“I love it when God tells the sky she’s beautiful and she blushes.”

From that moment on, I’ve been consciously aware of sunsets and the evening sky.  I can sit for hours and watch the watercolor effects  peak and then fade until  the stars and the moon appear.  I often wonder if its an age thing.  I really don’t remember being as mesmerized by God’s handiwork as a child.    In this last year of  my sunset observances,  I’ve come to realize just how rare PINK sunsets really are.  They don’t happen every day.  So,  I did a little research.   Scientifically speaking,  the colors of the sunset are created by the light reflected through the spectrum  ( remember the prism of light –  ROY G BIV we learned about in grade school science)  and the angle at which the clouds cause the light to bend.   Purples and blues have shorter wavelengths.  Reds and oranges have longer wavelengths.  As light scatters and is reflected amongst the clouds,  the shorter lengths don’t travel as far and the oranges and reds show up more brilliantly.   The rare pinks it seems, happen when there is more atmospheric dust  kicked up by storms and pollution.  These dirty particles reflect the light in all different directions and turn the sky PINK.

That got me thinking…

These beautiful pink skies….the sunsets I sit and enjoy the most – are because light is shining through a bunch of atmospheric junk.      The Creator of all things could choose to present this  spectacular  evening  light show in any fashion He chooses,  and yet this is how He casts the rosiest of light upon the world.

He does the exact same thing with us.   Storms happen in all of our lives.    Dust gets kicked up and we’re left with a lot of atmospheric junk.      When we choose to take that junk,  that unsettled dust in our lives,  and  we allow His Light and love to filter through it,  our lives suddenly become a glorious reflection of His creation and his grace.  When we embrace  that our mess is His message,  The Way, the Truth, The Light reflects off our dirty lives and casts a rosy glow of hope to the world,  REAL hope.  At that moment,  He looks at us and says –  we. are. beautiful.   I don’t know about you, but when the Creator  of all the Heavens can look at me and my dirt and say that, I can’t help but blush.

“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.   God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.   If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you?   I’m putting you on a light stand.   Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven”

Matthew 5: 14-16,  The Message

As you read this today,  I’m on my way to a conference designed to help Christian writers and speakers find their voice in sharing God’s message.  I’m on a “standby list” to speak and be critiqued.   I can’t really tell you how I’ve ended up  with this as my summer vacation.  I don’t see myself as a writer or a speaker… But I’m going.  Out of faith.  Only He knows why I’ll be sitting there.   So, Pray I figure out why I’m there and I learn what I need to learn.   Pray for my safety.   I am thankful for you, my sweet friends.

Cheers and Love -

The Dress

The Shoes:

Kate chose these Kate Spade Purple Satin wonders

And of course the necessary accessories

The Pearls

The Rings

The Shades

And the mini-Fans!

(given that it was unseasonably H-O-T  for mid June, these were a fantastic idea and counted as the brides “something blue”

The Bride & Groom

The Wedding Team

The Flowers

Phil Cato’s About Vase outdid themselves with these vibrant, happy arrangements of gerbera daises, roses, and fruit.

The Food

The Cakes ( with a side of gelato – yum!)

Of all the many decisions this couple made along the way,  it is obvious choosing each other was the best decision of all.

Kate and Kyle,  Thank you so much for giving Heather and me the opportunity to be part of your big day.   We wish you a lifetime of laughs and love together.

To see this enchanting event through Heather’s lens, click on over to her blog, Heather Owens Photography.

