Oh say can you see. Here it is again, time to star spangle the banner.

Kicking off summer is truckloads of fun at Rancho La Zaca.

Here’s a post on the first Happy 4th of July I was part of there, in 2010.

This time last year you may recall we had my nephew John Rex and his buddies to the ranch to eat, drink and shoot us out of house and home to spend time with his beloved Auntie and Uncle Tom. We were so touched that when I came out of the coma I wrote about it in Chasing My Tail. Moving and poignant.

At least I wasn’t up a tree. Be careful up there, Juan!

I was more like knee deep in dahlias and delphiniums. I believe this was the first time I  did 17 flower arrangements by myself in one day. And possibly the last.

But they were pretty and patriotic. Dahlias, delphiniums, white stock, and fluffy “green trick” dianthus.

Our hearty team assembled and cut up a little on the banks of the pond. That is Jackie back there making a face while Susie and Amanda try to look all innocent. Stephanie is wondering if we have enough.

Meanwhile over at the range…

…a fierce but friendly sporting clays competition ensued.

…While I fussed about the tables and all. An old beau of mine used to call me Frantic. That is kinda what I was on this day. But it came together.

Stephanie is never frantic. She is a marvel, and so is her barbequed chicken.

By the way, if you’re having a big crowd, consider one long table. It’s a great look and you won’t worry about uneven seating at smaller tables – 14 crammed around one while two or three are at another, feeling unpopular. We used picnic tables with the benches attached. It’s easy and it’s neat. The pennant flags and big paper lanterns are a lot of look for the money.

Strings of pennant flags available at flagandbanner.com Big paper lanterns at Luna Bazaar.

Have a safe and Happy 4th. What a great country this is, and how lucky we are to live here.