I am counting the days to one of my favorite holidays : Independence Day! Fourth of July brings neighborhood parades, including one pictured here (from 2008) in Tierra Verde, picnics, and fun! Nothing beats a picnic at one of our area’s parks for this holiday! My husband and I load a cooler, gather our beach towels, and put our dog, Moby, on his leash for a day of fun at Ft. DeSoto Park. After being greeted by the huge U.S. Flag that waves majestically atop a flagpole near the Park’s entrance, we head to the doggie beach so that Moby can frolic with four-legged friends. We then select a picnic area, one of many situated within view of the water. The smell of hamburgers and hotdogs grilling is enticing! After enjoying a cold beverage and slice of watermelon, we stroll along a nature trail, and spend some time exploring Ft. DeSoto’s cannon relics and observation point. We pause along the way to watch kiteboarders and seabirds that scurry, like wind-up toys, at the edge of the surf. At home, after darkness falls, we make our way to The Pier in St. Petersburg to watch the fireworks display. The crowd is always friendly and the children are especially enchanting; their joy is self-evident. Their faces, bathed in the glow of the skyward show, express my heart’s desire . . . to wave a sparkler in the air! Okay, so I’m a kid at heart . . . but the vision of neon colors bursting in the air over the moonlit waters of Tampa Bay brings out the kid at heart in all who witness this annual fireworks display! Have a happy (and sparkling) Fourth of July!

Local links:
www.TheIslandReporter.com
www.FriendsofTierraVerde.com
www.VeteransofTierraVerde.com

Photos:

Miss Tierra Verde 2008

Parade Participant

Festive Blue Jeep

Veterans of Tierra Verde Float

Smiling Flag Wavers

Antique Fire Truck

A Happy & Patriotic Parade Watcher