Three ways to get extra patriotic for the Fourth of July

Published 1:30 am Sunday, July 1, 2018

Sizzle, crack, pop.

Make this year’s Fourth of July the best yet with extra patriotism, healthy food and pet safety.

1. Glitz.

Make your back yard extra patriotic for Independence Day.

Decorate it with homemade red, white and blue lawn stars.

Cut star shapes out of cardboard. Pick up construction-marking spray paint in red, white and blue at your local home improvement store. Then get painting.

Using the cardboard cutouts like stencils, paint your lawn with color-filled stars or star outlines.

The paint won’t kill the grass. Mow it after it grows out.

More at www.theconcretecottage.com.

2. Dazzle.

We found a recipe for your Fourth of July backyard barbecue.

Make a red, white and blue potato salad to add a pop of patriotic pop of color your meal.

Halve 1 pound red fingerling potatoes and 1 pound purple fingerling potatoes. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, then drain.

Whisk together a vinaigrette — 1/4 cup champagne vinegar, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot, 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 20 turns fresh-cracked pepper — then toss with the warm potatoes.

Top the salad with 2 large apples, diced, and 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley. Makes 6 servings.

Follow Lorin Michel Peters on Instagram @LorinMichel for more recipes like this.

3. Protect

The last thing you want is for Rex to go missing during the fireworks.

Loud noises from fireworks scare dogs, causing them to become disoriented. They may jet off in fear.

Pawscout offers a smart pet tag with an app to ensure the well-being of your pet. The tag comes with GPS tracking and alerts owners via their smartphones if a pet strays too far from home.

More at www.pawscout.com.

— Evan Thompson, Herald writer