an end-of-Summer gathering . . . all our Summer favorites

We celebrated the end-of-Summer with a small, casual gathering of friends.

I can't believe how fast our Summer flew by!  

Our 5 and 6-year-old are still enjoying another week and a half of Summer vacation before returning on September 4th. So I couldn't think of a better weekend to gather friends for food and fun. 

We celebrated with all our Summer favorites . . . 

.     .    .     .     .    .    .

chili lime corn-on-the-cob

watermelon LOBSTERS

home-grown heirloom tomatoes

Smoked Apple & Chardonnay sausages

Feta, Spinach & Garlic sausages

hot dogs

.     .    .     .     .    .    .

home-made blueberry & mint lemonade

Weinhard's Root Beer

lemon crumble cookies

.     .    .     .     .    .    .

We gathered in our patio & yard . . . and enjoyed a relaxed setting.

Since we're still picking tomatoes (almost daily), I filled small bowls with these sweet, healthy bites . . . and placed them around for everyone to enjoy.  They are so darn good!

Along with sweet grilled corn, I served a delicious array of flavorful and juicy sausages.

Two of my favorites this Summer were Smoked Apple & Chardonnay  and Feta, Spinach & Garlic. Both are so incredibly good. And for a more casual feel, instead of piling them on a platter, I sliced them  . . . and laid then them on a wooden board as they came off the grill.  They made for great hors devours or a main coarse.

               And as the sun set, I lit small candles for our main table . . . and turned on our globe lights. We relaxed and visited well after the sun set that evening.

The gathering of good food and good friends . . . it's a wonderful way to bring Summer to an end.

 

 

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

on Facebook

Sharing with . . . .

Stephanie Lynn, Twelve O Eight, Carrie This Home, Cooking for the Seven Dwarves, Huckleberry Love, Dwellings, Smart Party Planning,  The Dedicated House, Mod Vintage Life, Lori's Culinary Creations, Home Stories, StoneGable, An Extraordinary Day, Between Naps on the Front Porch, Rustic Refined,  Tumbleweed Contessa, A Stroll Thru Life,, Elizabeth & Co,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Savvy Southern Style, The Recipe Critic, Our Home Away From Home, Janine Huldie,  Fluster Buster   Kitchen Meets Girl,  Craftie Allie,  Wednesday morning The Blissful Bee,  The Newlywed Pilgrimage,  Chic California, Lamberts Lately, Live Laugh Rowe, Sweet Bella Roos, The Charm of Home, From My Front Porch to Yours, I'm Not a Trophy Wife,  Delightsome Life., Posed Perfection, Katherine's Corner, Nancherrow, The Freshman Cook,  Jann Olson, Home  Maid Simple,  Rooted in Thyme, Everyday Enchanted Home, Pure Grace Farms A Dish of Daily Life, Bacon Time, Sunflower Supper Club, Tater Tots and Jello,  Cooking with Curls, Made from Pinterest, Simply Gloria, One More Time Events, 3 Little Greenwoods

Summer inspirations . . .

Summer is a quiet season for our family.

For us, it's about . . . relaxed and lazy evenings and weekends, simple and fresh dinners ~ al fresco, feasting on an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, spur-of-the-moment trips to the beach, and long, leisurely visits with friends and family.

Our home takes on an equally relaxed feel.

 

Last Summer our home was filled with cool greens and blues . . . 

                   and this Summer its about navy blues, warm reds, yellows, and cool whites. 

~ easy-to-make Summer bunting ~

If you follow my blog, then you've probably noticed that Chevron prints have made their way to our dining room table quite often. Like here and here.

Although I fell in love with this navy blue and white Chevron print, I wanted to pair it with a simple, warm-colored fabric.

So, I trimmed a basic burlap with burlap trim for a table cover . . . and then made a simple runner with the navy blue and white chevron print fabric.

What I love most about this combination is that it's OLD meets NEW . . . 

                    warm, old-time burlap meets new, modern Chevron. I quite like it!  

 

 

My mom bought me this beautiful blue and white pitcher 20+ years ago while antique shopping in a small town in Kansas. 

It typically finds a special place in my decor during the Summer months. 

Whether brimming with vibrant flowers, or filled with sweet lemonade, it's a charming beauty. 

I love that it came from an antique store deep in the country. If it could speak, I'm sure it would have many stories to share.  

I wrote in my July inspirations post, that daisies and sunflowers always remind me of Summer, so they tend to find their way in bouquets around our home June through September.

I love the whimsy, fun-feel of daisies . . . the bright sunshine-feel of sunflowers, and the formality of white hydrangeas. 

White hydrangeas can dress up a simple daisy and sunflower bouquet, beautifully.

Ahhhh, lemons . . . (lemon zest, in particular) 

They find their way into many of my Summer-inspired recipes, sweet and savory.

    Lemon zest adds vibrancy to dishes. 

So you'll typically find 2-4 lemons on my kitchen counter at all times, especially through the Summer months.

Staple flowers in my home, no matter what the season, are white hydrangeas. 

You'll find them in bouquets around our home, year round!  

~ photos from our family room ~

 

Fresh herbs are often a part of my Summer decor too. Farmer's Markets sell huge bunches of them for 25 cents!

They're so green and full and lush . . . perfect little bouquets, so why not buy your favorite ones and display them on your counter-top!?!

I think that displaying them is not only attractive, but they serve as a reminder to add them to your dishes. 

Did you know that you transform an "A" dish to an "A+" by just adding fresh herbs on top!? It's really that simple.

Well friends, that's about it for now. I hope you're enjoying your Summer.

            Thanks for stopping by!

I hope you come back again soon.

follow Simply Suzannes at Home

on Facebook!