Wednesday Hodgepodge

From This Side of the Pond

1. How did you welcome the month of July, and tell us one fun thing you did to celebrate the 4th. (or the weekend for any non-USA residents playing along today)
My husband and youngest son spent the weekend camping. My middle son arrived home from a week-long mission trip. My oldest (and middle once he had rested some) spent a lot of time cleaning out our old greenhouse. The plastic ripped this year. We only used it for storage so time to clean it out and take it down. I also spent a lot of time cleaning out the basement so that the things that needed to come in from the greenhouse would have a place to live. 

I wish I had taken before photos, but these are the "afters" - 

This was an old sheep pen left by the former owners. 

We did get the last of those boards out. 

There was also a bunch of glass back here. 

A lot of it had broken so that was time consuming to move.

Standing on one end. The plastic ripped this year so that's been

mostly removed. Unfortunately, the last of the "debris" in here

is being "guarded" by hornets. We seem to have quite a few

around here and they are the really nasty white tipped ones. 

They HURT when they sting. I know - they got me this year. 

They also got my youngest before his camping trip. 

Dad ended up taking him to the ER. He had a very 

nasty local allergic reaction on his foot where he was

stung. His foot swelled, reddened, and he developed

some very yucky blisters. All was good in the end.

Although he still has some blisters and itching on his foot.

2. Right now..what's your favorite red thing? white thing? blue thing?
I love red. It's one of my favorite colors. Not sure if I have a favorite red thing right now though. 
White...I bought some new white containers at IKEA last month. I really like those. 
Blue...the summer skies. Corny I know, but I absolutely love looking at the white clouds in the blue sky. So peaceful.

3. Wave the white flag, raise a red flag, fly your freak flag...which 'flag' have you flown most recently? Explain.
I have no idea. 

4. According to Cond Nast Traveler these are the seven best places to visit in July-

a boat safari in Botswanna's Okavango Delta, 

Riviera Maya Mexico (it's whale shark season and apparently you can swim with them), 

Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, 

Pamploma Spain, 

St. Petersburg Russia, 

the Fuji Rock Festival at Mount Naeba Japan, 

the Salzburg Festival in Salzburg Austria 

If time and money weren't factors would you want to see any/all of these? Which would you most like to see and why?

I would love to see all of these! I think my top choice would be Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. They are in the US so easier to get to. I would love to travel and see more of the world...some day.

5. Grilled cheese, pimento cheese, or mac and cheese...your favorite from the cheesy treats listed?
I'm weird I guess. None of the above. I'm not a huge cheese lover. 

6. What makes you sweat?
Exercise! Humidity. Any temperature above 68. It does not take a lot for me to sweat. At the end of a thirty-minute HITT class I'm dripping. Literally.

7. Your favorite movie with a 'patriotic' theme of some sort?
The Patriot. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.
It's been pretty hot here in Maine this week. I've very thankful for air conditioning. And cool showers after working outside in the heat cleaning out that hoop house!