It was a warm, windy day with clear blue skies.

The perfect sort of day for looking up. (Even better with a hand full of chips.)

What were we watching?

The United States Air Force Thunderbirds!

Okay, that last image wasn't mine. I was shooting with an up close lens. Here's the shot I got with my camera.

You can kind of see the planes if you look really closely.

Every May, the Thunderbirds fly over the Air Force Academy at the precise moment the graduates toss their hats in the air. It's a stunning show from within the stadium. But even from miles away, it's quite a show.

And a LOUD reminder of the price the men and women in our armed forces pay to protect us. We are grateful. Thank you.