1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? We grill all year round. I don't set a table outside, but the deck is a nice place to eat if one feels the urge.
Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen? I often pack a picnic basket for baseball games.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area? I don't set the outdoor table. But I like bright limey greens and other fun colors for spring/summer eating.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? regular dishes or I have some lime green and bright blue plastic plates that I'll take with us to BB games in the picnic basket.
Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? Love paper plates and napkins too.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal? always casual eating

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets? sure..something new is always nice

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? don't drink, hubby loves sun tea
Desserts?Berries and summer fruit with cream, simple quick and refreshing. Snacks? same as the previous answer.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.? We don't boat, camp or have a cabin. Most of my/our summers is around baseball and then football.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? I used to have a veggie garden, now it's just some herbs and a few tomatoes. I also have a few fruit trees. Are you one who likes to can and preserve? Yes

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL) BOTH

1) I'm easy !!!

2) I'm easy !!!

3) I'm easy !!!

4) I'm easy !!!

5) I'm easy !!!

6) I'm easy !!!

7) I'm easy !!!

8) I'm easy !!!

9) Slippers !!! LOL I like everything, and what ever I get, I will like!!

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen? ....Yes we grill outdoors often, but tend to eat inside more (because of bugs), but we do have quite a few seating areas outside where we can eat.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area? ..... Lots of blacks, terra cotta, green, with lots of flowers (about 70 pots worth) to add colour.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? ....We use our regular dishes the most, and have used paper plates for extra large informal gatherings.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
.....The food is both, and well I would love the decor to be more formal, it usually ends up being more casual, do to time factor. (I am usually too pooped from cooking, to go all out on the decor)

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets? ....Love to try the latest Kitchen gadgets!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks? ... Favorite drinks are margaritas, mojitos, martinis, wine and beer. Desserts are anything with fresh berries, and or chocolate. I am not much of a snacker so will usually grab some crackers and hummus if I do.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.? ....We mostly spend time here around the pool, or at friends around the campfire. We like to go boating once in a while and we usually try to go camping once at least over the summer.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? ....Not any more, although I did for a few years. Use to can and preserve for years, and don't do that anymore either.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL) ....Both!

Shelley

My internet is finally up and running... just in time!!

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen? Grill often. It's too dern hot to eat outside in the summer in Texas! I grill outdoors and eat inside!color>

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area? tan/black/neutral colorscolor>

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? I use my regular dishescolor>

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal? casualcolor>

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets? YES!!color>

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks? I love trying new recipes for cold summer drinks. I've yet to make mojitos at home... but that's the direction I go in! Snacks are usually some kind of salsa (conventional tomato-based salsas, fruit based salsas, black bean salsas, etc.) Desserts are usually melon- or berry-based (something light & refreshing) - could be sorbets, ice creams, shortcakes, cut melons, etc.color>

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.? Nothing in particular, other than spending time with friendscolor>

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? Right now I just grow herbs. I do like to make jams and jellies.color>

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL) Flip flops! (We have red ants in Texas - no going barefoot in the yard!)color>

Lori

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often?
We grill year round depending on the weather, and eat outside when it's not to hot or cold.
Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
Eat inside if weather is to hot or outside on the patio if it's nice.
2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?
Greens, Tans and Neutrals.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?
We use paper or plastics, have some plastic glasses and serving bowls for outside.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
Casual to semi-formal.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?
My DH calls me the kitchen gadget "Queen" but I do use all of them LOL

6. What are your favorite summer drinks?
I love to try new and different summer time drinks, hard or non.
Desserts?
Usually berries, fruits, sorbets, ice creams etc.
Snacks? Salsas, tomato based or fruit based. I love the fruits of summer LOL

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities?
Grilling, Grilling, Grilling. We love BBQ's with friends and family.
Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?
We love to fish - from the shore, in a boat at the lake or stream fly-fishing.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits?
This year I have a herb garden only, except for my tomato plants.
Are you one who likes to can and preserve?
I love to can jams, jellies, pickles mostly. I don't have a pressure cooker to do veggies.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention!)
Barefoot PLEASE LOL

Linda

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen? We're definately grilling people. The DH will shovel a path to the (gas) grill during the winter. We are not picnic people, but do like to eat out on the deck.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area? I like color! I do not like beige, gray, white or black (other than in clothes). The plates I use daily are stoneware and .have a green and blue blueberry pattern.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? You use plates! Just kidding. Either.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal? CASUAL please!

