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Independence party

Photo by Chandler O'Leary

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.

Concertina photo by Chandler O'Leary

There was a little music,

Croquet photo by Chandler O'Leary

a healthy dose of croquet,

Croquet photo by Chandler O'Leary

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

Photo by Chandler O'Leary

a whole lot of laughter,

Photo by Chandler O'Leary

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

Hand-crank ice cream photo by Chandler O'Leary

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

Hand-crank ice cream photo by Chandler O'Leary

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

Hand-crank ice cream photo by Chandler O'Leary

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

Hand-crank ice cream photo by Chandler O'Leary

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.

Photo by Chandler O'Leary

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

Fireworks photo by Chandler O'Leary

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

Fireworks photo by Chandler O'Leary

Happy Independence Day!