| Apple pie, the 4th of July, fireworks in the sky, | | | | can even hang a decorative "flag light" on your |
| and porches all go together! What better way to | | | | porch as well. |
| celebrate than decorating and entertaining on your | | | | - Make a patriotic door wreath. It can be very |
| porch during this festive day! With a little planning | | | | simple. Use a grape vine wreath and hot glue |
| you can have the best porch in the | | | | patriotic stars, flags, buttons, and ribbons on it. |
| neighborhood. Here are a few things you can do | | | | Don't forget the porch chair cushions. You can |
| to make it "explode" like fireworks. | | | | make covers in red, white, and blue. Make an |
| - Start with Old Glory. Just make sure she doesn't | | | | overlapping opening in the back so the pillow |
| touch the ground or shrubs and that she is | | | | covers will slip off easily and save them for the |
| illuminated from dusk to dawn. Don't have a flag | | | | next patriotic holiday. |
| holder? You can hang our flag vertically from your | | | | - For porch table decorations paint small to |
| porch (make sure the stars are to the viewer's | | | | medium sized baskets and use them to store |
| left). Have a screened porch, 3-season, or four | | | | cups, napkins, and silverware. Hot glue patriotic |
| season porch? Hang the flag on a wall to create | | | | trinkets on the sides and they also make great |
| just the right look for this special day. | | | | house-warming gifts! |
| - Attach patriotic bunting to your porch's hand | | | | - What's the 4th without a party? Have the kids |
| rail. Let the kids help blow up and hang red, | | | | fill red, white, and blue balloons with water. Either |
| white, and blue balloons! | | | | plan a water balloon battle or use them to play a |
| - Plant red, white, and blue flowering plants in | | | | yard game. Place buckets some distance apart, |
| front of your porch. You can even arrange them | | | | divide into teams, and see who can get the most |
| in the shape and colors of the flag! Or, use the | | | | balloons in the buckets. Use a point system to |
| same color plantings in hanging baskets. For red | | | | keep score (red-1, blue-2, and white-3). |
| flowers try zinnias, petunias, salvias, begonias and | | | | - Gotta have food! Have your guests bring food |
| geraniums. For white flowers, we suggest white | | | | by color. For red foods, have some bring cherry |
| petunias, white vinca or white impatiens. For blue | | | | tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, radishes, bing |
| flowers, purplish-blue petunias, blue lobelias, blue | | | | cherries, apple slices, red pepper strips, and red |
| salvias and bluebells will do. | | | | grapes. Those bringing white foods might be |
| - Have plants in pots on your porch or steps? | | | | tempted with macadamia nuts, white cannellini |
| Why not paint the pots in patriotic colors as | | | | beans, white bread cubes, Swiss cheese, popcorn |
| well. You can purchase paint made for plastic at | | | | and white chocolate. For blue food providers try |
| your local building or hardware store. It makes a | | | | blueberries, blue plums and blue corn chips. You |
| great kid's project too! | | | | get the idea! |
| - Don't forget the lights! Decorate your porch with | | | | Memories are made on your front porch. This 4th |
| patriotic light sets. You can hang them around the | | | | of July, let your porch sizzle with fun! |
| top of your porch or across the balusters. You | | | | |