Monday, June 3, 2019

Around the KitchenTable - Summer Fun + book #giveaway


It's time for Around the Kitchen Table. Are you ready?

From Daryl:  It's summer. It's party time. Barbecues. Ice cream. Margaritas. What's your favorite summer food? What gets you in the party spirit?  Personally, I love to barbecue. I love the aroma of a barbecue. I love the sound of the sizzle. And I love sitting outside with a longer day and enjoying a nice glass of wine and reading a book. Now, when my mother was alive, margaritas were a go-to beverage in the summer. I shared that recipe last week. Hope you took a sip.


What foods make summer fun for you?

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PEG: I love summer food! I'm an avid fan of grilling--to me everything tastes better (and tastes like summer!) done on the BBQ.  We love steak on the grill of course but also things like chicken satay and butterflied leg of lamb. And to really get into a summer mood, we like to sip an Aperol Spritz while sitting on the deck enjoying the sun and fresh air. We were introduced to the drink by our Italian son-in-law and ordered them daily on our trip to Italy.  If you'd like to try one, go HERE for the recipe!



 
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Sheila: I've always liked meat from the grill (my father was a big meat-eater, and my mother did not like hot kitchens in summer!), and early on we had a grill with an electric rotisserie, which was fun to watch. But recently I was commenting to my sister that our mother exposed us to a lot of summer vegetables (that a lot of kids probably wouldn't eat in those days), so we enjoyed asparagus and artichokes from an early age (we left the avocados to our mother and grandmother, but at least we knew what they were). However, I was never a big fan of squash--too squishy--and for a long time tomatoes made me gag (I outgrew it).

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DENISE Fresh from the garden corn on the cob, tomatoes, and sweet peppers are my go to summer treats. My dad was a farmer and he always had my mom get the pot of water boiling before he even picked the sweet corn. Drowning in butter and salt it is a taste not to be beaten. 

And there is nothing to compare to a a BLT with tomatoes you've grown yourself. Then to top of the trifecta, there is a thinly sliced pepper, tomato, and onion salad with just a tiny bit of vinegar,oil, salt, and black pepper.


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LESLIE: We grill all year round -- a habit leftover from when Mr. Right lived in a house so tiny the kitchen was a three-quarter sized fridge, a convection oven, and a hot plate, with a huge gas grill outside the back door!

But there are certain fabulous recipes that scream SUMMER! to us. Caprese salads and a yummy variation, Grilled Caprese Kabobs. Tomato Camembert Pie. Anything with fresh herbs -- I line the back porch with pots of them. Lavender Limeade, with or without tequila. Berry smoothies and slushies. Anything with fresh raspberries or basil. Ice cream with Chocolate Cabernet Sauce. 

Oh, dear. As I write, it's more a hot chocolate day than an ice cream-with-chocolate sauce day, and I've gone and made myself hungry for summer.

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LINDA:     I'm with you, Daryl! I love to BBQ although I must admit for our weekly family dinners it's usually my brother-in-law or his son-in-law who rise to the occasion. Not because I ask them -- I am perfectly capable, you know. But, it adds to the flow of getting everything on the table at the same time. Chicken breasts are a favorite, as are burgers of various ingredients (we have non-red-meat-eaters in the family). But my true favorite is a thick tenderloin steak, done more rare then medium. I salivate just thinking about it. And, our go-to refreshment is a gin and tonic with fresh lime slice. That really says summer to me!
           
LUCY: Me too on the corn Denise, my very favorite! And Campari spritz, which was on this blog last Thursday. And anything right out of the garden, especially tomatoes and basil and mozzarella with a little vinaigrette on top...We also have a ton of family birthdays in July, so how about this yellow layer cake with raspberry frosting?



CLEO COYLE: I'll be short and sweet (literally)! Marc and I both agree, one of our favorite summer foods is ICE CREAM! We don't have an ice cream maker, so we use the easy no-churn method to make it fresh in our own freezer. If you'd like the recipe, click here or on the photo below, and have a delicious summer, everyone!

Click the photo for Cleo's easy recipe:
How to Make No-Churn Ice Cream,
and have a delicious summer!