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets? Sure, gadgets are fun!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks? Food is my favorite thing to eat, other than that I'm not picky. I do love berries. Blueberries and strawberries in particular, but I'd never turn down a raspberry, blackberry, huckleberry, etc...

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.? We have friends over on the deck. Sometimes we have bonfires.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? I love gardening. I have a decent size veggie garden (22' x 45'). I'm also trying to grow blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. I have Concord grapes that grow wild in the back yard. I also enjoy canning. I followed Annie over here from the Harvest forum. I went to Canny Camp last year.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL) Barefoot!

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
we grill year round. We eat outdoors quite a bit suring the summer

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?
I love bright, summery colors. Don't really have a "theme", but I tend to lean toward florals or botanicals when I buy napkins, placemats, etc.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?
Learned the hard way to use plastic or melamine outdoors. I have a couple sets of cheap plastic plates, sets of plastic wine, martini and margarita glasses also.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
Definitely casual!

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?
I like useful gadgets, but storage is at a premium im my small house, so I don't try 'em all

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?
Wine, mojitos, margaritas, martinis, lemonade & limeade. Fruity dessets, not anything too heavy. Not much of a snacker, but summer snacks...again, nothing too heavy, fruit, raw veggies, maybe some crackers and cheese.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?
We have an antique boat that we take out occasionally, but we are going to sell it and maybe get one that is a little easier to maintain. Most evenings we hang out on our covered porch, or have a fire in our back yard fire pit. We like to camp, but don't go nearly as often as we would like

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? I garden a lot, but mostly shade loving perennials as I live in the woods. I do try a few tomatoes and maybe a pepper or two just to have fresh on hand when I want them. I usually end up picking up what I need at the local stand or farmers market. I do can a little, mostly salsa, pickles, jams, and such.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)
I am the flip flop queen! I think I have at least a dozen pair in various colors and styles! hehe

Linda

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
~~We grill out often using only lump charcoal
~~We eat on the deck when it's nice out

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?
~~anything goes! I just replaced the umbrella and cushions with a very muted olive green/green/tan tweed...

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?
~~we are very casual...not a huge fan of paper plates. I like plastic or regular plates better

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
~~very casual to casual...rarely formal

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?
~~yup!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?
~~Anything with mango is my current fav drink
~~Dessert?....ANYTHING
~~Snack?....ANYTHING

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities?
Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?
~~I live on a lake....so I love to have beach bonfires, and do just about anything that involves the lake...swimming, fishing, boating etc.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?
~~No room to garden but I sneak in a couple of tomato and pepper plants in with my flowers. I love to make jams and can fruits. I live where some of the best fruits in the country are grown along Lake Michigan...I'm happy to support the many local farm stands!

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)
~~Flip flops...too many stones around here to go barefoot.

Nancy

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

Grill outside on our patio about once a week during summer. Eat out there or in the house.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

There is no color scheme out there.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

Regular or paper.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

All our gatherings in home are casual.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

I try not to load up on single-use gadgets.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

Margaritas. Sangria. Ice cream. Chips and salsa.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

BBQs here or at friends' houses. Spending time outdoors - at the beach, hiking, playing ping pong.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

I don't grow any food. I do can.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

Barefoot in the house!

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

I grill year around. And although we do have a patio we hardly ever eat outside. I prefer to eat inside.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

Same as I use in the house. I love using a variety of dishes.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

Not a paper or plastic kind of gal. I prefer real dishes. I hate drinking wine out of paper or plastic.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

We are pretty casual even when we are formal. LOL!

