Labor Day 2013

 

 

We said good-by to Fort Flagler for this year by recording these sunset photos.  Awesome sunsets occur often at Flagler. The end of August signals time to move, usually south except this year.

We left Flagler and made a stop in Bremerton to run errands before heading to the beach. Derrille had a teeth cleaning appointment in Silverdale.

We parked the rig with car in tow at the Silverdale Old Town Waterfront Park.

  I opened the door and windows and waited peacefully for Derrille to return from the dentist.

 

 

 

After such awesome weather since June we didn’t expect it to continue through Labor Day. Sun on the ocean never fails to inspire feelings of content.

 

 

This park visitor portrays the typical attire worn on Washington shores. Often sandals are worn with socks….it’s a NW thing!

 Northwesterners love the beach!  Regular beach goers know the weather changes quickly. Strong winds are a given.  It helps to be a hardy visitor to the beach. 

 

 

 

The Saturday Pancake Breakfast put on by the local Fire House kicks off the weekend festivities. The official celebration is called the Kelper’s Fest.

 

Aprons and T-shirts are for sale next to the big fire boot that accepts the donation for your food. The staff cooks pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage. Guests self-serve the condiments, juice, hot chocolate, and coffee.  We bring our own jar of peanut butter.

 

 

  
Kids get a free plastic fire hat. This year they could choose either a red and pink hat.

 

 

 

 

The fire hall appeared to have a great turnout this year. We try to get our group up there before the rush. By the time we finish getting our fill, the line is backing up outside. So we leave to make room for the next round.  I think 12 of our group went up together this year.

 

 

The fire station offers interesting nooks to view. The memorial honors previous firefighters.  The fireplace speaks of another time.

 

Just before noon people gather along the main street in anticipation of the children’s parade…a very casual, low key event.  Kids sign up the hour before.  Then lead by a pirate, the rag tag group of kids, parents, dogs and stray adults meander west the 3 blocks through town, turn around at the gazebo and come back east for two blocks.

 

 

 

The dog was the best dressed in this year's parade.

 In the past 60% or more of the kids wore costumes. Prizes were given for costumes depicting things related to the beach and ocean. Everyone did and still does receive a bag of goodies for participating.

 

 

Balloons were a popular costume this year.

A few vendors show up for the kids’ parade.  The donut ladies draw us to every event. They make the donuts in small batches right there on the street, then dip them in toppings. The warm confections melt in your mouth!  YUM!


Across the street cotton candy and Sno-cones remind you of other times.

 

Around two o’clock, kids and parents gather on the beach at the park for the Teddy Bear Drop.

 

Eligible little kids sign in and their name ticket gets placed in a big jar.

 

  Cliff and Gerri put on Teddy Bear Drops at several kite festivals. Fifteen stuffed bears are put into flight at each drop.

  

        

Each event needs a launch team to run the bears up the line and then release them into the air. Adults usually handle the bear launches. With two parachutes, one bear can be in flight while the team harnesses the next bear in preparation for launch.

 

 

5-6 kids makes up the recovery team. The kids hang out down the beach where bears are expected to land. Their job is to help the lucky bear winners capture the bears especially if the winner is very small, or a gust of wind tries to take the bear farther down the beach.

 

 

 

Cliff provides a very entertaining monologue during the event while this launch crew harnesses the next bear. He or Gerri draw the lucky winners name and send him/her to the recovery area.  Sometime the tiny winners are carried by parents.

As the launch team sets up each bear.  Cliff gets the crowd to interact by yelling out “Bear in the Air”.  At that signal the bear is release

 

 

Ideally the bear parachute fills with air and the bear floats across the beach toward the recovery team.  Since the bear’s flight varies each time, the recovery team needs to run up and down the beach to capture the bear.

 

 

The smiles on the 15 lucky winners, as they hug their bear, tell the story. What a fun day!

 

Next….Sunday of Labor Day