🍇  🍎  🍑  🌽 🍅  🍇 🌺 🍓


Giveaway

We're giving away the following books to one winner. 
Leave a comment and tell us about your Summer Fun
(maybe we'll steal the idea  - heh, heh) 
and leave your email in case you win.

Murder, She Uncovered - by Peg Cochran, ebook only
Sifting Through Clues - by Daryl Wood Gerber, ebook or trade paperback
Chai Another Day - by Leslie Budewitz, trade paperback
The Diva Sweetens the Pie  - by Krista Davis, hardcover



 

84 comments:

  1. I'm with Denise. We had a big garden when I was growing up and the water was always put to the boil before we picked the corn. And BLTs were good, but I liked tomatoes even better when we took them off the vine, polished them on our jeans, and ate them out of hand, still warmed by the sun.

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  2. I, too, love to grill in the summer. Nearly everything's better on the grill... even pizza and grilled cheese! A good burger or some salmon with corn on the cob or asparagus is perfection! And some strawberry shortcake for dessert doesn't hurt, either (not on the grill, of course!)

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  3. I grill year round. Nothing is better than a juicy burger and corn on the cob cooked on the grill! Thanks for the chance to win! JL_Minter (at)hotmail(dot)com

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  4. I love burgers and steak on the grill, but grilled corn on the cob with butter and lemon pepper is my favorite! cking78503(at)aol(dot)com

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  5. We're still having frost warnings (!!!) so summer is still on a distant horizon. I know it's really summer when we have our first supper/dinner/evening meal that is nothing but corn on the cob. Real butter. A little salt. Life is good. pjcoldren[at]tm[dot]net.

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  6. My summer looks like it will be full of gnats...big ones...so going outside will be iffy. I love to just sit and enjoy the cooler air at night by a firepit.

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  7. Summer means enjoying fresh, ripe tomatoes and a salad filled with peppers, kale, and zucchini. sitting outside in the backyard and enjoying this repast gives me great enjoyment. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. Corn on the cob would have to be my favorite summer food too. That and watermelon. mbradeen [at] yahoo [dot] com

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  9. I love the simple barbecue favorites, hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, potato salad, baked beans, cucumbers & onions, homegrown tomato slices, s’mores.
    Bleakney750@yahoo.com

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  10. Macaroni Salad has to be one of my favorite summer foods. Nothing is as grand as heading to the beach, then around 10:30 AM (something about being at the beach always makes me hungry) digging into a picnic lunch. I also love homemade baked beans and ribs. BBQ sauce, galore!

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  11. I love summer and await its arrival with anticipation each year. If I am fortunate enough to go to the beach then I enjoy the food even more. I bring a baguette with cherry tomatoes, cut up strawberries and delectable salads with cucumbers, chopped kale and lovely grape tomatoes. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  12. I love to grill out. We usually try to do it year round but that doesn't always happen. Corn on the cob is always one of my favorite things to eat.
    bnharris6218[at] outlook[.com]

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  13. We grill year round but my new favorite is when my husband marinates rack of lamb and grills it! Very tasty! Thanks for the chance!
    bernice-kennedy(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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  14. The summer for me is going to the lake and watching my husband band play music every weekend. It so much fun

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  15. My favorite summer food is ice cream, but it’s also my favorite any time of the year (which my brother-in-law thinks is weird).
    Sara
    annefitza (at) yahoo(dot)com

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  16. Mmm! Love grilled food on the barbecue! Also love corn on the cob and all the fresh fruit and veggies! Thanks so much for the chance to win!
    faithdcreech at gmail dot com

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  17. I would love to go to the beach, travel to see monuments, shop etc. but I have lupus and other medical issues and the sun is my enemy (literally it makes my skin feel like it’s on fire then develops sores that take months to heal) so I just travel through my books I read. I always love the detective figuring out clues etc jobs and since god placed me as a mama of four (two special needs) for my occupation I can only enjoy that job through books as well . Would love to be a winner...all of you authors are great! (Email if you need it is rosacline90@gmail.com)

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  18. It is definitely summer here in TN. Thankfully today is cooler than it has been. Grilling always means summer although we do grill year round. Steaks are the best and of course closer to rare than medium for me. I love fresh veggies and fruits. Tomato, cuc, and onion salad. yes. The real sign of summer though is fresh watermelon. Cold and dripping with sweetness. Love it!! kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net. I either have these books or have preordered them!! Love it!

