Summer Fete {Tips 2.}

 {note: This party is part of a collaboration with Anne-Marie of Na Da Farm. We were going to have dinners the same evening; her in Illinois & me in Ohio. Her husband ending up going out of town. So she will have hers mid- July and then we will post all our details, pictures and menus then!}

The dinner party from last Friday--- hmmmm, so you want details. Some of you wondered about the storm. Yes, the storm that produced 80 mph winds. The storm that was like the hurricane winds of 2008 at the Country Living Fair! The details.......

Matt arrived home around 3pm on Friday 6/29/12 and checked the weather and told us you have 20 to 30 minutes before this severe storm moves in. We had set the table and taken things out that could be done before 7:30 when the guests arrived. Anyhoo, we trucked all the stuff back inside and the storm came promptly. Snapped off a cherry tree and had us wondering about our backup plan.


Our lights flickered but, never went out. {some are still without electricity!}
Matt checked weather again & again and told us to proceed the storm would possibly be well gone by 7:30. The temperature dropped 15 degrees, it was so hot earlier and then it had me wondering if I should serve coffee instead of slush. For awhile after it was slightly chilly!

The guests arrived the sun peeked through and we had a party & a campfire! We snuck in a dinner party between 2 storms as is rained again in the night around 1am-2am!


Driving around the countryside the last couple of days I have seens barn roofs off, trees out & telephone poles leaning. Tons of sticks and debris in yards. I still cannot believe we had electricity as I needed to cook some of the food for that night. We grilled the main dish so that would've not been an issue!

Note: We needed the rain badly here in our area of Ohio. It was not looking good for the crops and the day before the storm no rain was called for. WE are blessed to have the rain! We praise the Lord for blessing us and I wasn't even worried about the party.

Tips {Part 2}

1. Prep all your food the day before or the morning of. Cutting & chopping ahead makes everything go smoother.
2. Need extra shelves in your fridge? I put an extra cookie sheet on top of a bowl{s} of prepped food then I can put more things on the cookie sheet. This has been an incredible help. I do have an extra fridge in our shed but, even that can get full. Watermelons, drinks etc take up room. Filing a cooler with ice will help you out too!
3. Make lists of your food you are going to serve. I have forgotten things and left them in the fridge before!
4. Have a pretty towel and/or a vintage linen and new soaps for your sink in kitchen & bath. Instant TA-DA.
 5. Don't schedule a lot of other things the week of! I did, my kids had VBS and then 2 other things I had to work around. I took a nap today as I was getting cross-eyed!

I received a fun and handy hostess gift from Jill........
& fresh strawberry jam from Gina! Thanks girls!

A smaller tree-that snapped from the winds........