Happy 4th

 

A real firecracker of a lily.  I can never decide if it's pretty, or just gaudy. Probably both. 

I was up early making a strawberry rhubarb pie before the house heats up. We love this warm weather but it's awfully dry. The lawn is already burned up, more like August. So many past 4th's were wet and/or cold in Seattle. In fact, it was sort of a tradition that summer never got started until July 5. With the good weather, it will be a wild night outside for the crowds, or maybe just a good time to stay home.

We've having a real hot dog picnic for lunch, with beans and potato chips, as promised. To fancy it up a bit, a watermelon-feta salad, recipe from the NYT.

Speaking of watermelon, this is the weird cutting method recommended by knife experts. A new one for me. I did a double-take when walked in the kitchen, it looked so gruesome.

That's what comes from watching too many YouTube knife videos.