It’s been a scorching summer by all accounts out here in the arid valley. It’s already September but the 95 degree (and plus) days are still around. Didn’t get the insane 110 plus days like we do most years, but still the heat is oppressive and downright mean. Can’t really do much outdoors even if it looks beautiful out there with a deep blue sky and those gorgeous white puffy clouds. So we’re camped out inside here with the air conditioning going full blast.
We’re thinking about setting up a lemonade stand out by the road. Haven’t done that in ages but it sounds like a good idea. The kids and I cut some lavender from the plants out in the herb garden and put together some wonderfully refreshing lavender-infused lemonade. In about 20 minutes, the chocolate chip cookies will be coming out of the oven and we’ll have ourselves some very nice merchandise for the sale. With heat like this, we’re bound to see some heavy traffic to the stand. It will be a good lesson in economics for the kids and it gives us something to do while we try and beat the heat.
Meanwhile, the kids are having fun checking out their favorite Poptropica cheats site and reading up on strategy and tips for that game. They’ve already completed all of the islands in the game. Poptropica uses an island metaphor for its quests and missions. I could go for being on a tropical island right now! The kids are very excited because next weekend a new island called Mystery Train comes out. I took a peek and it looks very cute. The Poptropica folks do a nice job of mixing entertainment and education. This quest takes the kids back to the late 1800s on a train bound for the Chicago World’s Fair. A few well-known people from the time are on board, like Thomas Edison and Mark Twain. They haven’t been this excited about a game since Club Penguin.
Ding! There are the cookies. Time to pack it up and head outside to do some education of our own. And enjoy the nice cool shade!
A Simple Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4-6 fresh lemons
- 1 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 6 cups water (divided)
- Ice cubes
Instructions:
- Start by juicing the lemons to extract their juice. You can either use a citrus juicer or squeeze them by hand. Aim for approximately 1 cup of lemon juice.
- In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of water with the granulated sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar completely dissolves. This creates a simple syrup.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the saucepan from heat and let the simple syrup cool for a few minutes.
- In a pitcher, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, and the remaining 5 cups of water. Stir well to mix everything together.
- Taste the lemonade and adjust the sweetness or tartness by adding more sugar or lemon juice if desired.
- Refrigerate the lemonade for at least an hour to chill it thoroughly.
- Serve the lemonade over ice cubes in glasses. You can garnish with lemon slices or mint leaves if desired.
Enjoy your refreshing homemade lemonade!
Note: If you prefer a more vibrant flavor, you can experiment by adding other ingredients such as sliced fruits (strawberries, oranges, or berries), fresh herbs (mint or basil), or a splash of sparkling water for a fizzy twist.