Summer is in full swing here in Texas. Berry season has passed and my freezer is stocked with gallons of strawberries and blackberries. I’ve picked up oodles of sweet, ripe tomatoes at my local farmer’s markets. The kids and I have enjoyed swimming at the local swimming holes. And, of course, the air-conditioning has been out for a few days causing us all to hope for a few moments of sweaty sleep in the buff under ceiling fans.
The heat is clouding my brain, making me tired, impatient, and unable to string a coherent thought together. So, in an effort to exercise my attitude of gratitude, to flex my happy muscles, I’m sharing a post today enumerating some of the things that have made me smile.
Prepare to get your socks knocked off by this Homemade Root Beer recipe from Holistic Kid. It looks ridiculously easy and results in a fizzy, naturally-fermented, probiotic beverage everyone will love.
Yesterday, I killed my fourth scorpion of the year. Ah, the joys of living in Texas. Texas and bugs go together like peas and carrots. So, I’m looking forward to testing out this all-natural, fabulously-effective Easy Homemade Bug Repellant from Mommypotamus.
Have you seen this recipe for Homemade Buoillon from Nourished Kitchen? I love the idea of portable soup!
Did you know store-bought blueberry baked goods don’t actually contain blueberries? In almost every single case, they’re actually a strange concoction of corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, food colorings, and fragrances. That’s why it’s relieving to actually make your own berry goodness, like this grain-free Blueberry Banana Coffee Cake from The Well-Fed Homestead.
And finally, I loved the idea of mixing coconut water with fruit juice to create these Fruit Juice Popsicles from Cheeseslave. What a perfect, hydrating, cold treat on a hot summer day!
So, what’s been making you smile?
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Seems to be more scorpions this summer here in Texas. I have been stung 3 times. Love the wonders of Activated Charcoal.
Raye Ann Pankratz — WOW! Three times! We haven’t had a sting yet. We’ve been lucky enough to kill every scorpion we’ve found in our home before they’ve gotten to us. That said, it sure has made me paranoid about where I put my bare feet!
Oh, Texas summers! I hate such a love/hate relationship with them!!
Don’t feel lonely…our a/c has been out about a week. Don’t ya just love this Texas heat? At least it’s supposed to be a few degrees cooler for a few days! The pool is our best friend right now!
Betsy — We had an A/C guy come out yesterday, but the A/C was frozen so he couldn’t work on it to diagnose it. He had me turn the whole system off so that it could defrost, and supposedly he’ll be back out later this evening to check things out. I hope and pray he can fix it in one fell swoop! It was 95 degrees last night in my children’s bedrooms, even with windows open and fans whirling away.
One got me twice. I was knitting and it crawled up on me. I didn’t see it because it blended in with my clothes. Then when I felt it on my leg I wracked at it without looking to see what it was. It got me a 2nd time trying to get it off of me. We bought a black light. They glow under a black light you can see them better.
were the evaporator coils frozen? your freon could be leaking. aren’t you in a rental house? if so, texas law says if the temperature goes above 85 or 90, the landlord is suppose to pay for another means of housing like a hotel.
Makes me thankful to live in the Yukon 🙂 just don’t remind me about that grizzly I saw watching me pee during a camping trip….