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

I love useful kitchen gadgets.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

Basically a wine drinker year around. But in the summer I also make Sangria.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

Never cared for cottages/boating/or camping. Prefer to entertain at home.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

I grow my own herbs and this year we have actually planted a few select vegetables. A variety of Tomatoes, green beans, snow peas, green onions, walla walla onions and some different lettuces (for Moe). Not into canning or preserves.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

Barefoot or crocs.

Ann

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

is where we eat outside, Friday nights and on weekend dinners. Its below the kitchen, outside, so we are trying to outfit our downstairs bar with a whole new 'kitchen box' so we don't have to go up and down the stairs for dish soap, towels, salt and pepper. We are seriously into grilling, LOL. You can tell we haven't figured out which bar stools fit best!

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area? Our slate is grey/green with a bit of cream. Haven't decided on colors but fuschia is definitely not in.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? For Friday nights, I have a red/white/blue melamine plates theme for the six of us (our core family of me, hubs, two kids, and my inlaws). Otherwise I have to use paper - up and down the stairs is just too hard. We did move our dishwasher down into the bar but it doesn't work yet. We don't have a lot of serving ware yet to match the slate. Oy.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal? CASUAL

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets? Heck yes

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks? We're not too into alcohol, mostly beer. Desserts? Anything. Snacks? Nothing too spicy or sour. I like making and giving away canned dilly green beans (vinegar!) but I can't eat much of them!

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.? Pool and we have a fire pit on the other side of the deck.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? I don't garden, but I do like canning!

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL) CROCS!!!!

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
A little of everything.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?
Mixed pastel colors - blue, green, yellow, pink and purple (somewhat like Easter colors)

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?
I have separate outside tableware. Im not much for paper plates; although IÂve been known to use them for dessert or take-away food, and especially if they are themed to the current event. For the most part, cloth napkins are used (inside and out) but I have, like i do the dessert plates, purchased paper napkins to match the occasion.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
Mostly casual and now and again casually formal (make sense?)

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?
I love gadgets, especially those that are multi-purpose.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks?
Lemonade, root beer, sweet tea, punches, frozen drinks.
Desserts? Depends on the meal
Snacks? Anything really

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?
We grill year round, using charcoal or gas, and in winter months, IÂll pull the grill to the porch. (Charcoal only is used at the mountain house). I enjoy a leisurely meal, and then to sit around conversing, listening to music, playing games, etc. We play bocce, horseshoes, croquet, various card or board games and sometimes, the ping pong table gets pulled out. If I can ever get the back done, my goal is for a pool by next season.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?
I am a gardening fanatic. I grow everything I possibly can whether I eat it or not - someone surely will - veggies, herbs, flowers. Quite a bit gets shared and I donate a good portion of the edibles to a kitchen. I also can and I have a greenhouse.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs")! LOL
socks ~~ I love socks. If all walking surfaces were acceptable for just socks, I would never put a pair of shoes on my feet.

One more thing for me: DH has declared outside a NO GLASS ZONE

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

It's just plain HOT where we live so we never eat outside. Besides, way too many bugs.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

My patio furniture is tan and black.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

Regular everyday dishes.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

Casual

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

Sure!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

Summer drinks-Sparkling water with lime or lemon.
Desserts-Anything!
Snacks-Anything!

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

We gave up water toys about 4 years ago. I also quit camping, cabins and campfires around the same time ~sigh~

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

I grow herbs and a few vegetables in the summer.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

I like flip flops, crocs and socks on my feet.

. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen? grill quite often, eat at table on back deck alot-- even if it's not a "grilled" meal-- if we're packing a cooler to go it's usually to someones backyard, camp or DD's dockside/boat.
2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area? Whites, magenta, greens & lgt blues
3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? For just the two of us reg dishes , when it's the whole gang of us the heavy plastic comes out & paper napkins.
4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal? Very casual !!
5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets? Not really-- ay my age I'm giving them away trying to hoe out my "junk".
6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks? -- ice tea , light fruit wines, Hubby's a beer guy & we usually get a 1/4 keg for family dos.
Snacks -- usually fruit , cheese. Desserts -- anything & everything.
7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.? Cabin ( only kind of camping I'll still do-- gave up tenting & sm trailer years ago )out in the middle of nowhere-- but do inland fishing, occassionally canoe but most get togethers turn out to be gabfests & cards.
8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? I do mostly flower gardening now; with peppers , green & yellow beans , summer squash , tomatos & herbs mixed in-- the big veggie garden 2 of my kids do & keep us well supplied. The only canning I do anymore are pickles, relishes , jams, peaches & pears.Everything else goes in the freezer.
9. Barefoot or flip flops? Ortho inserts in my sneaks for RA-- had to give up barefoot !

