The Fourth of July

What a great weekend, the Fourth of July. I love our country and love our flag, fireworks, wonderful people, picnics and everything about the Fourth of July. But I am also getting older and I fear sometimes I poop out before the day is done. This Fourth we worked in the yard, cleaned the patio and installed misters to keep it cool. They are wonderful and do their job well cooling the patio down in the heat of hot summer days. This is an open invitation come on over and cool off. I'll set up the kiddie pool, get out the squirt guns and Popsicles for the kids and we can enjoy summer outside the way it was intended. I wasn't sure I could get a photo of them on because I didn't want the mist on my camera so this was taken form the middle of the patio zoomed out all the way.

Here is a shot of Yoda enjoying the misters, he loves them. Many times I turn them on just for Yoda as he looks so miserable in all that long hair.

After the misters were spraying we had our friends Dan & Fran Yett and three of their children & tom & Patricia over for a BBQ. I decided that I just wasn't in the mood for grilling burgers so instead we had a wonderful dinner in the air conditioned house. The meal wasn't traditional Fourth food but we all enjoyed it still. I broiled a fresh Salmon and Patricia brought a tri-tip for a complete "Surf & Turf" dinner. I made garlic mashed potatoes, threw on a few veggies & salad and Fran made the yummiest berry cobbler and a chocolate pie! The cobbler was screaming for ice-cream so I threw a batch in the mixer while we all visited on the "misty, cool patio." It was such a fun time the Yetts are an awesome family and Fran is a great cook. I found out she uses the same pie crust recipe and is darn good at making it. We got talking about food and also found out that Fran is famous for her Calm Chowder. That is one of my signature soups which is most requested buy my family & friends so.....when it cools off this fall the Yetts and Cluffs are going to have a Clam Chowder Fest so we can taste each others Clam Chowder. I think it would be fun to have a few extra guests so call early for a reservation as I'm sure the Clam Chowder Fest will be a popular event.

Back to the Fourth of July...we watched the fireworks on TV. It wasn't the same as laying on a blanket in the park but we didn't have to drive home, fight the crowds and we got to bed early. I may sound like an old lady yet there is still a lot of life and parties left in me!