4th of July at Relaxation Station Bed and Breakfast in Lake Wildwood, CA

Several members of the Crowing Coq Cooking Club had the good fortune to spend 4^th of July at the Relaxation Station Bed and Breakfast with it’s delightful owner, Sharon on the shores of Lake Wildwood in the Sierra Foothills.  There was much cooking and merriment in addition to adorable children and breathtaking fireworks as we shared our nation’s birthday. 

Sharon has a fantastic house right on the lake with magnificent views from every room and two fabulous porches brimming with comfortable tables and chairs, herbs, flowers, tomatoes and citrus and our course, Buster, the guard dog.  The lake is deep blue and surrounded with lovely trees.  Skiers, boaters, kayakers and swimmers drifted by as we enjoyed our margaritas on the beach.   

Willie and Sandi arrived on Sunday afternoon to join Tina and Bob and their kids Lauren and baby Isabella.  Sharon’s refrigerator was stuffed to the max with all the food for the next several days.   Some spent the afternoon basking by the lake (it was hot!) enjoying pina coladas and others stayed inside where it was cool to watch the Tour de France. 

Sharon has piles of magazines, books (including lots of cookbooks!), DVD’s, and toys and games for the kids in every room, but soon the kitchen was the scene of the action as Tina, ably supported by sous chef Lauren, put together our dinner. Unfortunately, the dinner was so good, we forgot to take a picture of it, so you’ll have to imagine Tina’s grilled pork loin with blackberry sauce and mango salsa accompanied by coconut rice and grilled asparagus beckoning to us on Sharon’s Provençal dinnerware. Dessert was a refreshing lemon curd lightened with crème and giant blueberries and raspberries.

Sharon’s turn came the next morning as she concocted a Mexican brunch with breakfast burritos made up of roasted potatoes, sausages, eggs, 3 different kinds of tortillas, a variety of toppings, mimosas and a assortment of fruits.  And no one who tried it will forget the ‘Butt Pucker’ Hot Sauce!!  At least one member of the club was reduced to tears as he gasped for breath after a tiny taste. 

Brunch was followed by the annual 4^th of July Wildwood Lake Boat Parade.  This year’s theme was movies and the kids especially loved watching the decorated boats float by playing the themes from their movies.  Since it was so hot, the group spent most of the day on the beach or the dock enjoying the sunshine and cooling off in the ‘Relaxation Station’ (see pic at top of post!), a huge air-filled lounger with net on the bottom to let in the cooling lake water (and mulch!)! 

We bid farewell to Tina, Bob and their kids in early afternoon, but were soon joined by Sharon’s son Dan, his wife Lori and their adorable children, precocious Abby (age 7) and social director Taylor (age 4) who organizes a mean game of hide and seek.  Lori tried to catch a fish for dinner in her kayak, but was unsuccessful, so Sandi and Willie retired to the kitchen to prepare the 4^th of July feast beginning with cooling watermelon mojitos served in Sharon’s Mexican glasses.  We enjoyed crab cakes, potato salad, Cuban corn, and grilled asparagus followed by Willie’s strawberry ice cream served on pound cake. 

The air cooled a bit as the sun went down. Dan brought his boat to Sharon’s dock and we all clambered in and motored across the lake to get a good spot for the fireworks.  It seemed to the kids that it would never get dark enough for them to begin but once they did, it was amazing!  The lake was filled with boats and the sky was filled with sparkling fireworks that lasted for almost half an hour!  After the last colors died away, the sounds of the boaters horns and applause filled the night and when we looked up, instead of fireworks, the sky was filled with stars. 

In the morning, we had another lovely brunch on the terrace overlooking the lake.  It would be easy to get used to living like this!  Many, many thanks to Sharon for a wonderful July 4^th!  
A good time was had by all!

Sandi W