It's Hot

It is quite a challenge to cool off these days.

Maybe because it has been nearly (or over) 100 degrees for the past, umm, four weeks?
How do we survive in a civilized manner in this heat?

The best solution I can offer anyone is to slow down. I think slowing down has been my answer of choice for just about all of life's dilemmas, but it definitely works now. This is the time to catch up on reading, sip iced tea, and make a list of some indoor museums you might like to visit in the very near future...say tomorrow. Many ladies I know love scrapbooking. I can't think of a better time to work on a scrapbook than when it is searingly hot outside.

Hey, that is why I am writing right now. My son and daughter are home from school and they are watching a movie. I have been totally remiss in writing my blog these past few months (no excuses) and find that staying indoors is the only option for me. Besides, it's a health concern, too. Especially for little ones, who are prone to suffer from heat exhaustion.

Now the drink of choice in our house during a heat wave is iced tea. A friend and I are partial to the Southern Blend iced tea at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. It has a hint of rose in it, and I'll admit, drinking tea and roses is very appealing to me! My friend loves the teeny tiny ice cubes that the tea comes in. At home, however, I take basic black tea (two bags), add about two tablespoons of raw sugar, enough hot water to fill up a standard glass pitcher, stir, let the tea steep for 20 minutes, remove the tea bags, and then chill. Sometimes I'll switch it up and use Stash's "Moroccan Mint" -- it's a green tea. Very easy, cost effective and tasty. My husband swears by my iced tea over anything bought at Starbucks or Coffee Bean. We also have mint in our backyard, so if I'm feeling really swanky that day, I will add a few sprigs of fresh mint to the mix.

I think adding a sprig of mint adds to the aesthetic value of iced tea, as well. A pretty glass of iced tea while reading a classic novel is a great way to spend an afternoon. Currently, I am reading To Kill A Mockingbird. I have never lived in the south, but those people I know who have tell me the summer humidity is unbearable. I worked with several people from Louisiana many years ago, and the one thing they told me over and over again was that Southerners know how to slow down when it's hot outside. They have no choice. I think slowing down is almost an art form.

Don't ask me why, but along with making a pitcher of iced tea today, I also cooked up a batch of split pea soup. Oh well, I guess I figure that soup can be comfort food in any weather!

Stay cool!