A Fine Weekend

We have eaten well this weekend, that's for sure.

Our days since Friday seem to have been spent, in their entirety, attending one social-eating event after another.  And when we haven't been enjoying copious amounts of delicious food, or iced coffee, or cocktails by a lake, we've been swimming or kayaking or setting off fireworks or otherwise soaking up the constant sunshine.

We are getting a little bit spoiled, I think.

I'd like to take this moment to express my gratitude to all the powers-that-be, for giving us this picture perfect vacation weekend.  And for all the really good food.

Event 1:  Lindsey and William's wedding.  A super-classy affair at the Episcopal Church and Aurora Inn.  A truly beautiful couple, a sublime setting, top-notch service and great pacing through the whole event.  You can tell this town does weddings for a living.

Ivy and I had tons of fun dressing up together-- she has been so excited about this ever since she got her new fancy dress, dying to have a " Fashion show" with me.  She was so sweet and excited to help me dress and put makeup on, and get a bit put on herself.  Here are the finished products:

And off to the wedding we went...

The back of the inn, party in full swing

...and facing the other way.  This amazing lawn, sloping to the sun-kissed water, elegantly dressed beautiful people meandering, shoes in one hand, drink in the other... too much to handle!

 We sat at table 14 for dinner, with Randy and Amy and a group of Farley's friends from summers past.  We decided as a group that we were definitely the "Fun" table at this wedding.  Not the "young party table," certainly-- but no one there had more fun ordering additional platters of meat than we did.

We just kept sneaking off to the lawn and the lake and the dock.  The Inn itself is lovely and luxe, but the setting steals the show around here...

Event #2: The Fourth of July!

We missed our Somerton Fourth for sure, but the parade and celebration on Farley's is certainly in the running for cute.

Just about all the people and dogs on the point dress up in red white and blue and march down the road and back banging enthusiastically on noisemakers, while 4 or 5 other people cheer loudly from the yards.  It is so. stinking. cute.

These two led the parade in their finest dresses.  Why not wear "Wedding white" to celebrate the Fourth??  

After the parade, all of the assembled residents gather to sing God Bless America and pose for a picture, and then proceed, in true Farley's fashion, to stand and talk in the road for about another hour.

The lake dressed up in its best blue for the day and we spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and sitting and sunning together.  

Oh, and setting off fireworks, of course!

For our evening activity, we were invited to a picnic dinner on the neighboring point in honor of the newlyweds.  

 A serene and beautiful spot, more yummy food, scores of kids running and playing all over...

These two girls-- joined at the hip after a day of playing, to the extent that we brought Reese home with us when we left early to set off some fireworks and relax in the comfort of our own cottages.

Turns out, setting off fireworks, and watching a display, is anything BUT relaxing with three intensely excited children at the helm.

  A little exhausting... but-- so much joy!

 Here they are, being fairies dusting the flowers with their sparklers.  Can you handle it??

We could see about 5 different displays off and on... they were better in person. :)

Event # 3: Sunday Brunch Day

Aunt Betsey and her family hosted the third and final wedding-related festivity-- a lovely and delicious brunch out on the lawn in front of the little cottage where we stay. People milling and sitting and talking and eating, and the lovely feeling of hosting a perfect party without doing any of the work.  Totally the way to do it. :)  (Kudos, Betsey and comrades, on a job very well done!)

I somehow managed to NOT get pictures of the festive brunch table set up but you can imagine it because these wedding centerpieces (holding strong on day 3!) graced each picnic table, and the pastries were almost too pretty to eat.  Almost.

 The rest of the day?  Playing.

Here is Ivy taking her dress over to Reese's house to play dress up together...

...and here they are back on our porch..

 Brunch tablecloths make great toys..

 ... and everything old is new again...

 Isn't my mother-in-law so pretty?

 Here she is being "surprised" by ninjas.  The girls played ninja A LOT on Sunday...

The day could not have been more glorious.  Hot sun, cool breeze, icy lake water that felt just about right for swimming...

 And, because one giant family meal per day is simply NOT enough around here....  Family dinner went on as scheduled.  :)

After supper the little girls spent a long time gathering leaves and flowers to make salad for their water balloon babies.
Don't ask. 

 Then, time for the annual "day after the Fourth so we'd better shoot off the rest of these fireworks" display...

The bigger boys were allowed to take turns setting off some pretty exciting rockets.
It was a good show.

A Farley's weekend if ever there was one.