Diane

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

**We grill outdoors year round at least 3-4 times per week. Grilling outside is DH's territory. But we will be building an exterior fireplace and I would love to do some bread baking in it.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

**We're still in construction so our patio is still just dirt but any color is fine with me. I like to mix it up so any color is just fine.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

**I am a china hog and have many sets just to change things and make it fun. So any kind of china is just FINE with me!

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

**Very casual.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

**Love 'em!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

**Cucumbers in Sour Cream; Orange Pop, Pink Lemonade and Margaritas!

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

**Pretty much land locked here in Northern IL but I love sitting outside and when our wrap-around porch is completed we will be spending quite a bit of time outside on the porch. We are also building an exterior room complete with fireplace.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

**I am planning on doing quite a bit of canning this year. I want to make Sharon's Dill Pickles for sure! With all our construction since moving there has been no time to even till our garden. But I hope to at least get the railroad ties in this year and plan on planting next Spring! This year I did plant herbs in containers.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

**I'm an Indian Mocassin gal and have been for 30 years!

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

Grill outdoors year round here. If we have snow or ice(lol) I shovel a path to the grill. Yes, we do eat outdoorson the back deck, side patio, or down on the
dock. Munchies on the boat. No picnics for the most part.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

No color scheme to worry about here. I can make most anything work with my collection of stuff.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

I use my regular dishes for the most part. The kids do get paper plates as they generally dont like to sit down and eat with us older folk. Im not a fan of a cocktails or drinks in plastic or paper cups there is plenty of glasses under the dock to prove that..along with cell phones, sunglasses, pagers, fishing poles.you get the idea! The exception is the lighted martini glass EJ sent me last year.we love those....party at the cocktail lighted dock/boat.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

Casual and somewhat crazy!

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

Yes, but storage is an issue in my small cabin.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

I just like drinks periodlol summer has nothing to do with it. Crown Royal, Cold Beer, Margaritas, Cosmos, Mimosas, and Bloody Marys are the most popular with my group. I love all snacks and dessert as long as raisins or most dried fruit is not in the recipe. My favorite party is heavy appetizers, drinks, and dessert.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

Yes to all three! I live in an old cabin on the lake. Love my boat and boatingskiingtubing. Im a certified pyromaniac, I love a good camp/brush/bonfire.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

I do a few things in containers. Tomatoes, peppers, this is my first time with pickling cukes. Also, lots of herbs. Im a canner now thanks to Canny Camp last year.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

Barefoot, sandals, sneakers, or crocs thanks to Deb. Cant do flip flops, hate that thing between my toes.

"boxers or briefs"!......Both or nothing at alldepending on lots of thingsROFL!!!

David
(who did all of this in word and it didn't copy and post in bold or color!!! I give up!!)

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

I grill outdoors often in warm weather. I do steaks and hamburgers outdoors unless the snow is flying! Sometimes I eat on the patio, sometimes on the porch, sometimes on the sofa on front of the tv -- oh yes and at the table.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

On another thread there is a link to a picture of my porch. It's blue and green cushions on white wicker furniture. I could use new cushions on my porch furniture if someone wants to send that. The ones I want cost $800, so you'll easily reach the $30 mark. ;O) On my patio, the umbrella is dark green and the flowers in the garden are shades of pink and blue -- no red and just a little yellow (stella d'oro daylilies)

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

I use my regular dishes. Alone I use paper towels and if anyone is over I use napkins (paper).

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

Definitely casual!