Believe in yourself

Make every moment count

Do what you love

Embrace change

Go where you have never gone

Have an adventure

Be the first to say hello

Be the last to say goodbye

Take nothing for granted

Be positive

Find your passion

Redefine the impossible

Dance

Settle for Excellence

Be a friend

Take chances

Find the beauty

Volunteer

Make someone’s day

BREATHE

See for yourself

Make a difference

Grow towards the Light

Savor the song

Be brave

Create memories

Think BIG

Say thank you…and mean it

Expect success

Laugh out LOUD

Take good notes

Live gracefully

Love fearlessly

Have faith

Be NEW and improved

Give a cheer

Blaze the trail

Pray without ceasing

Count your blessings

Leave a Legacy

SHINE

Hawaiian Tropic Dark Tanning Oil  is the official – albeit  taboo – scent of summer.   Drugstores still sell this.   Used as a scent and not as a sunblock, a few drops of this can unleash that carefree oceanside feeling even if you are stuck at your desk.

available at drugstores

Of course, to have that sunkissed look of  summer,   NARS Body Glow and Monoi Body Glow II  are essentials to achieving a subtle glow with a heavenly scent of gardenia and coconut.  NARS describes this as French Polynesian.  I say it sounds more Old South meets Tahiti.

NARS body glow, Sephora

In addition to the scent of the coconut,  I love the look of a coconut.  The rough grassy dark wood paired with crisp white is one of my favorite go-to looks for summer.    For at home entertaining,  I love  setting the table with these wooden serving pieces with a natural burlap table skirt and crisp white linens, mix in some tea lights for a little shimmer.

www.macys.com

As for dressing myself…

for day –  This little easy breezy dress from Calypso St Barth paired with long wooden beads, and kenneth jay lane bracelet for a little sparkle.

ruffle poet dress, calypso st. barth

Kenneth Jay Lane, Neiman Marcus

For a girls night out –  I might pair Calypso’s Dale Dress in White  with the coconut shell colored miu miu caged heels.

Dale Dress, Calypso St. Barth

miu miu, Neiman Marcus

And for a Junior League event or charity luncheon ( who says you can’t be a tropical lady?) – I absolutely adore this Haley Dress by Milly.   Pairing it with these wooden beads  in a style appropriatly called “Where we Ought to be”  from Elva Fields (one of my favorite new finds)

Haley Dress, www.millyny.com

Where We Ought To Be, Elva Fields

My sweet friends, if destinations are limited between down home and downtown for the next few weeks,  don’t despair, we can at least grab a little shimmer, scent, and coconut inspired fashion….maybe a pina colada or two… and dream of escape.

Cheers.

Choral music isn’t for everybody.  I realize that.  I happen to have a soft spot for it because of my years spent in school and church choir.  I also fondly remember the nights at summer camp, when all the girls would sneak out of their bunks and sing a choral rendition of praise songs to the boys.  Moonlight serenades were so dreamy and one of my favorite things about summer camp.    Scala reminds me of those happy times – albeit they don’t sing praise songs they sing covers of rock songs and ballads.    As their website describes them:

“The Scala Story is a dream come true. The  classically trained  Kalacny Brothers, Steven (piano) and  Stign (conducting) have turned this Belgian girls choir into an international phenomenon, performing imaginatively reworked covers of Radiohead, U2, Rammstein, and Nirvana songs – just to name a few. As well as their equally successful original compositions before sold out audiences through out the world.”

The 200 member choir  is made up of young women ages 16-26.    According to their website,  ”Scala Live”  will begin airing on PBS late this year, a DVD and CD  ”Circle” will be released Fall 2010, and a US tour is scheduled for 2011.     Some of my favorite covers include  U2′s “With or Without You”,  ”Every Breath You Take” by the Police, and “The Blower’s Daughter” by  Damien Rice.   If these songs don’t move you emotionally,  you may want to get your ol ticker checked out. ( just sayin)

Until their tour and release of their next album, you can bet these songs and others will definitely be on iPod “repeat” from time to time.   I’ll be singing along  adding a 201st voice to their mix.     After you take a listen you may want to be 202.

