Sunday, May 27, 2012

Decoration Day weekend...

Fresh lemonade was one of my dad's favorite things, and today, in his memory, I made some fresh lemonade. Sort of. Actually, I used lemons, limes and cara cara oranges, which have a deep pinkish orange fruit and are sweet as all get out. The two quart jars are back-ups, and plain.  The big gallon jar is an herbal lemonade...complete with anise hyssop (which tastes more like sassafras than anise to me), white and purple clovers, dandelions and a few honeysuckle flowers. And the flowers off my basil. And sweetened with a combination of agave and local honey. It is extremely refreshing and tastes just heavenly. BUT--next time i think I'll leave out the limes, because they are a little bitter. But strawberries or raspberries would be good, wouldn't they?

 I love playing with flavors like this. I wonder how a lemon and rosemary drink would be? I like those two together on fish....

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  My father was a member of an Army contingent called the Blue Devils. They apparently stormed their way across Italy and Europe during WWII wreaking havoc and establishing freedom.  Not that he hardly ever talked about his time in the service, except to say that he  was proud to be a member of the US Army and that he did what any American would do. His oldest brother Willard was killed paratrooping in France.  His other brother was in the service as well. My youngest brother was also in the Army. My husband joined the Marine Corps when he was 18. My father in law was a sailor with the US Navy. 

  On this day, I want to remember them all with gratitude for serving their country. I have a deep and abiding respect for anyone who is this selfless, who is willing to go to any lengths to ensure  that we can continue to live a life of freedom and  liberties and the pursuit of happiness. 

  So, in memory of all who served, and continue to serve...I thank you.

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   It's been an interesting weekend. It's been scorching hot with temps hovering near, but not quite getting to, 100.  Too hot to do much of anything in the way of yard work, which desperately needs doing. The grass needs mowed-it's looking raggedy out there. The edamame is getting big enough now that there's no excuse for not weeding that bed. The beans , tomatoes, potatoes and butterbeans have all been mulched with straw.  (We are now officially out of straw.) Saturday night we went to the movies and saw Men In Black 3. It was entertaining, as expected. Tommy Lee Jones is starting to look a little old in this one, lol.  Today we went to a Spring Festival for a few hours. It was nice, lots of arts and crafts. But hot. At least there was a bit of a breeze blowing.  Then we came home and had a nice picnic type supper of grilled corn on the cob, leftover cold baked beans (YUM!) and veggie burgers. I also cut up a small bowl of veggies--red bell peppers, snow peas, french breakfast radishes and cucumber. I didn't realize how famished I was until I started eating.

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  I have been researching making home made pinwheels. I want them to put in the garden as a bird and deer deterrent...the big kind that any little breeze will spin.  I am thinking about attaching small jingle bells to them, if it won't make them too heavy to spin. I have a bunch of them left over from some Xmas crafts I did one year, I think. Has anyone ever made pinwheels or whirligigs ?? Any suggestions??

  I used to have some big giant sunflower ones that were specifically for the garden, but they have all broken and come apart, and I can't remember where I got them. But it should be an easy enough thing to make from recyclable materials, don't you think?

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   Well, I'm sipping lemonade and reading emails and generally winding down after a long day. The Irishman is off tomorrow as well, and I will be doing laundry and probably mowing, unless it rains, which they are hinting at. We're supposed to get a cool down for a few days--that would be nice.  Although I must say, the hot weather has cause a nice spike in the garden growth. I have 2 eggplants and some herbs sitting on my kitchen island that need to go in the ground too. I was gonna do that tonight once it cooled off...but at 8:30, it was still 89 degrees...yowsa.

  This heat is wearing me out, so I will probably be in bed early tonight. I feel like I could go to sleep now, but it's only 9:30...if I do that, I'll be up at 3 AM....lol

   I hope everyone is having a good weekend. Take care in the heat, if that's how it is where you are.  And just take care of yourselves in  general...you are precious to me!



Namaste.

6 comments:

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi! Going to get ready for bed and just read your post. It has been so hot here also. We have a son who is making a full time career of the navy. Thankful to the vets for the protection of our country! Have a great Memorial holiday! Nancy at Cozy Thyme Cottage

Rita said...

It even got up to 80 up here. I'm getting ready for bed here pretty soon, too.

I've never made pinwheels, but I would bet money you could google it. ;)

Take care of you and yours, too! *hugs*

Beth said...

Our official high here yesterday was 93 degrees and miserable.

I love sassafras tea and I haven't had any since I was a small child. The roots I see occasionally in the store have had all of the flavor sucked out of them already and there is no flavor left.

Keep cool Annie and drink a glass of that lemonade for me.

DJan said...

Here it is May and it's that hot where you are? We have only seen the 70s a few times and even that seemed awfully warm, Annie. Hope you get that cool down.

Akannie said...

Nancy--crazy hot for so early in MAy! And yes, mucho gracias to all the vets, far and wide.

I did google it Rita...it looks pretty easy. Now to figure out workable materials that will hold up to weather. I'm thinking maybe those thin plastic containers lettuce and spinach come in?? hmmm...

Me too Beth...used to always have it at mt my grannys. We have sassafras trees here in our yard too...That lemonade was sure good...

DJan--it's been wacko. We could sure use some rain.... The weather is crazy everywhere..didn't they just have tornadoes in Massachusetts??

sheesh!

CiCi said...

It has been hot here in Nebraska as well. One day last week we tied the record for high temp. It will be so hot and then the rain breaks through and we have thunderstorms all night and then wake to clean grass and then the heat speeds up again. I just keep hoping my deoderant won't let me down as I go about my usual things.