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

Not so much. I go for tried and true. That's not to say that I might like something new if it's handy or fun.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

Iced tea, smoothies, Cosmos (well, all year). I love fruity mixed drinks. I prefer white wine over red. Desserts? I am not a chocoholic. My favorite cookie is oatmeak raisin and I love desserts with with fresh summer fruit. I guess my all time favorite is strawberry shortcake. Snacks? anything at all

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

I am mostly at home. I think my greatest pleasure is stretching out on the sofa on the porch with a good book -- and falling asleep! I do spend a week on the Cape in the early fall. The beach is just outside the door and I carry a drink or light lunch there.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

I grow only flowers although I have one tomato plant. I don't can or preserve but gladly consume yours. I want another jar of Terri's Tayberry Jam!

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL) Flip-flops and hi-leg briefs. TMI!!

Hope that helps but I am delighted to receive surprises. Who doesn't love a surprise??

Pam

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

We grill outside year round. We eat outside often when entertaining - if it is just the two of us we eat inside.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

Our patio furniture is white with light blue/light green and white striped cushions.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

I like to use regular dishes and cloth napkins. If we are entertaining large groups, out come the plastic dishes and glasses/wine goblets.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

CASUAL!!

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

I love gadgets!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

Ice tea, flavored water, margaritas, white wine and beer. I love fruit desserts in the summer. Snacks - anything!

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire...etc.?

We love the outdoors and spend quite a bit of time boating year round.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

I grow tomatoes, peppers and herbs in the winter months - it is too hot here in the summer. Neighbors have mango, orange and lemon trees and are generous to share their bounty with us. I can jams, relishes, pickles and chutneys - BWB only.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention? Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

I am always barefoot in the house. I think flip/flops and Florida are a natural twosome - I have quite a collection!!

I am very easy to please!!!

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
Yes, we grill, and we eat outside as much as possible in the summer. Back yard, very casual.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

Hmm, I'm really not that together. That would require some design gene I'm lacking.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

Again, not that together. I keep thinking I should buy a set of those melamine dishes for the summer but haven't done so yet. So either our regular dishes or paper plates. My current regular dishes are chipping so I'm looking for new ones, so I can't even give a color scheme. I do like bright - I'm hoping to paint my kitchen in that Santa Fe blue color, with some earth tones. My taste is a tad eclectic.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

Very casual.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

I'm always into trying new things - but I've finally mastered tossing them if they don't really work!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

Margaritas! I've discovered Baja Bob's sugar-free marg mix which is great. I also like unsweetened ice tea and regular black tea. Desserts - the things I should avoid are what I love - I love meringue, but also love anything with berries, chocolate, but nothing too heavy for the summer. Snacks - I love salt. ;)

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire...etc.?

We have backyard bbqs with neighbors, very very casual.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

I grow some veggies, although never as successfully as I'd like. I used to can but haven't done that for years. Love pickles, hoping to get back to that. We don't grow any fruit here other than raspberries that the birds beat us to, but we love all kinds of berries, melon, and cherries.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention? Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

Usually crocs

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

We grill often, but eat indoors. The mosquitoes and gnats own the yard until about mid-August.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

Wood...my porch is only big enough for the grill.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

I use our same old dishes for everything.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

Always casual.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

Ohyeah.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

Margaritas, mostly, though I am working on perfecting Long Island Iced Tea. We try to eat seasonal fruit for dessert whenever we can, but somehow it usually winds up sweetened. I've been trying not to snack on anything but fruits and nuts, but there's always junky/snacky things around when the kid's home.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

I work too much to do a lot of entertaining, but we grill a lot and potluck/BBQ with friends quite often (in their yards...they have fewer bugs). I live in what many would call a cabin, hehe. We went through a boat phase, but everywhere is so crowded anymore that we prefer hanging out at home. My garden is my favorite summer activity right now.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

We're getting back into our garden, though it's smaller than the quarter acre I used to plant. No fruit, though, other than the wild huckleberries in the yard...we're up too high. I can, freeze and dehydrate a lot of food.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? Barefoot in the house, sandals, tennies or crocs outside.

