Despite all of the rain and heavy traffic everywhere, Sue and I had a really nice week celebrating the 4th of July.

Friday June 30th was so nice.

So, Sue and I got the screen porch set up.

Saturday July 1, we broke out the grill, and cooked up some terrific marinated steak tips from one of the local markets.

However, by Sunday July 2, the pouring rains we had expected came in, so this was my view from inside my library.

The rain kept up all day and into the evening, and brought such a chill to the air that we decided to light a fire in the wood stove. Man, that was nice!

And to top off the 4th of July: a little wine and a Mediterranean marinated chicken dish with olives, sweet red peppers, plum tomatoes, and herbs.

There was a nice break in the rains early on Tuesday morning July 4th, and so Sue and I took that opportunity to take Beau for a great mile and a half walk over through the woods at Leary Field. I had kept my sailor's eye on the sky, and could see things changing. We paced it pretty fast for about the final third of the hike back to the car as it was just starting to spit. We had just about got back to the house when it started to drizzle, and not long after that it poured.

Sue and Beau heading from the parking area toward the field.

A wide trail with a beautiful leafy canopy to stroll under.

Sue doing her exploring and photography off the trail.

Skies getting dark with threatening clouds rolling across the tops of the trees in the distance. Time to start heading back....

A little 4th of July backgammon out on the screen porch before dinner listening to some Walter Trout jazz/blues fusion.

Chicken sausage and 'stuff' hoggies, and a little wine for dinner.

By Thursday July 6 the rains had stopped, and the sky cleared off so Sue and I decided to take a drive down into Newington to check some things out at some stores that were having sales, and then out to have lunch on the patio of Lexie's Landing out at Great Bay Marine.

The marina was filled with boats, and people moving all over the area.

Sue got this great picture of the marina's work tugboat.