Guidelines For Cottaging on The 4th of July

Red fire work explodes. Photo by Roweena Langin

4^th of July is a big holiday for my family and friends. Ever year a vary large group of us get together at a friends cottage and party for several days surrounding the holiday. Every year brings new memories and faces. There is a ton of food and drinks brought by everyone and there is always something to do.

The guys cooking pizza.
Photo by Roweena Langin

Twice a day meals are cooked. A simple breakfast in the morning and a huge dinner in the evening. The rest of the day you fend for your self. Vast varities of drinks are available made up of mostly beer and pop found in coolers along the deck. There are 2 communal coolers whose contents are free for all and the rest are personal coolers who contents can only be consumed with the owners permission.

Floating on the lake. Photo by Roweena Langin

There is always something to do. Our most common every day activities are talking, drinking, swimming at the lake, playing games, watching movies, reading and having nightly camp fires. People tend to split off into groups and do what they find fun. Mostly the groups are divided by generations. People will randomly disappear and more often then not you will find them taking a nap.

Beer tasting at the 4th of July 2014 party. Photo by Roweena Langin

Two evenings for every year is set aside for fire works and a beer tasting party. On the 4^th every one goes down to the lake before sunset to pick their spots on the beach to enjoy a great fireworks display over the lake. For the night of the beer tasting everyone who plans on participating is required to bring at least 1 uncommon beer. 1 or 2 people are in charge of telling everyone about the beer and distributing samples. This year we had so many different beers that people lost track of what they liked. It was decided that next year paper and pens would be distributed for people to write down the names of their favorites.

Guidelines for cottaging

1. There is no such thing as a diet
2. If you are not having fun it is your own fault
3. No fighting
4. Respect each other
5. Respect the coolers
6. There is no bed time or wake up time
7. When food is served and you are not there we will not wait for you
8. Everyone helps with at least one meal
9. Most first timers will over do it and get sick
10. What is said or done at the cottage stays at the cottage
    

    Playing board games with friends. Photo by Roweena Langin

by Roweena Langin

When I was a little girl my parents taught me how to use a camera. I spent my photographic childhood in 4-H taking photos so I could enter them into the yearly county fair and have them judged. I have a BFA in photography from Northern Michigan University. My favorite photographic subjects are sports and nature. My dream career is to be a sports photographer working for a big name team or media. I have been a volunteer photographer for the Beacon House in Marquette for some of their fundraising events. In May 2014 I became a contributor with marquettemagazine.com.

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