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen? Grill out fairly often. Sometimes with friends, sometimes just grill a job lot of food to package up and freeze to eat throughout the weekcolor>

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area? While my indoor colors are green and cobalt blue, I suppose I should specify bright colors outdoors -- that I can find among the foliage!color>

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? I use whatever I have laying around. My apartment is so small I don't have anywhere to store special place settings. color>

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal? Very casual!color>

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets? Nothing I have to store -- and I'm starting to run out of fridge and wall space to hang things on!color>

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks? Light and fruity for all of the above! I'm not much for hot (picante) flavors even in the summer, but I do like unusual things. I've been gradually working more raw food into my diet and this summer I hope to do even more. (While fruits and veggies are cheaper!)color>

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.? Mostly just sitting sround in the yard, occasionally taking a picnic down to the riverfront.color>

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? I do a lot of gardening; flowers and herbs mostly, but I love going to farm stands and u-pick places. I've done a little jam canning in the past; this year I'd like to do more. (Inspired by all the canny canners who post here!)color>

9. Barefoot or flip flops? I need to get some flip flops or other sandals! I live in my Tevas in the summer, and I already have Teva tan lines.... (Not too safe to walk around here barefoot. I haven't found any syringes out back in a while, but apparently broken glass and bottle caps are indigenous.)color>

Oh cool this is fun!!
Sorry to my swapper...been a bit tied up with my moms injury. Dang I wish she would get a computer at her house!!!

So heres my info....

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

I grill a lot! We have a gas grill just off the kitchen and charcoal by the garage. We grill everything we can and even Grilled Christmas dinner one year-in the snow!! LOL!!!
We don't get to picnic a lot but we do tailgate (Yhats picnicing right??)
I recently took our outdoor table down due to lack of use. I generally eat in the house but occasionally take a tray outside for light meals and such.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

Right now I have brown and white stripes going on outside. The accent peices are copper and tin...nothing too flowery.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

I do have outdoor dishes and serving peices that are coral, teal and brown but I am always grabbing paper plates in a pinch!!

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

Super casual for me!! I haven't done too much formal entertaining in recent years.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

Well it depends on the task....I prefer a multitasker over a single task item. Heck I still use a good ole knife to peel potatoes....have a drawer full of peelers but a knife is what I always reach for.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

On the summer I crave iced tea!! For dessert I love anything with stone fruit or melon (not a chocolate fan here) and we LOVE spicy food!!

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

We tend to keep things casual and listen to music or even play cards....very low key.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

No more gardens here...just do not have the time. I am a big fan of pickles so if you make any extra, put me on your mailing list!!

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

LOL!!! I could get in trouble here!!
Barefoot and flip flops and no sox after Memorial Day!!

Happy Swapping!!

Cheers!
Susie

Oops, we got our swap names while I was away on a biz trip and I just realized I haven't posted here yet. I apologize to my swap buddy.

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

We grill outdoors all year - our grill is on a deck with a roof over it. We love to eat outdoors during the warm months and have one table under a tree for mid-day meals and another on a deck off our dinning room that is shaded morning and evening. Happily we have almost no bugs or mosquitoes here.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

Almost any, I'm not so fond of orange though. Since there are just two of us for most meals I love to have a variety.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

I use place mats or a tablecloth and regular dishes, I have nothing against plastic dishes except that I think they scratch easily. I use cloth and paper napkins.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

Definitely more casual.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

If they work well, sure, I love them.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

I love Margaritas and wine coolers and spritzers and all kinds of iced tea. Desserts are often fruit and/or ice cream based but we both love dark chocolate anything too. Snacks, raw veggies and dips, cheeses and crackers - anything that doesn't take a lot of prep. In general we eat a lot of spicy foods of any ethnicity.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

Sadly no boat or cabin to have fun in. We share meals with family and friends and rotate houses with everyone cooking/bringing something so I do cook and serve larger amounts too.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?

Just container gardening - big pots of tomatoes, a huge garden bowl of lettuce and loads of herbs. I don't grow enough to can it.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"!

