not your typical 4th of July

this year i spent my 4th at noaa's annual maritime festival. making prints of great lakes fish with kids, and talking to adults about the native fish species in the great lakes. different from any 4th ive had in the past, but none the less enjoyable.

this is a trap net we had displayed as the fish and wildlife service uses them for research sampling. my supervisor somehow convinced his daughter to climb into the pot (where the fish collect at the end of the net). she was pretty happy about it until she realized he had tied the net closed! what an adorable little girl.