What struck me most when I watched this video was this:  Porcupines need hugs, too!   Well, of course they do.    Think about it.  How many times have you had a lousy day.   Your head hurts.  Your body aches.    People are getting on your very last nerve.    You’ve got a scowl  on your face.    Your mood could easily be described as “prickly”.  Then… someone you really care about says, “come here”  And wraps arms around you. Gives a BIG squeeze  and just holds you.   Things seem to get better right?
Now think about this.   How many people cross our path’s each day that the word “prickly”  would be  the NICEST thing we could say about them.  When threatened, they shoot their quills of critical words, hurtful looks, or ignore you altogether.  Of course, I may be given to oversimplification but what if you misjudge all those prickles you see.  What if those quills are there to hide their very own hurts and insecurities.  It’s true, some people are mean. They Just are.  But most of those we quickly dismiss as meanies are really  just big ol softies underneath. Sometimes I forget that and put my own stickers out in defense.   I appreciate Stinkers/ Snickers/ Stickers reminding me –   Everyone needs a hug.
Even porcupines.

My “happy place” is a quaint white cottage nestled among rosemary, pink geraniums and pale roses.  From my bricked terrace, I see the rising mountains and the vast ocean.   A cool breeze carries the calming scent of lavender.  I hear the faint crashing of the waves.  It feels and looks like a dream – but this is reality –  at San Ysidro Ranch.

image courtesy of www.sanysidroranch.com

Two years ago,  The Angler and I planned a California get-away.  We knew we wanted to spend a few days in Santa Barbara.  I credit him for finding this jewel, a stone’s throw from Oprah’s beloved “Promise Land”.   Through his online research, he happened upon a rave review by the New York Times and emailed me the link to the article and a link to the ranch which has existed since 1893.    Of course,  I’m a girly girl – so the word “ranch” immediately threw me off.   Then,  I saw the pictures of the white cottages.  The landscape of roses and Provençal herbs.  I read  of the  newly completed $150 million renovation by owner Ty Warner ( as in Beanie Baby Ty).  The site was managed by Rosewood Resorts. ( think Mansion on Turtle Creek) I read the rich history. Vivian Leigh (Scarlett O’Hara) married  Sir  Laurence Olivier here.  Jack and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned here.   I was smitten.   I immediately called to check availability for our dates of travel.   Only one room was available.  (Thank you, God!)    Well,  actually two rooms/ cottages were available.  Werner Cottage, the 2200 square foot private residence with decor reminiscent of a european country house and all the amenities of a well appointed life was available for $5000 / night.    I booked the ranch room.

The day arrived when we left our mod beachy digs in San Diego to trek to our quaint cottage in Montecito.  As we made our way up the winding path to the Hacienda ( the main reception house) and I saw in real life  for the first time the beauty of the ranch, I was breathless.  We stopped the car to behold the splendor.  At once,  I called my mom and said,  ”I’m in a storybook! This looks like every fairytale!”   I hung up with her and we made our way an hour prior to check-in to the hacienda.  The staff offered us lemon bars made with lemon juice from their own trees.  Divine!   Then, because we were early to this destination and had yet to eat lunch,  our concierge called a quaint spanish eatery  in the heart of Montecito.   “Mr & Mrs Mc. are in town from Little Rock.  I am sending them your way.  Could you please seat them by the fireplace?  I know you will take extra special care of them”  We arrived and they did take extra special care of us.

The Hacienda

Back at the Ranch,  we were lead to our room beyond a teak arbor, up the rosemary, lavender steps.   Our bellman gave us the grand tour of the ammenties in our cottage room (including our personalized stationery)  and the directions of operation of  the fireplace, heated bathroom floors, and the fully stocked refreshment center.  California Olives, chips & salsa, pistachios, gourmet toffees,  a mini fridge stocked with diet coke.  (They knew me well).    All the goodies (excluding wine) were compliments of the house and restocked daily – or sooner – given my penchant for diet coke with a squeeze of fresh lime.

Our Ranch Room

I’m nearly embarrassed to admit, The Angler and I became squatters.   Once we reached San Ysidro, we did not leave the ranch the entire duration of our stay.    We toured the grounds.  We took naps.  After long, hot, AcquaDi Parma scented baths, we languished in thick terry robes beneath our Barefoot Dreams Blankets. We ordered rosemary lambchops  and mixed berry cobbler from the spectacular Stone House Restuarant on site and  ate them next to the fireplace in our room.  Handmade lavendar truffles with a fragrant herb and rose nosegay graced our pillows at bedtime. We enjoyed our morning omelettes and coffee on our private patio.  No places to see or times to get there.  The resort was our destination.   All in all,  the whole experience was a dream.  This is my happy place.

