the lower deck overlooks an additional pond, that one being more of a wildlife sanctuary pond
With family in town (a new baby!), and nowhere to really be, I’ve decided to make it a night when we’re all together.
we need ways to mark summer 2020
we didn’t eat until the sun went down, I’m sure they’ll all remember that
For summer solstice 2020 I originally had grand plans to do a big kind of barn burner, have a band, do a chicken BBQ, dance all night, maybe watch the sun come up. Yes, I looked up the date months ago during those long grey winter days and found that summer solstice, the longest day of the year! would be on a Saturday, the perfect night for party.
no tablecloth on the buffet table, I was putting a huge lobster pot on there once everything was steamed up nicely
Lexi cut and arranged the flowers, it was her idea to use the empty blue and white tequila bottles as vases for a little height and punch
her dad Mike always brings us a bottle of tequila when he visits and he sneaks in the kitchen while I’m prepping and gives me a little shot, I kid you not
it was a huge effort for me yet so worth it
he actually drove sarah, caroline, and peyton from Boston on Thursday
sean came in on Friday
we had thirteen humans and three dogs for our celebratory dinner
Invite the neighborhood, invite the kids, invite whomever. Not this time, instead I did a pivot and decided on a clambake, that little baby and the original six. Of course, there was our new son-in-law, two girlfriends, a college boyfriend, and a lifelong friend of Lizzie and Mary’s; that was it, dinner for thirteen it would be.
the blue rimmed glasses I bought in Ellicottville
the blue tin chargers I bought probably twenty-five years ago, I decided to use them as our dinner plates as the clambake would be messy
the white and hot pink linen napkins I bought at Pottery Barn at deep discount two years ago
when linen napkins are on sale I usually scoop up all that’s left, I like having a stockpile of them
I bought the food, cooked all day, and made the kids move the picnic table down to our lower deck. It was really kind of a huge effort, no matter.
We all changed our clothes, grabbed our cocktails, and with good spirits meandered down to a romantic rustic clambake on the deck.
With 4th of July weekend right around the corner, I write this to remind myself that creating a moment or two is what I love most, and maybe to inspire someone else out there that might not ordinarily take the risk to do the same. It’s work, but nothing worthwhile really isn’t work.
Every day dress, why not make it a night?
he’s our creative director
5 Comments
Absolutely Beautiful Rebecca!!! Great Job!! Cheers to Summer 2020! ❤️
Thank you Kathi, coming from you I know that is a compliment! Cheers to you and yours for a memorable summer 2020 as well. Here’s to many shared meals with family and friends. xoxo
Beautiful! So inspiring!!! Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!
Monica, wishing you and yours a happy and safe 4th of July weekend as well. As always, thank you for the love! xoxo
[…] youngest daughter Mary recently sent me this link to a post I wrote years ago, and she reminded me that she loves looking at my blog, so here I am; hello, how are […]