An Iowa Fourth of July

It was a Fourth of July Parade like none we’ve ever seen, but then the Florida towns we’ve lived in didn’t tend to have parades in steamy July. With Mike and Pam we traveled to Slater and joined the folks of Story County to watch their parade.  This was a glorious celebration of what it takes to make a community in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Everyone was here if not marching in the parade, then lining the streets to cheer their friends and family who were marching. There was the American Legion and the National Guard, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, fire trucks, the Huxley High School Band, a US Presidential candidate and supporters, tractors, super trucks, a Model A, gymnasts, jeeps, local businesses, tractors, firetrucks, giant water guns, vintage trucks, Model T’s, tractors, firetrucks, and not a single fancy float. For the Story County kids this is as good as Halloween, for nearly every vehicle in the parade had folks throwing candy to youth and the young at heart!  Emily and Taylor were helping his grandparents host their annual parade watching party at their home of nearly sixty years along the parade route, so once last of the parade passed by we enjoyed some delicious eats and fun conversation! What a celebration of Americana!