Has it gotten hot where you are? This weekend we hit 90 for the first time this summer, way too hot for me! Still, it is better than some in the heartland and southwest are enduring. Lucky for us, the mountains do cool off at night, so the mornings are quite comfortable, as are the late evenings when the sun is going down. It is going to be a scorcher today, at least by our standards, so I set a table inside for our holiday meal. We’ll still cookout, but eat inside where it is less humid. I pulled a few things I still have to set a festive table.
Most of what I have is either red or white, so adding in a bit of blue was a challenge. I found some blue star garland in the stash, and used it to decorate the napkins, that I have rolled in a cracker style and held with red rings. White dinner plates are placed on red chargers topped with red salad plates. The place cards shown on yesterday’s post, everyday flatware, crystal drink glasses and individual salt and pepper shakers complete the settings.
The centerpiece is anchored with my melamine tray that usually serves to hold grilled brats and burgers. It is topped with a red ceramic flower pot, filled with silk daisies and flanked with star sprays from the dollar store. Small red glass votives with unscented candles finish the grouping.
Reader Sheryl H gave me this suggestion to deal with the wrens in my flower pots. I left the hanging baskets down for a week, then put clear plastic forks, pointy side up, in the pots. You can see in this pot how the wrens have destroyed two of the four petunias, just from scrabbling around. So, it got forks in the space.
And so did the other pots.
An American Flag may also discourage them, while being a festive addition to the veranda decor for our patriotic holiday.
The geraniums are blooming, this one is my favorite in a pastel pink.
The darker pink one is blooming prolifically, too.
Its deeper color is more vibrant.
In the garden, the cherry tomatoes are coming along.
With more to come!
Here’s your weekly Jasper picture, enjoying his sandwich.
The yellow calabrachoa is getting bigger and blooming again.
I put a second flag in the white begonia.
The flags along with the pinwheels make a festive veranda for the holiday.
So, today we celebrate our freedom. Have a wonderful holiday!
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These sales end today or tomorrow, last chance.
Fat Quarter Shop is having a special sale on patriotic items on July 4th Specials. Sale ends tomorrow.
Visit Sulky Threads for the Red White and Blue specials – 20, 25 or 30% off your order with codes Red, White or Blue, depending on your order size. See link for details. Sale ends tonight.
Shop the Sitewide BOGO Sale at Madam Sew. Grab two items and get the lower priced one free (up to four items). Sale ends tonight.
From My Carolina Home 
A nice, festive table for the 4th, and pretty blooms all around, Carole. Although we’re about to hit 90s in these next couple days, it’s really been kind of mild, as summer heat and humidity goes. That said, I still prefer indoors to out when the temp climbs to mid 80s and above. These pop up storms are so unpredictable too! Happy 4th!
Happy 4th July…… Freedom is even more precious these days with the crazy things going on in the world…… Love the table….
Beautiful Geranium……
Hi Carole. I have been using the forks around my plants near the house where the squirrels uproot them. Works like a charm.
Your home looks very festive.
Wishing you both a very joyous 4th of July! :))
Happy 4th, Carole and Sweet Babboo, (spelled wrong,ofcourse), and I love your decorations!
You are so inspirational. Thank you.
Mary Ed
good idea with those forks. I’ll have to try that. 4th of July here (No. GA.) will all be indoors today, we’re dealing with lots of rain, thunder and wind. One tree already down.
So glad you got a FIX for your wren problem. The forks are a clever idea! The table setting is very pretty. Have a wonderful holiday. Hot and humid here too.
Love the fork idea! Happy 4th of July, Carole!
I really enjoy your table scape posts. So pretty and festive ! The plastic forks are a great idea to deter to busy naughty wrens! Happy 4th! Rainy and high of 62 forecasted. Gonna be cool watching the fireworks tonight!🥶
Happy 4th to you. Looks pretty festive at your place.
Happy 4th of July! My sister is having avproblem with birds nesting in the wreath on her door. I wonder if there’s hope for a fork fix in there?
Your table looks perfect for the day! As does the veranda – and fingers crossed that the forks work to keep the birds out of the pots. That’s a neat idea! Happy 4th of July, Carole!
Plants seem to be enjoying the weather! I just got home from volunteering at the town picnic. Too busy to take pictures, but it looked like a huge success if the number of hot dog I wrapped were any indication! Fireworks later. A little time to cut out a small quilt. Thanks for the lovely pictures!!!
Enjoyt your fourth of July!
I ordered bird’s nest toolkits from Madam Sew! I think these will make great gifts for my quilting friends! Thanks for letting us know about the sale and making it easy to get to the site!
I hope your Fourth was as beautiful as your post! We’ve been in the 90s too, but it is as dry as a bone so no humidity. I’ve been swimming every day. What a festive home you have! And I love the flowers and your sweet squirrel!
All of your patriotic decor looks so pretty and festive. I think we hit 90 degrees for the first time last Saturday here in Waynesville. The temps have been fairly mild in these mountains.
Hi Carole, hope you enjoyed the fourth! For me I had a birthday party early that day to go to. Was 97 w/triple digit heat index & have a scorched back to prove it! On my way going back home from the party I scorched my back as soon as I sat in the car & my back touched the seat. My fourth definitely sizzled! Then we had a storm w/75 mph winds & lots of lightning! Spent the next day staking & tieing up plants, what a mess! Couple days before the fourth I was helping Kurt w/these stereo speakers he was trying to put on these stands when the stand broke & the speaker landed on my R knee, have quite the shiner w/2 knots on my already bad knee🙄. Think I will be taking it slow next couple days & stick w/organizing in my bedroom.
Your home was festively decorated to celebrate the 4th in style. The idea about the forks in the pots sounds like it might keep the wrens away. I’m sure the saga will continue.