Wye Social Network, part 1

This was a busy weekend on Wye. Friday night I hosted the June WOW (Witches of Wye. For all you newbie readers out there, this is basically an excuse to get together with girlfriends on the mountain and eat and drink wine, and relax -- we aren't really witches, we just thought it would be fun to call ourselves that -- and maybe some of the 'dicy' element would leave our property alone if they thought we were...).

Then on Saturday we went to a neighbor's dutch-oven cook-off and taping of a show for the History channel. That'll be my second posting. I forgot my camera (can I blame Excy, who was rushing me out the door?) so I have to use Excy's camera-phone photos, which are...well, let's just say, they aren't mine. Sorry. Not that I'm a professional, or anything.

But back to the witches. Things got busy that night, too, so no photographs (Again. Sorry). I got over-enthusiastic about inviting several 'town witches' - friends from town who wanted to come party -- before I knew it we were up to 13. (Does that make a coven?).

What was I thinking?? Mildly freaked out, I put Excy and Corey to work cleaning up the yard and grounds, and hauling around chairs and putting the three leafs in the table to sit 14...yeah, they were thrilled. The indispensable Robin came in to clean on Thursday, so I could spend time tackling things she doesn't do (like windows, of which we have a million, all with cobwebs and all a zillion feet high, it seems), and the porch and terrace (where it ended up too miserably hot to sit, even at night, anyway...). I bought red and orange lilies from Beth's flower and berry farm down the road...her professional flowers are bigger than the day lilies blooming in our yard. Excy drove by on Saturday and said her zinnias are also in bloom now. Love those happy flowers -- and her blueberry and raspberry bushes are now ripe for the picking -- but I digress...

For some reason I had thought having a salad bar would be an excellent idea. One of my favorite lunch spots in Little Rock is a build-your-own salad bar, and I saw an article in O magazine touting the idea for a party, so I went with it. Again: What was I thinking?!

I was cleaning and chopping veggies, fruits, and greens for hours. Cathy suggested next time, instead of usual pot luck, we each bring an ingredient for the salad. (That's the only time there will be a next time on that idea). But the salad was fabulous. I had mixed greens and romaine, and bowls of mushrooms, carrots, red onion, bell peppers, chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, radishes, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, goat and feta cheeses, and 4 kinds of dressings. Hmmm...maybe I've left something out: I counted 14 bowls on the counter...Suzanne brought breads. Cathy made a delicious lemongrass soup. Deb made a chocolate cheesecake with strawberries that was to die for, and Sharon brought some special yummy cookies. Yes, we ate well. I'm sorry we were having so much fun, I forgot to take the photographs. My bad.

Saturday was also another high school reunion party of several classes, but since our neighbors were having the dutch-oven cook-off and demonstration that was also being filmed for a show that will be on the History Channel in October after ice road truckers ends its season, The 'Redneck Gourmets' (the emphasis is on 'gourmet') won out. That'll be my second post. Since there will be photos, it's one you'll definitely want to see.

Francis fox report: Francis and her Mr were grooming each other in the driveway Saturday. This tender scene took place in the shadow of the big tree next to the tack room so I couldn't sneak any pics. The kits (still counting three of them), are beginning to venture away from their den under the tack room and Excy caught them wrestling when he walked up to feed the horses on the house side...they ran off...but now that they are coming outside more I will be able to take photos. The baby coons should start coming up with their mamas, soon, too.