My heart belongs to Daddy

Hors d'oeuvres on the terrace, and suddenly everything's coming up Tiny. Matthew (left) seems philosophical about it, while Ben breaks out in a fit of giggles.

Sensing the window of opportunity for swiping shrimp cocktail is narrow, Tiny gauges her chances.  Just after this picture was taken, Ellen swooped her up and cast her down upon the terrace.  "How could you?" we asked in mock horror. "What about my photographs?"

Realizing the time wasn't right for kitty treats, Tiny headed off for some sport in the field beyond the lawn, where the comings and goings of birds and small mammals helped divert her thoughts from the tempting crustaceans on the groaning board just beyond her grasp.

A brilliant Father's Day feast of the usual suspects -- grilled tournedos wrapped in bacon, marinated strips, sausages, potato salad, dueling baked beans, tossed salad and freshly baked French bread -- was topped off with just desserts (above photo): a potpourri of Susie's Secret Blueberry Pie, Ellen's brownies and macaroons and David's and Sharon's fresh strawberries with brown sugar and sour cream. Matthew dazzled us with his seemingly effortless command of two competing grill technologies, getting everything done to a turn using both the old-fashioned Weber with charcoal and the fancy new gas grill. Re the bake-off between Ellen's family classic -- Eddie's Beans -- and the latest iteration of our own award-winning Chelsea Baked Beans -- it was a standoff, with everyone within earshot claiming they were both so delicious that they couldn't make up their minds which was better.

We topped off a perfect day of feting the fathers among us with a late-afternoon walk along the Marginal Way, where a high-society wedding party was in progress at the York Reading Room.  Walking along the path that winds, corniche-like, above the water's edge north of York Harbor Beach, we were treated to the gamboling of the bride and groom in full wedding regalia running along the beach, mugging for the cameras.  After dark, fireworks, which sent Tiny running inside for cover.

Comments

[Pat Baker]

God, how I love the way you mix punditry, pets, and party food!

[Sissy Willis]

Thanks, Pat. Check out the Kudos column, upper right. :)

[House of Treasures]

Wow is that a cat! I'd hate to run into him in a dark alley....

[Barron]

What great pictures and stories are on this site!