Brianna Walker

“Life is good today … Got my toes in the water. Toes in the sand. Not a worry or a care, a cold drink in my hand. Life is good today.” (With apologies to the Zac Brown Band.)

Today is one of those moments that could be a scene out of a feel-good movie. The warm sun sparkles across the water as my paddleboard gently rises and falls. Looking across the inlet, there are sailboats, inflatable rafts, paddleboards, powerboats, Jet Skis and even a floating picnic table.

A high-schooler stepped onto the deck of one of the boathouses and without preamble began singing “The Star Spangled Banner.” Her clear soprano voice abruptly hushed the rowdy laughter and splashing, and we all stood to honor the flag under whose banner we are all united.

Her song kicked off one of my favorite concerts of the year — our redneck yacht club Independence Day celebration. As the last notes echoed off the rocky cliffs surrounding the river, the audience erupted in cheers and clapping, and then the musicians stepped onto the makeshift floating stage.

For the next three hours, the band played, we sang and memories were made.

The Fourth of July has long been one of my favorite holidays, with special memories of going to our small town parade with my grandpa. As the floats would pass by, he’d take off his cowboy hat and holler, “Bet ya can’t hit my hat!” Then the candy would fly.

It must be very difficult to hit a bystander’s hat from a parade float, because very few times would it actually happen (either that or my grandpa would discreetly move it). I really don’t know, but each of us would always come home with bags of candy — much more than going to a parade without him.

Since his passing, the day has changed. But his memory will always live on — and we’ll never be able to go to a parade without shouting for the float riders to “hit the hat.” Although hitting a ball cap isn’t as photogenic as a cowboy hat — but I don’t see my husband trading in his free hat from the local grain growers for a cowboy hat anytime soon.

“You’ve got the only daddy that’ll walk the line …” brought me back from my reverie. A lady in the boat next to me pulled out her harmonica, closed her eyes and began playing with a depth of soul. About then someone dived off the bow of a sailboat, and the people on the floating picnic table started barbecuing. My boys were each on their own kayaks, drifting from boat to boat.

This is my little piece of redneck paradise.

Our dog laid his head on the bow of the boat and twitched his nose, begging longingly as the smell of barbecue wafted across the water. Last year, a friend had built a floating hot tub boat complete with a barbecue and AstroTurf for our Independence Day celebration. This year, he had disassembled that boat, and with it created a giant picnic table with a barbecue grill in the center.

The seats rose just slightly above water level, outdoor mood lights dangled on posts along with patriotic pendants while an American flag waved proudly above the whole contraption. The picnic table might be described as more hillbilly than redneck, but it’s like the old saying, “Whatever floats your boat — as long as it doesn’t sink mine!”

The whole club displayed much patriotism: flags, banners, buntings and all manner of red, white and blue decorated the boats, boathouses and swimwear (my family included).

Soon the burgers were done, and I was biting into a delicious pineapple burger while balancing on my board listening to a great band.

The world is chaotic, farming season has been hectic, the kids are growing up faster than I’d like, and we’ve been more stressed than usual this spring — but today we left all that on the shore. Looking around at the smiles of every person singing, clapping and swimming, this was a moment I wanted to savor forever.

Tomorrow will bring haystacks that tip over, swather bearings that go out, and a rodeo when the goat gets the gate open and lets the sheep out. But today — “Got my board in the water. Listen to that band. Not a worry or a care, fresh BBQ in my hand. Life is good today.”