This week’s color palette will be in keeping with our Nation’s 4th of July holiday and summer entertaining outdoors.

I thought I’d try this recipe from Sunny Anderson (Food Network Magazine) for my 4th of July Picnic this Wednesday. Here is the link for the recipe. It yields 8-10 servings and on top of prep time you should allow for the trifle to refrigerate for 1 hour.

Every year during the week of July 4th my family comes to stay with us and we have our summer family vacation. We have a house by the beach so we spend lots of time at the ocean, having bonfires with s’mores, eating lots of great food, laughing, swimming and of course attending our village’s quintessential 4th of July parade which will be this Wednesday. After the parade friends and a few neighbors join us for an all-day picnic before the fireworks that night. This holiday really kicks off the summer, don’t you agree? Finally it seems everyone is out of school and starting to slow down. Time for lazy sunny days and afternoon cocktails!

What’s in store this week:

Tuesday, (tabletop)  I’ll show you some red, white and blue details I have planned for my 4th of July picnic.

Wednesday, (weddings) a sweet red, white, and blue real wedding with easy decor that you could use for any summer celebration

Thursday, using red, white and blue to decorate

Friday, my weekly shopping picks

I hope you’ll follow along. If you haven’t noticed you can sign up to receive my blog via-mail each day I post. Cheers! Lynn

(Photograph by Steve Giralt)