Flip flops - our decks are wood, splinters are not fun.

Lee

I apologize to my swap partner, too, but have been out of pocket: But, truly, we are so easy to buy for. Just would prefer no chocolate because Aleksi has a reaction to Chocolate so we don't keep it around.

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?

In the heat of summer it is too hot here to eat outside.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

We don't have a scheme, anything goes when we do eat out in the cooler part of the year.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

For outdoors, we don't have any special dishes.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?

Casual, unless special occasion.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?

Absolutely.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?

We enjoy wine. I love margaritas, wine coolers and iced tea. Desserts for summer are usually around fruit, easy ice box pies (lemon usually). Snacks: grapes, we always have grapes, even the dogs love grapes! We like to do cheese/crackers/wine for a light dinner.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?

We don't have a boat, or cabin, and gave up camping a few years back. We do cookout more now, but eat inside even when entertaining with the SA heat. I do have several family dinners.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? I don't have a garden, too small right now. I enjoy canning, water bath only, I am too much of a wuss for pressure cooking.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)

Crocs with Mickey Mouse on them. Guess where they came from; they are red! So does that mean.......

bump

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often?
I live in CA so can and do grill outdoors all year long.
Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
We just eat out on the deck on the patio table during the day and eat inside, even if grilling, at night.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?
   The umbrella is a khaki green and the cushions are green and white stripped. The cushion on the swing is a green/tan leaf pattern.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?
   We use paper plates for lunches and regular dishes for dinner. No special outdoor dishes.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
   Casual - always.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?
   I have way too many, according to DH. I am always looking at the latest and greatest.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks?
   Iced Tea or Iced Coffee.
   Desserts? Fresh fruit, cookies, fresh baked pies, ice cream.
   Snacks? All kinds of chips with homemade dips. Homemade spreads for crusty breads. With a glass of wine.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities?
   Grilling.
   Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?
   Nope

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits?
   I have a large garden with all kinds of veggies especially tomato plants which I make into sauce. I love to try new veggies and I have a garden year round here.
   Are you one who likes to can and preserve?
   I make my own jams, jellies, apple and pear butter, spag. sauce, and pickles. I have also made relishes and chutneys. I also dry and freeze fruits and veggies.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention!)
   Neither, too many nasty stickers. See I was paying attention.

For more information (and so I don't keep boring people) see Jessyf's post Do you have a camera? Dietary restrictions? Etc.!.
Clare

Tis the end of the season, but like Clare, I'll fill this out now, too...

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
We do grill out often. An area my husband hogs to himself, mostly. We'll eat inside mostly cause of the bugs, but sometimes on the deck by the grill, as well.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?
patio needs to be refurnished. It's currently a hodgepodge of things that will be discarded at our next move... but the grill is green and black...

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy? I use the regular dishes, but DH uses paper.... We do have plastic martini glasses and margarita glasses for the deck...

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
Definitely cas

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?
Of course!!!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?
DH likes Lillet with an orange slice. I'll take a mojito, or a cosmo made with lime vodka. I also love wine of any kind, light white's (rieslings are good) for the summer. I'm also a big fan of still water with lime!
Desserts are also DH's venue so mostly homemade ice cream or ice cream bars on sale. I'd make tarts and cakes and pies, but I'd be the only one eating them! Like Pam, I'm not a chocaholic... my tastes run more towards toffee / caramel or fruit flavors...
My favorite snacks are cheese and crackers and sausage, or crackers and tapenade.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?
no boat, cabin, campfires... DH has bad memories over the smell of wood burning fires... so we grill out, eat at home.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve? I have a black thumb. I've tried herbs and I kill them, too.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL) Barefoot and boxers... :)

another to the top

Even though it's not even remotely summertime here, I figured I'd add my info to this thread too...
Bri

Tell us a little about your "summertime cooking style" and whatever else you care to share.

