Third of July Recap

The Third of July has always been a big part of the holiday weekend for my family because it serves as a mini-reunion of sorts. We all gather at a cousin's (technically my Dad's cousin) house on the beach in Plymouth and stuff ourselves with good food and beer. Once dusk falls, it's time to head down to beach en masse with the rest of the neighborhood:

The Third of July is celebrated in this neighborhood with bonfires along the shoreline and ordinary people shooting off fireworks:

Once the bonfire on our stretch of beach was lit, you could feel and see the difference:

It was nice and mellow hanging out with family and friends in the light from the bonfire, digging toes in sand, watching fireworks and looking at a clear sky filled with stars:

Reviving another tradition, a Santa Claus look-alike named Patrick initiated group sing-alongs of patriotic songs. Once he started singing, everyone approached the bonfire to join in the singing and it looked almost pagan:

The long walk up the stairs (with roughly 139 steps) was made easier by the fact that we knew dessert was waiting for us back in the house.