What I learned

First, somebody bad made me leave the island paradise and come home to the other paradise. We have fawns and multiple bunches of quail babies, along with unseasonably mild weather that is pretty much perfect, so I really can’t complain.

Even better, we had visitors over the long weekend, the kind of visitors who come loaded with food and wine and jump right in to help cook and do dishes. The kind who bring adorable little dogs to play with your own adorable little dogs, and who freely pass out hugs and tummy rubs.

Oh. What I learned. That when you are making The Ultimate French Toast, and the recipe calls for 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier to be flamed in a pan before adding blueberries, that a fun way to make Fourth of July fireworks in your very own kitchen is to quadruple that recipe and flame practically the whole darn bottle all at once.

Some sissies may not find the fun in it. You can’t please every single person every time you cook.

Everybody sit still and smile

Lots of feet

Barkley loves company

Who is watching who?