The Fourth of July, Independence Day, means different things to different people. In addition to the significance of the day and diverse interpretations, it is a holiday and a time for family and friends to gather together with a big emphasis on food.
Yesterday Google Doodle featured an interactive map with recipes for popular regional and state dishes. It stated, “The 4th of July is the USA’s most scrumptious summer celebration: a time when friends and family get together to celebrate the nation’s independence by cooking, boiling, frying, baking, grilling, or blackening their favorite regional dishes.”
The most searched recipe in New Hampshire was Apple Crisp, “a classic New England dessert.” We love apple crisp but for us that dish is one we enjoy during apple season when the juicy fruit is picked fresh from local trees. For our gathering, we chose the fruit ripening on trees now: Cherries!
I can remember a few years ago that everyone seemed to have a red, white and blue border of annuals to show their patriotism on the Fourth. Our master gardener group in Virginia planned and planted for it in our community. Even though I don’t plant one now, it was fun yesterday to spot shades of red, white and blue scattered here and there around the home.
Red
White
Blue
Beyond the red, white and blue, the backyard barbecues, and fireworks, the Fourth is an opportunity to pause and reflect on what it means to be an American, an American of any color or creed in these turbulent times and what the future of our country may be. My wish is for all to have a meaningful way to celebrate the day.
Part of my celebration was making and having a piece of raspberry pie. 🙂 Enjoy your day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Part of our morning was spent shopping for a new dehumidifier. The old one just croaked and we desperately need it this week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow that pie looks fabulous and I’ve always had a soft spot for cherries 🙂 Lovely thoughts and photos as well. Happy 4th
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! The pie was tasty, served warm with ice cream. 😋
LikeLike
Red, white and blue warm season annuals were very popular in the summer of 1976, and people liked them so much that the trend took several years to fade out. I think that they were more popular in Southern California than here just because more annuals were used there. The trend made a slight resurgence with cool season annuals in the autumn of 2001, after September 11. That is a trend that really should have continued longer than it did. People were too ready to resume their pursuit of the latest fads and colors. I do not grow annuals, but did happen to grow a nice group of blue agapanthus with another nice group of white agapanthus in front. They bloomed like exploding fireworks by July, so we planted a whole bunch or red hot Sally salvia in front of it all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see a lot of red, white and blue in towns lining streets or in front of businesses… containers, hanging baskets, etc. Not much in private gardens. Lucky that you can grow agapanthus. I’ve toyed with the idea of growing them in pots, then moving them to our bulkhead for the winter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not only can they grow here, but they used to be too common. They do best if watered. They only need to be divided every few years to continue blooming well.
LikeLiked by 1 person