I’m not the only one who feels this way.  This week Travel + Leisure magazine named San Ysidro Ranch ” The Best Resort in the Continental US and Canada”. It is a well deserved distinction.  If you ever have the opportunity to visit,  I cannot recommend it enough.   Reservations can be secured online through their website www.sanysidroranch.com

From this tale, you may think The Angler and I are extravagant people.  In reality, we live a simple little life.   Sure, I may splurge on designer shoes every now and again. He may treat himself to another guitar.  We, as much as I hate to admit it, are rather frugal.   Which is why,  we are very thankful for the time we had at San Ysidro and cherish the memories.  We both agree  San Ysidro Ranch  is a luxury well worth every penny.    We look forward to returning in a few years.   Until then,  I see it in my dreams.

May you spend a few moments in your happy place in real life or in thought this weekend and while you do feel free to enjoy my dreamy playlist on the jukebox below.

Happy Weekend, Y’all!

{Dreamy Playlist:  Once Upon a Dream by Steve Tyrell;  Dream by Michael Buble;  Dream a Little Dream by  Diana Krall;  Dream by Priscilla Ahn;  I’ve Got Dreams to Remember by Otis Redding; Dreaming with a Broken Heart by John Mayer; A Kiss to Build a Dream on Steve Tyrell }

In 2008, when a “perfect job” for me turned out to be anything but,  I made the diagrams and  threw one heck of a pity party ( you should have seen the menu!)    It was exhausting.   And I jumped at the first job that met my minimal criteria.  Then in late 2009, when the non profit where I worked (  the not-so perfect-job but fit the charts and diagrams)  closed it’s doors for good, I decided to do a 180 to my previous response.   I didn’t alert my networks.  I didn’t throw the pity party.     My husband,  bless him,  gave me the green light to take some time off from full time work  to gather my thoughts, refocus my efforts, and explore my creative side.  ( I am extremely thankful and humbled for this luxury so few can choose)    I embraced this new time in my life and created a cute name for it  - I’ve been calling it my   “creative sabbatical”.  As part of this journey,  I finally completed the third step of the unemployement cycle – I started a blog.   Seven months ago TODAY! -   I launched this site.

When I was creating this blog I had several things I wanted to achieve.  I wanted it to be a place where I would share food, flowers, fashion, music,  my latest photography projects, and my lessons in grace.    When it came to the layout I had three words that drove the design:  simple, clean, pretty.    When the blog loaded,  I didn’t want those of you who are kind enough to stop by to be bombarded with sidebars and virtual clutter.   I wanted your eyes to have a place to rest, relax and sit a spell on my virtual veranda  -  a clutter free zone.

Webster’s defines “clutter” as: (n) a crowded confused mass ;  (v)  to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or effectiveness.   For quite some time, my life was a crowded confused mess.  My movement and effectiveness was impeded.   It was time to make  ”Clutter free” not only a blog template theme, but a theme in my life.   Over the next 6 months through a wonderful bible study called Woman on a Mission,  I learned more about calendar clutter.   I learned to keep things off my calendar which don’t fit my personal mission for growth.  Today, I don’t say “yes” to every opportunity because it sounds like a good fit or because I could do it.  I’ve learned to let other people secure those blessings of service   I don’t have to do it all.   I schedule items to keep me accountable ( ex. must be at the gym by 8am).   It seems to be working.   I have by no means perfected the clutter- free calendar, but the dance card is far more enjoyable these days.   I am thankful.

