Karen arranges her holiday spirit.
After watching the Great American Hot Dog Eating Contest from Nathan’s Famous on the Coney Island boardwalk on ESPN. (Yay Joey Chestnut, Mr. Eight-Time.)
Before heading off to NBT Bank Stadium to watch the Syracuse Chiefs play the Pawtucket Red Sox followed by the city’s annual fireworks display. (We’re ready for some big ooh’s and ah’s.)
We offer you a July Fourth red, white and blue flowered hello, direct from our side porch in the city neighborhood of Eastwood. (Thanks to my dear wife Karen’s special arrangement for the holiday.)
Enjoy the weekend, all!
What are you plans for the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth?
Mark Bialczak 
Very nice arrangement! We were away where they don’t celebrate the American holidays.
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I hope you had a great trip back to the homeland (I assume), Dora.
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Bike ride! Birthday party! Family! More Family! ANother party! And top it off with fireworks on Sunday night!
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Holiday festival in Ohio! Drink more coffee! Another cup! Yay Colleen!!
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I’ve had aplenty today!
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I’m pouring cup one for July Sixth right now, Colleen. Happy day! 🙂
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🙂 I’ve had mine and moving on to ice cream. 😉
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Karen’s arrangement is beautiful…kudos to joey chestnut (tho’ I can’t watch these contests, they make me a bit queasy)…we spent the day in the mountains, going to a local crafts fair, filling our bellies with too many carbs, then wrapped in blankets perched on a mountain overlook watching the fireworks…Happy 4th my friend.
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I loved how just one bunch of blue bought during our weekly food shopping a the Wegmans by my dear wife turned our red and white side porch arrangement into a Fourth spectacular, Mimi.
Yes, the hot dog eating is a bit much, agreed, but as long as I keep it in perspective as freakish, I don’t get queasy.
Carbs and blankets and fireworks from the mountain. Happy Fourth my friend, indeed. 🙂
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lovely floral tribute to the big day, karen, and sounds like it was full and fun – so joey won, did he? i’ve watched it on tv and it never ceases to amaze me. as for me, it was and will be, days of family time, relaxed and fun. happy fourth mark to you and karen and your family, even if it is technically now a day late )
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Beth, I hope it is still joey aussie blessed time for you. Happy Fifth, my family-oriented happy friend.
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thanks mark and happily it will be joey time for a few more weeks still )
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Yes! That’s what I was hoping to hear. I guess when you come all this way, you best make it for a good long time!
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I watched the hot dog eating contest a couple of years ago “What great fun!,” I thought. Do you know what? It was GROSS. Not fun. Not entertaining. Just gross. Never watched it again.
I think we have to drive to a Six Flags amusement park tomorrow. Not my idea. My wife’s. Probably the beach on Sunday.
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I watch the hot dog eating contest, Mark, because it makes me so proud that nowadays I can stop with three with kraut, tops. Some days, two. Back in my day, I could eat four! Anyway, I am no Kobayaski, and, yes, it is gross, but I sit and laugh as they introduce each contestant. This guy is the pea-eating champion of the world. That guy is the ramen noodle eating champion of the world. I’m not making this up. It cracks me up. The contest itself is just ridiculous.
Six Flags, huh? Then the beach? Enjoy your family, sir.
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It’s raining here with the cast off of Arthur, I imagine. Have a great Fourth and please tell Karen she did a beautiful job with her porch arrangement! 😀
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I will. Thanks, Rachel. You have a great weekend, friend. 🙂 No hurricane remnants, please.
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LOL! I think every 4th since I was a kid here, it rained.
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Happy Independence Day to you and the lovely (and talented) Karen. I love the flower display!
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Thanks, Kate. I like the holiday display she whipped up special, for sure. Have a great weekend in Maryland!
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Actually, I now live over the border in Pennsylvania – but I’ll always be a Baltimorean at heart. 🙂
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I read Ann Tyler with a smile in my heart for Baltimore, Kate. Every time she puts a new one out. 🙂
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Having glass of wine to celebrate with my American friends. Happy Independence Day! Karen’s flowers look beautiful.
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Thanks, Paul. I am glad to share the fun with my friend up north. Karen appreciates the compliment.
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Karen did well, Chum. No criticism from this passerby. Have a great evening! Enjoy!!
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It was quite explosive, Audrey. Photos to come in a.m. …
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Happy 4th to you and Karen! I plan to sleep in, get outside in the sunshine, cook delicious food and savour their tastes, maybe even a glass or two of wine. 😀
Diana xo
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That sounds like a great two-days-after Canada Day for you, our Calgary friend. Enjoy! 🙂
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Enjoy, enjoy! Swimming, popsicles, ice cold brews…sending cool wishes from the hot desert 🙂
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Let’s celebrate together in spirit, OK, Mc Fly?! Happy Fourth, my friend. 🙂
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A celebration it has been, Mark! Thanks for your well-wishes and the same to you & yours 🙂
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My plans are to enjoy whatever weather is out there, smell the flowers (amazingly patriotic ones or not), write blog posts, read great blog posts, eat good food, dance, and, maybe, see “Life Itself.” Thanks, for the grat blog post, Mark.
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Dance, Ann. I like that one. Dance like you love to. 🙂
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I also love to leave comments without typos, Mark, but we both know how that can go, sometimes. I’ve already danced today and I’m on my way to good food and “Life Itself.” Thanks for your encouragement.
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Barbecue, relax, read, write, and most importantly…not go to work.
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That is an impressive list, especially the last, Austin, a man of priorities! 🙂
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That I am. 🙂
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