OUR 4TH OF JULY IN BIG BEAR LAKE

Hello there!

Well, it has been a busy week and I’m finally getting a chance to sit down and tell you all about our 4th of July in Big Bear Lake. Our new/old log cabin is finally ready for occupancy and we spent a delightful 4 days enjoying it over the long holiday weekend. Our middle son and his girlfriend came in from Philadelphia for a few days and joined us there. It was bittersweet because for the first time in years we didn’t spend the 4th with all our Lake Arrowhead friends, but it was peaceful and less hectic, as I didn’t have to entertain. Instead we enjoyed 4 solid days of relaxed family time. The weather was perfect so we did a lot of very casual eating on the back porch. Nothing fancy, just casual, paper napkins and all. And I didn’t even decorate in red, white & blue, instead opting to try out my new cabin tableware of enamelware plates and iron flatware. I did add a bouquet of flowers for good measure, which progressively wilted over the weekend.

The first evening we grilled whole red snapper along with asparagus and grilled lemons.

Have you tried grilling lemons? It makes them juicy and delicious and is all you need, besides a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to make almost anything taste bettter.

Our son’s girlfriend made us this retro style strawberry jello cake with macerated fresh strawberries, to which we added fresh whipped cream. Remember those cakes that were so popular back in the day where you poke holes in the cake and pour in jello? It was moist and delicious and reminded me of my childhood.

The next morning we awoke to clouds looming overhead but the sun eventually shone through as we enjoyed a relaxing cup of coffee and a magazine on the porch. It was quiet and peaceful with only the birds for background noise.  I don’t ever seem to take the time to do this at home. Instead I usually end up working in my office or in the garden, seldom stopping to smell the roses. Here it is quite a different thing. Without the distractions of my everyday life calling my name I find I can relax.

A little later I prepared a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, cinnamon rolls out of a can (I told you it was an easy, casual weekend) and fresh pineapple. Sadly the hydrangeas in my flower arrangement were already wilting, but we on the other hand were refreshed and ready to start our day on the lake.

These photos give you a little glimpse into the beauty of Big Bear Lake. Just 1-1/2 hours from Los Angeles, it is an easy and beautiful way to escape the rat race, although on holiday weekends you may actually find a few traffic jams on the water.

After a long hiatus, Taylor decided to try and get up on water skies. He did well despite the rough waters, the result of far more than the usual number of boaters on the lake.

Storm clouds continued to loom above but the temperatures were delightful and could not have been more perfect for enjoying the great outdoors.

We were joined on the lake by tourists taking a spin on the Pirate Ship as well as the Big Bear Queen.

Eventually we returned to the cabin for a late lunch of chicken salad sandwiches and orzo pasta salad.

In the late afternoon friends from Lake Arrowhead popped over for a tour of the now complete cabin, followed by some appetizers and mojitos.

For dinner Brad grilled Carolina style chicken as an ode to our son and his girlfriend, both Duke grads. I made my World’s Best Red Potato Salad because it wouldn’t be the 4th of July without it, and whipped up a fennel and beet salad as an accompaniment. What a wonderful weekend it was, enjoying the beauty of the mountains and lake with family and food. Life is good.

So there you have it, our 4th of July in Big Bear Lake. Stay tuned and very soon I will be sharing with you much more of our newly renovated log cabin.

PS – If you too would like to enjoy Big Bear Lake this summer why not rent my cabin? I have lots of availability and would love to have you as my guest. Click here for a link to The Bird’s Nest.

Thanks for dropping in!  Do please leave a comment below.  I’d love to hear from you!

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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise credited, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.