Tole Tray and Figures from my "Touch of the Orient" Days

Once my calendar was under control,  I turned to the physical clutter that seemed to be overtaking the McCottage and sucking the life out of me.  I would stare at the blue and white ginger jars in my bookshelf and think, ” I don’t like you”  I would pass the loveseat that I owned in college and think “what are you still doing here?”    It donned on me it was time to do the unthinkable: clear the clutter and  host a yard sale.    A yard sale in your parts may be known by a different name:  a garage sale, rummage sale, moving sale, attic sale.   Martha Stewart calls hers glamorously enough – a “tag sale”    You can give it a fancy name,  but no matter what  you call it,   I loathe them.   I hosted only one in my entire married life, when we first bought our house. I swore I wouldn’t do it again.

I named mine the McCottage Sale.  It was scheduled for July 3.

One thing the McCottage sale was ever called was a ” junk sale”.  I  hear the word “junk” and am reminded of a poster that hung in my home town drug store.  The pouty little boy, chin in hand, which read ” I know I”m special because God don’t make junk”.  That’s how I felt about my stuff.  It was “special”, ’cause I don’t buy junk.   The sale included pieces of furniture, pillows, rugs,  decor accessories that until the morning of the sale adorned my home.   When I began to post pics on facebook of the McCottage Sale wares,   I was struck by the concern my friends began to express.   They knew this was quite uncharacteristic for one as sentimental as me to let go.  One of my closest friends even stopped by  admist the pre-sale choas, to check on me.  Her voice was quiet and sad, “why are you DOING this?”  as she picked up the tasseled needle point pillows priced at $10 each.    She eyed my grandfather’s writing desk,  ”That’s your grandfather’s!  Seriously, why are you doing this?”    My answer was clear cut.  ” I want to be free of all this clutter.    The Angler and I have never moved.  This is our first home.  We’ve not had the natural purging changing homes allows.   Several of the pieces of furniture I have are hand-me-downs and not what I would choose.  It’s my grandmothers stuff, not my stuff.   With a can of paint, I attempted to make them fit my style.   Other things I bought just to ‘make do”, to fill space, or felt the need to have it to feather my nest.  My twenty-something self wanted stuff.   My thirty something self wants a cleaner slate.  Its that simple.”       The answer sufficed,  she bought my needle point pillows.

The amount of “stuff” that made it out to my driveway early on Saturday morning was uncanny.   The sale scheduled to begin at 7 am had those stalking professional early -birding patrons arriving at 6 am.   My prices, as I was told by a dealer, were way “too cheap”   I knew this.   The sale wasn’t about making money,  it was about clearing the clutter and improving my effectiveness.

As I lay in bed that night, exhausted and spent from the sale.  I thought about the new places my porcelain china men were now standing. I wondered what spot my cute tole tulip lamp was illuminating. Then, because I can’t be simple in my thinking –  I started comparing those things to the last few years of my life and my job status.    You see,   for awhile,  I thought it was me that caused the job chaos in my life.   I wasn’t  smart enough, creative enough,  or gifted enough to succeed in my last ventures.   (I’ve had girlfriends express the same thoughts about their job woes to me, and I dismissed them knowing full well they were good enough, smart enough) – the thing is, sometimes jobs don’t fit.     Just as much as it’s not the needlepoint pillows fault that they no longer work in my design scheme, it’s not my fault I didn’t fit the job(s) I had chosen.   Those jobs were – like my grandfather’s desk –  fitting the niche for the time being.  My grandfather’s desk happened to fit in our home office. It wasn’t a french writing desk I had eyed for years, it was a small desk. With a can of paint, I tried to make it fit my style.    Those weren’t my dream jobs.   I gave the titles a fancy make over and I tried to make them fit, knowing full well, it’s not what I had originally envisioned for my career.   Maybe you are struggling with these same self doubts right now with a job,  or maybe it’s a a volunteer role that appears good in the society pages but you have no passion whatsoever for the cause.   Maybe it’s  a habit you picked up along the way because it was “cool”.   Maybe it’s a friendship, or even a serious love relationship and it’s just not working.    After soul searching, asking tough questions, and thoughtful prayer maybe you, like me, realize it’s not personal.  Sometimes, things just don’t fit.

