Thirty-five of our closest friends joined us Sunday evening to kick off Summer 2013 with fried chicken, barbecued ribs, and an assortment of yummy pot-luck sides and desserts. Mojitos with fresh mint from our herb patch and yard games were featured as the meat slowly cooked on the grill.

One long table was set up in the garden with tiki torches and candles adding to the romance of huge white magnolia blossoms, red roses and blue pom-pom hydrangeas. As afternoon turned to dusk the buffet filled with delicious offerings. Lightening bugs twinkled in the growing dark.

Doug Singer brought perfectly seasoned ribs off the grill. Salads of every sort -- curried quinoa, cucumber with dill, cole slaw, tomato and olive, and roasted eggplant -- were the perfect complement to jalapeno cornbread, Italian flat-bread and flaky biscuits.
After dinner, the children schemed up a magic show using the back porch as a stage. Ooohs and ahhhs testified to their success as entertainers; then more expressions of delight ensued when the home-made Ice cream, sauces and condiments appeared.
Simple pleasures with good friends in a lovely setting -- It's going to be a good summer!
After dinner, the children schemed up a magic show using the back porch as a stage. Ooohs and ahhhs testified to their success as entertainers; then more expressions of delight ensued when the home-made Ice cream, sauces and condiments appeared.
Simple pleasures with good friends in a lovely setting -- It's going to be a good summer!