Fruit Flies and the Fourth of July

The best thing about the early summer (other than long afternoons at the swimming pool and early bedtimes) is the challenge of eating mounds of inexpensive farmer’s market fruit before it becomes overripe in the fruit bowl. Then baking with it.

The worst thing is the fruit flies. How do you control them?

Vengeance comes when my kids get old enough for home science experiments. What ninth grade biology student doesn’t enjoy anesthetizing and gene-crossing colonies of fruit flies? Their first meal in my fruit bowl will be the last meal of their lives as they know them.

We’re celebrating July 4th at the home of our good friend’s very classy parents. It’s always a lovely occasion, and we want to come prepared. (Plus I’m hoping this discussion will coax Red to drag her pregnant self and her family across the river to the same party.)

What kinds of fireworks are appropriate for 3 and 4 year olds, with adult supervision? We dropped into the shop today and saw some of those small firework army tanks; my 3 year old son is ready to rock and roll. In addition to those, I’m looking for something a little more jazzy than glow sticks and a little less dangerous than Roman candles. In the deep South where I grew up, we were fireworks experts by age 3.

Any amazing fourth of July dessert inspirations you can pass along? The white cake with cool whip, strawberries, and blueberries is patriotic and summery but loses its charm after several years (decades), plus its fatal flaw is its lack of chocolate.