Our marvelous neighbors can pull a party together in 18 hours. John and I texted six households, and four were available to celebrate Labor Day. The photos show the crowd from each end of our porch.
Since my posts have become my memory, I’ll list the people. Deb, Joyce, Jeff, John, Logan, Mark, Bob, Dawn, Shawn. Deb and Mark are college friends of Shawn and Bob, visiting for the day. Mark was too far away for me to hear him, but I enjoyed hearing about Deb’s background. Her dad was in the service, and she lived in 18 different places before she was 18 years old. All the states were on the east coast. The state she enjoyed the most was South Carolina.
When Joyce asked what she should bring, I said our impromptu gatherings should be run like a come-as-you-are party. Instead of coming to a party dressed as you are at that moment, you should bring food that is already in your house. She immediately said she would break that rule, because she has very little that is extra. She keeps mostly foods that she eats on a regular basis. I might envy that. We could feed a small army for a day or so by pulling things from the freezer and the pantry.
For the foodies: Our table had hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, condiments, salsa dip, chips, baked beans, potato salad, warm blueberry muffins, cantaloupe, and TWO pans of warm Brownies. I told Joyce that Brownies were always welcome. It turned out that two kinds of Brownies were doubly welcome. The ones that Joyce and Shawn prepared were different, so of course everyone had to eat both. Indulgence at its best! A year or so ago our pot luck non-planning resulted in a different set of Brownie doubles, ones made by Holly and me. It’s safe to say that Brownies are very popular in the US.
Did you celebrate Labor Day?
Mehrling Muse 
Happy labor Day.Beautful pic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We love our neighbors.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Nice iam so glad. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You do have a knack with these impromptu parties, and always with the best guests.. I’m glad your friend Logan was free to attend with his parents. You managed a good variety of party food .
Obviously we don’t celebrate Labor Day at least not for the last 40 years since you left. Our bank holiday was last Monday but we don’t tend to be as social as you are, so lots of people head for the coast or maybe have small family BBQ’s weather permitting.
I’m sure you had a wonderful day together with all your friends.
Massive Hugs
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our neighbors are the greatest! We all have families at a distance, so we celebrate with each other.
Celebratory Hugs
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m glad you were able to enjoy the holiday with family and friends. For us it was just another day except my hubby was here to help me with my dad. It’s a tough job taking care of someone, so we were just happy to have a good day. 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
I missed the fact that you are the caregiver for your dad. That’s a job of love that is very hard on you. I’m praying for you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Anne 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
We spent the day mowing and with conditions so dry, it was a dirty job. But, it was a good day with all 7 of the deer gathering beneath the apple and pear trees eating fruit in the evening. I’m happy you had such a wonderful gathering at your house. I just love that porch… I’d be reading a book out there every morning!
LikeLike
Reading on our porch in the morning would be good. I’m sitting there now, reading comments after the daily walk. You might not want to be here when the sun shines directly in. It gets HOT!
I’m glad the deer had a peaceful day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brownies are my favorite go to for impromptu parties. Quick and easy and who doesn’t like chocolate?
LikeLike
I think I’ve met two people in my whole life who didn’t like the taste of chocolate. I don’t remember who they were, but I’m sure I didn’t trust them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
While I would never change living in the quiteness of the countryside,unless forced to by health or advanced ageing, I do envy your good neighbors.
LikeLike
There are six houses on our little lane, and we have either pasture or a creek on our back property lines. We feel like we are living in the country, even if we aren’t rural like you.
LikeLike
>Since my posts have become my memory
I so relate!
Sounds like a delightful day! And the food sounds scrumptious. We had a bbq with a friend the night prior. That was really nice.
LikeLike
Cooking out with friends is marvelous. I’m glad you had that
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds (and looks!) like a lovely day was had by all! Happy Belated Labour Day!
LikeLike
We neighbors have always enjoyed each other.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks sounds tastes wonderful Anne! Glad you and neighbours had a happy day!
LikeLike
It was a happy day. We are blessed to have each other.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your long porch is conducive for homey gatherings. Your gatherings and neighbors are enviable, even without the warm brownies.
LikeLike
I wish you could join us on the porch. The neighbors would enjoy you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Anne – I sure do wish I could. It always reminds me of my grandmother’s porch, though hers was much smaller. Every night in the Summer months, as soon as dinner was over, she and my grandmother and the dog came out on the porch and there were two neighbors who always came over right away. Bowls of ice cream and they’d talk until dark. They also had coffee and tea for an hour in the kitchen in the morning all year around!
LikeLike
That was a lot of togetherness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes and when my mom and I visited, they just would come over like usual, as well as the minute we got there … the car wasn’t even unpacked. For us that was odd since being just the two of us, we were not used to that much activity and people never “popped in” – the two neighbors we were friendly with, even Marge, were more phonecalls than coming over.
LikeLike
Our neighbors in NY and here generally didn’t pop over. We text these days! That is really handy, and not as intrusive as a phone call.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to learn to text from the phone. I only do it from the computer. I agree with you on that. You could set a clock to my grandmother’s neighbors’ arrival.
LikeLiked by 1 person