Though the old song says there isn’t, personally I think there IS a cure for those “summertime blues”…it’s called a barbeque. Whatever it is that may get you down during the summer usually can be solved (albeit for just a few hours) by a meal done over open flames in the back yard. Too many kids running through the house, it’s too hot, the air conditioner is down, everyone went on vacation except you, the lawn is turning brown, etc. etc., all very good reasons to get you down. But with a well organized, back yard flame-o-rama planned out, Farmer Tony says, “everything will be alright.” Who doesn’t enjoy a meal served up off the grill with friends and family? Even if you aren’t into char-grilled meats, skewered veggies and corn on the cob off the grill will make even the hardened vegetarian feel O.K. about burning up a few briquettes into the atmosphere. Don’t have a lot of money you say? Who said you had to serve up T-bone steaks and lobster tail? Everyone is feeling the economic pinch these days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t serve up a package or two of hot dogs. Mustard is pretty cheap, and if you can’t splurge for the fancy hot dog buns, white bread always worked well when I was a kid. Hey don’t knock it; at least the bread usually doesn’t split in half at the bottom. Drinks? Ah yes, anything from soda, to lemonade, cool-aid, beer, wine, and a good glass of Iced tea is all fair game in the BBQ world. In fact, I prefer coffee or cold water with my back yard meal. Alright, so maybe my tastes run a little different than most, but then again farming and blogging isn’t exactly “peanut butter and jelly-esque” either. Now what about entertainment? Music is a traditional “must have”. It too, doesn’t need to be elaborate with a rented DJ, with lights and fog machines. A simple radio will do quite nicely. But please, PLEASE either invite the neighbors over or be respectful of the “noise factor” when holding your back yard fiesta of flames. And finally, add some extra fun to the party. A little “kitty pool” is nice for the little “chillins” (children), as long as a responsible person (and no, not the oldest kid in the yard) is overseeing the fun. Board games, darts, croquet, cards, and my favorite, the water pistol, go a long way to make the food taste even better in the back yard BBQ. It also will make the guests feel like they aren’t there just to eat and go home when there is extra fun to be had. So however you decide (or can afford) to “cue it up” in the back yard, remember the key to success can be summed up in one word…FUN. Keep the conversation light, cheery and conversational for everyone. Don’t overdo anything…drink, eat, or dominate the conversation , and everyone will have a great time. So, call your friends, neighbors, and of course your favorite orange farmer over (I make a “killer” potato salad) and watch as your summer time blues go up in smoke, over the friendly flames of the back yard BBQ grill.
And for a box of lemons to make the perfect lemonade for that summertime extravaganza, you can find them at our website, www.pearsonranch.com.
Thank you for reading.
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