the fourth of July...

One of my families favorite holidays for getting together is the fourth of July!

It started 30 or more years ago at my Grandmothers house.

The men would gather around a firepit at night and cook a whole hog and sometimes a deer.

Neighbors and family would gather, bringing so much food that by the end of the day you were worn out from eating.

A few years later the state of Georgia decided to build a huge lake~ Lake Oconee.

Mama and Daddy found out where the water line was going to hit and bought several lots.

Because Grandmothers house was becoming much to small for the event,

we moved it to the Lake.

I remember the first year we rode logs in the lake.

It was so much fun to see who could balance on them the longest.

We also provided our own fireworks for years,

Daddy telling me to stay off the dock and to leave the fireworks to the men.

Mom and Dad's place has changed so much over those thirty years.

They have enough rooms for all of us to stay the night.

Flowers, azaleas and shrubs adorn the property.

We have a little red golf cart so that Mama can get around in her gardens.

The fourth of July has also changed......

We order the barbecue and brunswick stew in.

We are always amazed at how many and who shows up.

We have fireworks, provided by the Country Club,

where hundreds of boats gather on the lake to watch.

But some of the things that have not changed.....

Aunt Betty's lemonade.

Aunt Shirley's mac and cheese.

Wondering what kind of bathing suit some people are going to walk out of the house with.

Mom and Dad's happy face.

AND

The love and happiness that surrounds my family on that day.