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
We grill pretty much year round. It's pretty temperate here and we have a covered patio for our outdoor dining room and grills. While we may not eat dinner outside, we still grill quite frequently through the winter. It's amazing how much you can perk up a dreary winter with a picnic dinner on the living room floor! In the summer, my DH and I sometimes hike up a hill and have a snack, maybe not a full on picnic (it's a bit of a hike) but it's still fun! In the summer we eat outside several times a week if it's not too hot.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?

We have a somewhat dark wood dining table set, so I try to brighten it up a bit with table runners, candles, chair cushions etc. I love my blue, yellow and lime green runner, basically anything vibrant. Red, blue, green, yellow, you name it! Inside, the cat tends to sit on the dining room table too much for me to keep a table cloth clean so I just leave the protector pads on it and call it good. :)

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?

We use our regular dishes throughout the year. I'm not big on wasting space in my rather small kitchen or wasting materials in using paper plates. Unfortunately, the small kitchen also means that I don't have a set of "special occasion" china either.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
Pretty much every gathering at our house is casual. I may prepare fancier food for a party, but I like to make friends feel like they're at home when they come over. Maybe someday I'll get into throwing full-on formal dinner parties, but I really like just having good friends over for good food.

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?
I would love to play with more gadgets, but I simply don't have the room for many in my kitchen. Of course, I could always make a little room for a new toy if it's something I love (ex: my handheld citrus juicer)!

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?
My tastes don't change a whole heck of a lot from summer to winter, I love mojitos, martinis, lemonade, Diet Coke and just plain old water. As far as desserts, my favorites all involve citrus, key lime, lemon etc. For snacks, I eat fruit throughout the year, popcorn, and yogurt for the most part.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?
We love to go camping, so I'm learning to cook over a campfire. In the winter, I love to make a big pot of stew and invite friends over to sit in front of a nice big fire (hmmm, I'm noticing a trend here).

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?
I tried to grow veggies one year, but I don't love gardening enough to make a garden productive in a very shady area. I just couldn't put enough time into it I guess. I do like canning and freezing, especially Annie's salsa (42 pints this year).

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)
Is neither an option? My DH makes fun of me for continually wearing shoes, even in the house. I guess I have wussy feet and don't like for them to be dry or dirty. I'm just a pansy. :)

It feels like summer here today, and so I'll go ahead and answer these - I somehow thought I had before, but evidently not.

1. Do you grill/eat outdoors often? Do you pack up a picnic basket or typically eat in the yard or kitchen?
Yes! We use the back yard and grill all year, since winter is only about 8° cooler than summer.

2. What colors do you use on your porch/patio/outdoor eating area?
All colors, although I'm not a fan of brown and generally stay away from earth colors, except for wooden items.

3. Do you use your regular dishes or do you have special dishes/serving ware for outdoors? Or are you a paper plate/paper napkin kind of girl/guy?
We use regular dishes outside - almost never use paper, and I use cloth napkins all the time as well.

4. Are your summertime gatherings more casual or formal?
Never formal

5. Do you like to try the latest kitchen gadgets?
I don't have much room to store any gadgets. If I got any more, they would have to replace something I already have and take up less space.

6. What are your favorite summer drinks? Desserts? Snacks?
Lemonade or limeade, since I have lemon and lime trees. For desserts, I usually have fruit, sometimes with balsamic vinegar. For snacks, I like bean dip with tortilla chips or hummus with lavash.

7. What are your favorite summertime cooking/eating/entertaining activities? Do you spend time boating, at a cabin, around a campfire....etc.?
I used to go camping a lot, but now I go mostly in the winter and visit one of the desert parks. I have an inflatable boat that I sometimes use on the local canals.

8. Do you garden and/or grow your own veggies and fruits? Are you one who likes to can and preserve?
I try to keep herbs growing, and I have fruit trees. I make fig preserves in the summer when I have time and if it is not too hot in August. This year it was too hot.

9. Barefoot or flip flops? (Okay I just threw that one in to see if you all were paying attention! Maybe I should have said "boxers or briefs"! LOL)
Sandals or Croks - I don't like flip flops at all. As for the other, I wear boxer briefs - so I'm on the fence in that department.

Lars