Octopi of Smoke

I did not get on-line at all yesterday. We got up, went to Jackson to visit Gail, walked at the DAHLEM nature center there, and found out that their funding has been cut. The center was closed and no one was there at all, but we walked and I took 99 pictures on one camera and I don't know how many on the other--some came out great and you may see some soon. It was incredibly hot and we were slick with sweat. But we still had fun. Then we went directly to Sam's for fireworks and did not get home til late. The fireworks were lovely--maybe the best I've ever seen. It was quite still, except for a slow high air movement, and the smoke trails from the fireworks hung in the air and moved slowly to the side and were lit by the new fireworks. They looked like huge dangling octopi or squid. It was so interestingly beautiful. I did not take a single picture because I had neglected to bring a tripod and know from experience that it is a waste of time to take fireworks or firework trails without a tripod! So it will have to live in my memory!