A Glorious 4th of July

 Hope you are celebrating the birth of our nation, however simple or small the picnic or party might be.  We used to be known for our 4th of July bashes.  I would decorate anything that wasn't sitting still and if it was sitting like our cat Sassy below, she got put in with the decor for picture documentation.  Back in the 80's the  big thing was to make a ham in a can....now you can't even find a ham in a metal can.   I would make all kind of salads, baked beans, decorated flag cakes, even a jello mold made in the shape of the United States.

 Bunting and balloons, a Christmas tree decorated with 4th of July ornaments and flags, plasticware and dishes in red, white and blue, one brother providing his DJ services for some great music,  my other

 brother providing the fireworks.   We hosted these
parties for years and while it was a lot of hard work, the rewards were worth it.   I have so many pictures of family and friends sitting around, gourging themselves in their red, white and blue finest.   The most fun was seeing how everyone dressed up each year.   We were a pretty colorful, patriotic group.  At our first little cottage, we had arbors and trellises to decorate and everyone would pose under the arbor that we made with love for my husband's sister's garden wedding at our home.   I think I topped Martha Stewart that day.   I did idolize her back in 1991.  Now, not so much.

Every year my Dad and husband would try to outdo each other with their colorful patriotic shirts and they always took a great picture!   Love you guys.  As I've gotten older, I've let go of the entertaining, being happy to attend others picnics.   This year since the 4th falls in the middle of the week, not too many are having big shindigs, so I've purchased some beautiful ribeyes and that is what we'll be doing, barbecuing on the blue Weber grill given to us 27 years ago as a housewarming gift by my parents.   A nice quiet holiday spent listening to surrounding fireworks and reminiscing about the "good old days".    Happy Independence Day and God Bless the USA!