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Independence party

This is Carol, a fiery Sicilian kindred spirit and one of my favorite-est people on the planet. She and her fabulous husband, Jeff, hosted a Fourth of July shindig in their garden today, threats of rain and cold, dreary weather be darned.

There was a little music,

a healthy dose of croquet,

(with the added hazard of the course bordering a rhododendron thicket and a 30-foot drop to the street below)

a whole lot of laughter,

and a walloping smörgåsbord that included plenty beyond your typical Fourth o’ July fare. Hey, hummus goes great with stars-and-stripes cake!

We contributed our ice cream crank, plenty of mashed strawberries, and our upper body strength.

I’m glad there were plenty of people to share the job of cranking, because I like to cut to the chase.

Namely, this. My favorite part is when everybody grabs a spoon and helps clean off the dash,

though I’m sure the novelty alone was the highlight for some. Sure, it was a little cold for ice cream (we’re not exactly known for hot summers here), but everyone just threw on another clothing layer before digging in.

After we had all eaten ourselves silly, everyone gathered on Carol and Jeff’s porch, which faces the Sound—

—and provides a front-row seat for the main event.

Happy Independence Day!