Flip-flops on the Prairie. No, of course these zipper-flowered flip-flops have nothing to do with the 1885 classroom, but somehow, it just didn't seem to matter to us. We made them anyway. Rest assured that we did plenty of 19th century activities and crafts. We cooked Swedish potatoes and johnny cakes over the fire and churned butter and made lemonade and ice cream (which set up in record time this year). It was a very cool summer camp - the first one I can remember that required sweaters and jackets. We jumped rope and had a spelling bee and played croquet. Lori brought Baleigh up and stayed to help. It was her fifth One Room Schoolhouse summer camp.

Here is a picture of the teams showing off their scavenger hunt finds, and another displaying all of the cool stuff we made: gourd bowls and dippers, clay pinch pots, God's Eyes, and dirt candles. We also painted on sandollars. Everybody had a great time. We always do. I think it's because the schoolhouse attracts a certain desirable kind of clientele. Hooligans and rif-raff rarely darken our doors.

On the evening of July 3rd, Bob and I packed up dilled chicken salad on croissants, pasta salad, and the world's best brownies and drove down to Conner Prairie to meet Lindsey and Brent for a Symphony on the Prairie - Stars and Stripes Concert. The concert and fireworks were great, but it was the fourth largest crowd in the 28 years of Symphony on the Prairie concerts. That's correct, the fourth largest crowd in 28 years. It took us 2 hours to get out of the parking lot. On the drive down there, I suddenly remembered that I had to have a raspberry-white chocolate cheesecake ready to be picked up at 10:00 AM on the 4th. Well, we got home at 2:30 AM and I baked the cheesecake and did't get to bed until 5:00 AM, and then had to get up at 9:00 to finish it up, as it was a two-parter. Anyhoo, I felt kind of crappy after that, so we opted out of going up to Sylvan Lake for their fireworks on Saturday night. Here's Lindsey , at the concert, wearing red and blue, and Brent eating melon, in Purdue-wear.

On Sunday, Bob, Rob, Andrew, and Mike worked on taking our deck down, because they're coming to take the big tree down this week. It was scheduled for Tuesday, but the tree guys dropped by this evening and thought it was supposed to happen tomorrow (Monday), so Bob worked until dark to get the deck off so they can proceed. I hope this whole thing comes off without injury or property damage. Michael managed to whack himself near the eye with a crowbar. I'm working for Sally at the park department this week, so I won't be home tomorrow. Please pray with me for a safe and happy ending to this project. Here's Bob hugging our big tree goodbye. How we will miss it. It supported our beloved hammock and was home to many of our critters. What a pilgrimage of retreating raccoons I expect there will be tomorrow!

From the Archives: Birthday wishes to our July firecrackers, Maw-Maw and Candace. Here's a picture of Maw-Maw and me, from 1958, and one of Candace and Rob taken in 2008 at her prom. Candace turned twenty, and Maw-Maw is older than Candace.

I even had a recipe for you tonight, but I really think this is enough for one week, already, so I'm saving it for the next post. But, I'll leave you with one last thought regarding the celebration of the birth of our nation - from Maddie, the Amazing Barking Dog, Slobbery Stella, Bonnie the Barbarian, Little Roxanne, and Puppa Sade (not pictured):