Styles come and go.   Jobs come and go.   Sadly, some relationships must come and go.   If we are open to those comings and goings,  we realize they are true blessings which afford us the opportunity to clean house and start all over with what it is God has called us to do.   If you acknowledge Him he will make your paths straight.  ( Prov 3:5-6).   It’s up to us to keep them free of clutter.

Now, please excuse me,  this McCottage sale money is buring a hole in my pocketbook.  If I’m going to be sashaying down a clutter free path, I’m going to need a fab new pair of heels.

Cheers, Y’all!

If my momma taught me correctly, bad hair days are best battled with a whole lot of prayer and a little bit of chocolate. ( I also find a latte and hug help, too! Pedicures don’t hurt, either. But I’ve been told I’m high maintenance) So, when my friend calls the other day with a report of a less-than-stellar day, it dawned on me. Ugly days deserve a pretty cake! I set about wanting to whip up something for her as delightful to the eye as it is to the taste buds. I remembered this delicious treat my mother has served over the years. It’s quick, easy, and just enough chocolate to numb the sting of a bad day. The lighter-than-air angel food cake won’t add to your burdens or your waistline. When you present this dessert to your blue friend or yourself, it’s pretty enough to put a big ol smile on any face. And then when you take a bite…Oh MY! Heaven on a plate and your bad hair day melts away.

Pretty Mocha Cake

1 3 oz box of Instant Chocolate pudding

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 Tablespoon instant coffee granules

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

1 prepared angel food cake

2 Chocolate Toffee candy bars, crushed

Mix pudding with milk and coffee. Whip for 2 minutes. Set Aside. In a separate bowl, whip cooled heavy cream until peaks form. Fold half of the cream into the chocolate mixture. Slice the Angel Food cake in half horizontally. Spread the top of the lower layer with half of the chocolate – cream mixture. Place top layer of cake over chocolate cream. Chill for 20 minutes. Fold remaining whipped cream into remaining chocolate mixture and chill. Ice the cake with the the chilled chocolate cream mixture. Top with crushed chocolate toffee candy bars. Keep in Fridge until ready to serve. Add fresh berries on the side.

Now, I’m not suggesting you wait for something bad to happen to prepare this scrumptiousness. Au contraire! It is a perfect anytime dessert. Perfect for summer, because you don’t have to heat up the kitchen. Delicious in winter served with hot coffee. For women, it’s coffee + chocolate +guilt free cake- talk about food of the angels. For men. well, if The Angler is any indication, men inhale this confection. If you need something simply elegant for entertaining or a pretty little pick me up for you or a friend, this is the recipe for you.

Bad hair days happen. When they do, remember “This too shall pass” … especially if you are passing a plate of this cake.

Cheers Y’all!

France has champagne.   Germany has beer.   Italy has wine.   The South,  well,  we have the most potent elixir of  them all…Sweet Tea.   Step into most any restaurant south of the Mason Dixon line and you are sure to find it on the menu.   In fact,  as part of an April Fool’s prank,  legislators in Georgia presented a bill in 2004 requiring any restaurant serving tea must serve Sweet Tea, and refusing to do so would result in a misdemeanor of  the code.   The bill never made it to vote, but the sentiment stands:  Sweet Tea is serious business.

Tea has a legendary status in the U.S. since we dumped  it in Boston Harbor in the late 1700′s — I do believe those leaves hitting the frigid northern waters was the first iced tea,  although the history books do not corroborate my hypothesis.   However, the recipe heralded as the first printed “sweet tea” recipe appeared in 1879 in a community cookbook  ”Housekeeping in West Virginia”  contributed by Marion Cabell Tyree.

“Ice Tea. – After scalding the teapot, put into it one quart of boiling water and two teaspoonfuls green tea. If wanted for supper, do this at breakfast. At dinner time, strain, without stirring, through a tea strainer into a pitcher. Let it stand till tea time and pour into decanters, leaving the sediment in the bottom of the pitcher. Fill the goblets with ice, put two teaspoonfuls granulated sugar in each, and pour the tea over the ice and sugar. A squeeze of lemon will make this delicious and healthful, as it will correct the astringent tendency.”

