Party at the Cabin

It's finally starting to feel like spring, here in New York! The sun has been out, people are putting away their winter coats, and the sun dresses are starting to come out. Hooray for spring! Sure we have cold and/or rainy days here and there, but April showers bring May flowers, right?

Anyway, I am so glad that it is finally starting to warm up and feel like spring! This past weekend we had some friends visit us at our cabin in upstate NY to celebrate the changing of seasons, as well as enjoy the blossoming of our 50,000 daffodils at our cabin! It was a very casual affair, filled with delicious food and drink, relaxing conversation, hiking, daffodil harvesting, and even a soak in our wood burning hot tub!

I cannot really take credit for any of the party prep --- all of the credit goes to my parents. They arrived at the cabin a few days in advance to prepare everything. (I simply took the train the night before and brought a dessert). They created quite the feast making shrimp curry, chili con carne (in a Dutch oven!), a variety of salads, roasted potatoes, grilled chicken sausages, grilled steak, and much much more! My mom made her fruit tiramisu, whilst my contribution was super fudge-y brownies.  
Quite the spread
My dad grilling the sausages
Chili and sausages cooking on a campfire --- what a rustic sight!
Our guests mingling and enjoying the food
Campfire steak
The surgeon at work
My dark chocolate brownies
Mom's Fruit Tiramisu

The weather fluctuated from chilly to comfortably warm. At least, it did for me. I think being near the campfire certainly helped me to warm up. It was a nice mix of my mother's friends, as well as my fathers. Some faces I knew, others I did not, however they knew all about me. Although I must confess that I am becoming a bit of a city girl, it was nice to escape the hustle and bustle of Manhattan for an afternoon and just commune with nature. One of my favorite things in life is sitting around a campfire and hanging out with other people. 
Nothing brings people together like food and a campfire

Preparing for the party was very stressful for my parents and they were completely exhausted afterwards, but I think the stress was worth it. The party they created was a hit and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. I'd like to think that for most of our guests, such a country escape is a rare treat, and we have more to offer than places like Bear Mountain. Sure, we have hiking trails and ponds where you can go swimming, but we also have a hot tub and a beautiful observation deck that looks onto the Hudson Valley. We also had yummy food and drink, and encouraged our guests to return home with buckets of daffodils. How idyllic. 

All in all, I had a great time! My parents were fantastic hosts and I think I speak for everyone when I say that the daffodil party was a great success! I am greatly looking forward to next year's party!
Beautiful sunset to end a wonderful day

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