The 4th. Nothing combustible here.

This 4th of July has turned into a Shrinky-Dinks. Remember them? Long gone after a brief mania in the '70s, they were little plastic things that you cut out one size then put in the oven to shrink into manageable tops for keychains, etc.
Just a few years ago, the county sponsored a series of family games at Rock Creek Park on the 4th of July starting around noon with the "National Anthem." There were prizes, and activities included watermelon-eating contests for several age groups, sack races, tugs-of-war, sidewalk chalk art, horseshoes, candy and prizes in a straw pile for the little ones, etc.
That commemoration quietly faded away last year, when it was too damn hot and no one showed up. This year, the county's events begin at 8 with a local cover band at the fairgrounds and fireworks when the sun finally disappears and the moon rises over the mountains across the river.
I was in a cooking frenzy, starting at 7 a.m. with sourdough waffles and red, white and blue fruit compote to top them (raspberries, blueberries and a little banana, cooked in a little juice, Splenda and cornstarch). I outdid myself for lunch, making my own barbecue sauce using applewood smoked salt from Yakima my sister sent over as a replacement for actual flames. I had some chicken breasts and a couple of boneless pork ribs (my indulgence) in the freezer. I made a pasta salad (vegetable bow ties and rotelli) with a dressing featuring an actual Gorge-grown lemon plus balsamic vinegar, garlic, rice wine vinegar, agave syrup, sesame oil, and herbs from the garden (two kinds of thyme, chives, rosemary, three kinds of sage including pineapple, marjoram and oregano), plus baby sweet peppers, kalamata olives, Italian preserved wild mushrooms, artichoke hearts, water chestnuts, scallions, and six tender edible pod peas from our garden.
Another side dish was baked beans, using the baby limas with carrots, onion and sweet peppers I made yesterday in the crockpot plus a drained can of canellini, blackstrap molasses and Dijon mustard, combined and baked in a glass casserole for a couple of hours.
The "look ma, no barbecue" was especially good.
For later this evening, I have baked an apple crisp with a few dried cranberries and blueberries to top with no-sugar Dreyer's vanilla ice cream.
We'll see if the fireworks are as inspiring and incendiary this year.
It's supposed to get to 95 or hotter by Wednesday. Stick a fork in me. I'm done.