If like me, you read the recipe and thought , “Green Tea?! – That’s not at all how you do it”  Well,   green tea was the preferred tea of households until World War II, when rations made the more economical black tea, which we use today, more commonplace.   Growing up my grandmothers and mother always served sweet tea with all of our meals.    My grandmother would often sweeten to the point my dad would ask,  ”Did you stump your toe when you were adding the sugar”.  She made THE BEST iced tea.      The trick to delicious sweet tea, which my grandmother knew, is to add the sugar while the tea is still hot.   This allows super saturation of the sugar.   Sweetening after the tea is chilled can possibly be accomplished using simple syrup or artificial sweetener.  It’s impossible to achieve the proper sweetness if trying to add granulated sugar to the cold beverage.   You basically end up with a pretty little snowglobe of sugar and ice cubes.

The Proper Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

3 Family size tea bags – ( I prefer Luzianne)
2 Cups of cold water
1 Cup of sugar

Place the two cups water in a saucepan or teapot and add the tea bags. Bring to a boil, do not continue boiling.

Remove from heat and let steep. Pour warm tea into empty pitcher. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Fill remaining pitcher with cold water.

If that is just too much work for a relaxing beverage,  there are some great ready-made options waiting in your grocer’s chiller in gallon jugs. In fact, my favorite is a no-calorie option that lets me indulge without the guilt- Milo’s Sweet Tea sweetened with Splenda.  Milo’s was introduced to Little Rock and other southern markets  last summer.  It’s been an Alabama favorite since the 1940′s.  Their company history is worth a read. ( Not to mention it is certified as  a woman owned company)   The taste is amazingly crisp and  one would never guess it is (hush yo mouth) sweetened with splenda.

www.milostea.com

Now if you love sweet tea so much, you, like me, think you can bathe in it,   well guess what –  you can!   Elizabeth W.  Indulgences from San Francisco makes a line of sweet tea body wash, lotion, bath salts, and home fragrances to. die. for.

Starting mid May until Labor Day,  I soak away my summer days in a tub full of the Elizabeth W Sweet Tea Bath Salts, followed by a good slather or Sweet Tea Body Cream.   The aroma is “gracious, spirited, elegant. An enticing marriage of oriental black teas, juicy fresh Amalfi lemons, and the sweetness of almond honey”.

www.elizabethw.com

ANd if you think,  ”this tea is so delicious, I could eat it with a spoon”,  again you are in luck.    Martha Hall Foose,  a great southern culinary /storytelling wonder,  has a cookbook just for you.   This gorgeous book is riffled with stories of the south and recipes that would make a “bulldog hug a hound and a preacher lay his Bible down”.  In other words,  they are yummy!   Especially her Sweet Tea Pie Recipe which makes purchasing the book well worth it.

I would be remiss, if I did not disclose perhaps the greatest beverage discovery since… well sweet tea.   For those of you who like a little more sass in your sweet tea,  let me introduce you to my friend Jeremiah Weed.     JW is well  known among the Air Force for his bourbon.  Last summer,  he became quite a hearthrob amongst my  southern girlfriends when he created Jeremiah Weeds Sweet Tea Vodka. Adding 1 1/2 ounces Sweet Tea Vodka to 6-8oz of lemonade makes a fun, delicious cocktail.  Served with a wedge of lemon in a crystal ice tea goblet, I’m convinced Carrie Bradshaw can keep her cosmo.

Lastly,  if I haven’t given you enough reason to enjoy a cool refreshing beverage,   tea contains antioxidants that have been linked to improved immunity against diabetes, cancer, and arthritis.  A slice of lemon ( the asorbic acid) helps increase the antioxidant absorption.    So what are waiting for,  it’s the weekend.  Kick off those manolos, sit a spell,  and relax with a hot bath and ice cold sweet tea  (vodka optional)

Cheers y’all!

P.S.

~ Enjoy a little music by listening to my sweet tea playlist below