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  19. I think I want to come eat with all of you! And yes to the summer festivals and outdoor concerts -- they make everything taste better!

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  20. Summer means fresh fruit - peaches, watermelon, strawberry pie. (Sounds like there's the beginning of a song in there somewhere.) :-)

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  21. I love going to farmers markets, food festivals and camping in the summer. When we are home, we eat all of our meals on the deck overlooking the forest that we live in. Nothing better than food cooked on the grill, even in winter in the snow. When I get the chance, I love to head to Highway 1 and drive along the coast from California to Washington.
    robsnest60 (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  22. Summer fun is reading, reading, and reading. I plan on doing it all summer!
    cjreynolds52(at)comcast(dot)net

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  23. My summer Fun is full of reading, traveling and fresh veggies.
    kckendler at gmail dot com.
    Thanks for the blog.

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  24. Must be a Midwest thing. Nothing better than sweet corn and tomatoes. Love tomato sandwiches. We grill year round too, but on a small scale for just the two of us. Reading is my year round hobby. You ladies certainly keep me busy.
    vkreft@aol.com

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  25. One of the best things about summer, besides baseball, is going to our farmers markets and getting fresh vegetables and fruit. We especially look forward to blts and sweet corn, but the green beans, red potatoes, peaches, and berries are awfully good too.
    browninggloria(at)hotmaildot)com

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  26. Summer fun was spending time with grandparents and eating ice cold watermelon spitting out to seeds to see who send them the farthest.

    kkat(dot)edwards(at)gmail(dot)com

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  27. My summer fun is boating and playing with the greatgrand kids

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  28. I love our garden & fresh veggies & fruit from the Farmer’s market. We grill out most eves
    jwhaley4@aol.com

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  29. Kathryn BarbasiewiczJune 3, 2019 at 12:10 PM

    Sounds tasty. Love grilling and summer festivals.

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  30. My summer fun is being able to sit on the deck, read and drink a nice cold glass of limeade after walking our dogs. I also love grilling -- it does say summer, doesn't it. I love grilled vegetables and portabello mushrooms ~

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  31. I love summer food--grilled burgers, fresh corn on the cob, best of all tomato sandwiches!! Hubby isn't a griller so he bought me a small table top grill so I can do the grilling. lsum1258@aol.com

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  32. My summer fun is visiting my Sister in Michigan. We like going to the beach and eating outside overlooking Lake Michigan. I also like reading outside. Thanks for the great giveaway, all of these books are on my TBR list.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  33. I love growing tomatoes and visiting local farms' produce stands. I like supporting local small farmers, buying the delicious food the sell including local honey and peaches.

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  34. Hello, we grill all year round. Steaks, corn, veggies, hot dogs and burgers. My husband dies the grilling and I sit and read. It’s perfect. Cathiturnbull1@gmail.com

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  35. I love to read out on my balcony in the morning before it gets too hot outside.
    turtle6422 at gmail dot com

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  36. Grilling burgers outside, sweet corn, and popcycles especially root beer flavored

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  37. Summer means lots of corn on the cob, tomatoes, and basil at our house. Thank you for the chance to win. Dmskrug3 at hotmail dot com

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  38. We bbq during the summer as we live in Iowa . We grill our zuchini from the garden which is so good and so does corn on the cob that they grow back here. It is available for a short time but they sell it at farmers market . We will try anything on the grill for fun but we love our vegis that are on chicken skerwers (oops) fingers not working right they are crippled with RSD. Yes summer is a great time to grill so is spring but summer is time for outside and our gardens to produce they are doing it late this summer due to the rains here in Iowa but soon we will have it all in. Thank you for the chance as would love to read and review the paperback books. Thanks peggy clayton ptclayton2@aol.com

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  39. We still have frost warnings. I love tomotoes fresh from the garden. BLT s are awesome. So are fresh green beans and cucumbers.corn on the cob is delicious dunked in butter these books look so interesting and fun to read. I love recipes in the books too. Donakutska7@gmail.com

