Fourth of July in Small Town, USA (Albuquerque, Edgewood: mortgage, home)

[RamblinRoseRanch]

Due to Greg's work schedule, we weren't able to visit Jane and the gang in Timberon, but we found plenty to do here this past week. We visited the Salinas National Monument. Absolutely amazing place. The fact that most of the construction was accomplished by women and children is astounding.

A few of my favorite pics:

Greg and the girls in the courtyard at Quarai (don't know where my son had wandered off to)







The ruins at Gran Quivira




And finally, Abo.





It was a little moist for the July 4th parade, but there was a good attendance.










When we first arrived to watch the parade, a young couple with a baby and two coolers in a red wagon stopped and offered us all a bottle of water, complete with a handmade invitation to their church on the label.

The kids got more candy than they ever have at a parade.

Later in the day, after the festivities in the park, we went to the Jr. Rodeo at the rodeogrounds. A lady gifted us with a crepe paper poppy handmade by Veterans for the hoilday and a local mortgage company gave everyone flyswatters, lol.
A few shots of the rodeo and one very determined little mutton rider- I have so many shots of her on her sheep that it looks almost like a flip book!








While waiting for fireworks to start, we rode around town and saw one of the many rainbows we've seen here in the past few weeks.





And once the fireworks started, we sat on the bed of Greg's truck in a wide spot in the center of town and watched for over an hour as fireworks went off all around us. They were still going strong when we headed home for the night.
Despite being over 7 miles from town, we can see it's lights and the kids watched the fireworks on the way home as well.









Thanks for taking a look at a small town Independence Day celebration with me.

[zinnia829]

Hi Rose--where was the parade? Looks like a nice small town parade, just what we're looking for when we move out there. Is that where you've settled?

[chilegal]

RRR, so glad you had a good time on the 4th. It was great here on the 4th, but on the 5th we had rain. So having the picnic at our place was perfect, big porch and lots of room.
Someday we may make it up that way. There are lots of things to see and do in this state if you are open to nature.
Is Greg closer to home now for good?

[veggggies]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing!

[lisdol]

Was that the Moriarty Parade?

I probably waved at you from the Cub Scouts truck (it was an old Ford P/U with camo paint on it) and my 6yo probably lobbed candy at your kids heads (we had to keep reminding the boys to throw underhand LOL).

[Aliciac]

I have been to those ruins also and thought they were great. Thanks for sharing.

[RamblinRoseRanch]

Hi Zinnia- yep that's home. Moriarty, NM. Feel free to pm if you have any questions.

Chilegal- not gonna say i'm sorry you got rain, that's for sure! We had a sprinkle early on, but before dark it came a HARD rain- the hardest and longest it has ever rained since we've been here. We actually had puddles in the driveway! lol On Greg's job- well, we just don't know. His boss has to put him somewhere soon, theres only a certain amount of time he's allowed to be this certain status and that time is soon coming to an end. By the end of the month we should know. I tell ya, it's been nice to have him a whole ten minutes from home! Y'all come on down anytime- we'd LOVE to have you.

Thanks, Veggggies.

Lisdol- yup! We were on the opposite side of the street from EVERYONE else there. It would have taken more than a lob to reach us, lol! Here's a shot of your float.




What was your favorite of the three, Alicac?

[lisdol]

Ha! You cannot see me at all - I was sitting in the bed holding the baby to keep him from climbing over the side. I am behind that orange jacket between the two flags. My 6yo was next to me (I was holding on to his waistband while he threw candy b/c he was super-hyper and in danger of going right off the back or over the side).

Thanks for the picture!

[RamblinRoseRanch]

lol, you couldn't have hidden better if you'd tried! Wonder if Moriarty has a cub scouts? My son may be interested in joining.

[lisdol]

I don't know if they do. I know in Edgewood there is a LDS pack and a regular pack (pack 640) and same for the Boy Scout troops. You could call the BSA office in Albuquerque and they should be able to help. Around here its based out of schools it appears. In Georgia, the packs seemed to be based out of churches.