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  40. Watermelon, fresh strawberries, ripe peaches. Anything cooked on a charcoal grill. Vinho verde, Pimms cup, mojito. I loved BLTs when we had homegrown tomatoes, but no more, darn it.
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  41. Summer to me is homemade chicken salad (boil chicken) and ice cream. But I do love a good Cherry or blackberry pie. In fact I have a bunch of cherries in my refrigerator now. Thank you for the chance to win.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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  42. We grill a lot in the summer and like to eat on the patio. We had all of the family over last night and grilled for my 3 y o grandson’s bd. Legallyblonde1961 at yahoo dot com

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  43. No plans for anything. Just hoping to relax!

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  44. Love eating out on the porch. Can't wait for for the heirloom tomatoes
    and corn from the farmers market.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  45. We eat some meat in the hot weather, but lots of veggies. I'm looking for more bowl meals with brown rice or quinoa base, some cooked veggies and raw on top. We love to garden, though our yard is small.

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  46. Picnics and eating on the patio are the norm for summer fun. We look forward to the summer for all of the wonderful produce. Bruschetta, gazpacho, Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, Indonesian Gado Gado, strawberry shortcake, and substantial dinner salads feature frequently. But tucked in to all of this wealth of fruit and veg are fried chicken, slow roasted pork, ciopinno, and the odd treat of a steak.
    little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

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  47. I look forward to all the fresh stuff in the garden, or from my CSA! Can't wait for peas, corn and fresh berries!! Thanks for the chance to win. ljbonkoski@yahoo.com

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  48. I think summer has arrived - high 80's today, supposed to be 96 tomorrow. Ugh. But if that means the strawberries and corn will be fresh and delicious now then it's okay. And now time to BBQ, BBQ, BBQ. Ribs today.
    sallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com

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  49. Oh I love it when my husband grills ribs in the summer! He experiments with different things for the sauce, and it always comes out good.
    annmarie1029@gmail.com

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  50. We had a big garden, planted corn, watermelon, onions, radishes, tomatoes, cantaloupe. We had big patches of raspberries, rhubarb, and horseradish. I've been thinking lately how I miss those caramel apple popsicles they used to have when I was a kid.
    kozo8989@hotmail.com

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  51. I like all of the fresh fruit. I'm not much for winter fruit but, come summer and I eat fruit all of the time. I have to limit myself. I ate cup of blueberries this morning just out of the clamshell.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  52. Summer is trying to come to Minnesota---but it's still cool at night. I can hardly wait for fresh from the garden tomatoes---but I still have a long wait.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  53. Taylor R. WilliamsJune 3, 2019 at 7:20 PM

    My biggest summer fun is racing sailboats - fortunately I don't own a boat, just race with friends who do - I eat a lot more fruit in the summer, and hopefully my raspberry plants will produce this year so I can snack on them - i'm an oddball in that I don't like food cooked on a grill, but I love to cook. Thanks for such a great giveaway. tr Williams 69 at msn dot com.

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  54. Love when Peter fires up the grill and I can work on new salads to enjoy while sitting on the deck! Hopefully, my garden will yield more zucchini than last year and the bumper crop of green beans and cherry tomatoes will repeat themselves! sharonrizzo@hotmail.com

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  55. My Cajun hubby loves, of course, to grill and now we also do smoking from the grill. Unlimited on what you can do between a grill and a flat top! Me, on the other hand, stays inside with A/C (please, we live in West Central Texas, so it's way too hot most of the months of the year!) I enjoy Cajun food that my hubby cooks and for dessert I like Lemon Cookie Ice Cream! I love each of the authors being offered in this awesome giveaway - thank you for the opportunity!
    teddi1961(at)arcemont(dot)com

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  56. Summer means fresh produce like tomatoes, corn, green beans, peas, cabbage and fresh fruit, such as peaches, apples, pears! Grilling to me means hamburgers, and hot dogs and all the fixings! Making me hungry!
    rbooth43(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  57. Summer makes me think of my dad! Growing up he always had a huge garden! Lost of yummy cucumbers--my favorite!! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com

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  58. Well it finally quit snowing, so we were able to plant flowers, vegetables, and herbs, and release our bees. We've been working on lots of outside projects so that we can sit in our new pergola and relax in our clean backyard!

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  59. Summer fun is spending time with the family at the beach .
    xzjh04(at) gmail(dot) com

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  60. I love corn and steak on the grill. pgenest57(at)aol(dot)com

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  61. Summer fun to me is celebrating my birthday every year as it falls a week after the 4th of July and it will be a milestone birthday for me this year. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom

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  62. I’m with Cleo, ice cream is summer but I love it anytime. June is my favorite month, just something awesome about the first month of summer that I love. My daughter’s birthday is this month and our anniversary is at the end of the month. Tari H, barbie17(at)gmail (dot)com

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  63. I love fresh tomatoes and just sitting around reading a good book and drinking sweet tea. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  64. I like to roast marshmallows on cool, nice evenings. If I win, please contact me at: paula (dot) riccobono (at) gmail (dot) com

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  65. My summer fun would be going to the beach, taking my grandsons to the zoo, having lunch with friends & maybe take a weekend trip some where. Thanks for this amazingly generous chance. lindamay4852@yahoo.com

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  66. Summer...so many good things here! My favorite foods of summer are fresh strawberries, watermelon, and local sweet corn. No recipes needed and they are always so much better when fresh and local! I love sitting out in the sun reading and time (and heat!) allow.
    Thanks for this fun contest and blog!

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  67. I love fresh vegetables especially tomato sandwiches, cucumbers in vinegar, and corn on the cob. Also homemade ice cream, cantaloupe, watermelon salad, and macaroni salad. Reading is a favorite past time whether I'm at the beach or at home in the deck.

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  68. Summer fun for me is a long bicycle ride, hiking, and, I know this must sound strange, getting ice cream cones from a local dairy and then eating them as we walk through a nearby historical cemetery.

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  69. Summer fun to me is a weekly trip to the farmers market which is open on Thursday afternoon's in a park close to home. I love the smell of all of the fresh vegetable's, fruit, and flowers..neat too to have the chance to buy fresh baked goods from local vendors..some craft vendors. It is a good reason to go for a walk..Enjoy the sounds, sights and riches that the summer has to offer.

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  70. Taylor R. WilliamsJune 4, 2019 at 9:32 PM

    My summer fun is racing sailboats with two of my friends - one, who is 80 broke her ankle, so will be out until some time in July, but the other one is ready to go and our first race is the 15th - can't wait - thanks for the contest - tr Williams 69 at msn dot com

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    Replies
    1. Taylor, you won this giveaway. I'll be in touch. Congrats ! Daryl

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  71. We have a beautiful inground pool and a huge umbrella that I love to sit under and read. The only thing that would make it better would be a chair that swings (just a little). But I'm happy with my toes in the pool and a book in my hand. kkcochran(at) Hotmail (dot) com

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  72. Love cookouts and friend and family time - you all have made me very hungry and raining here so cooking inside today violetblue61@yahoo.com

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  73. Summer fun means fresh fish and fresh veggies.

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  74. Summer is short, so I spend my evenings sitting on the deck with a good summer read, a margarita or sangria, flowers from the garden, and enjoying the fresh foods of the season - corn on the cob, freshly picked black raspberries, tomatoes, and watermelon (grilled or not). And of course, ice cream just screams summer.

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  75. I love my summer mornings in the gazebo with my two kitties. They explore the garden, while I drink my morning coffee with a good mystery book! Summer BBQs with friends and family and backyard games like horseshoes, croquet, and corn hole.

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    Replies
    1. I signed in through my google account, so I thought it would show my name and email...
      Abigail Leigh Reed
      abileighreed@gmail(dot)com

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  76. I don't grill but I love the summer fruits and vegetables, especially fresh tomatoes. I'm going to the farmers' market tomorrow.

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  77. I love to grill, especially marinated NY Strip steaks and corn on the cob in butter. I also love a big batch of special sangria and just spending time with family in and around the pool!!

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  78. Our summer fun is having BBQ, swimming in our pool, going on a hike on our local trails, picking our own fruits and veggies at our farm stands and my favorite, playing mini golf.
    scarletbegonia5858@gmail.com
    Margaret

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