Fall is in the air, coming in on a cool breeze under a cliched blue sky with light puffs of clouds. So, this afternoon we hung up our hammock. The end of summer may not seem like the typical time for such an activity, yet it was the allure of the cooler weather that made the idea so appealing.
The hammock had been in my trunk over the past few weeks of hot weather, awaiting the inclination and a stop at Home Depot to purchase the chains to hang it. Driving home from lunch with my dad today, I started obsessing over the hammock, and the idea of relaxing in it while I did my reading for tonight’s class.
So, Mr. Tea Scoop kindly helped me rig it up temporarily with some rope…then promptly took my spot! While he swung back and forth, eyes closed in relaxed pleasure, I grabbed my clippers and took to the garden for a few minutes. I harvested some cucumbers, hopefully destined to become bread and butter pickles, tomatoes, and mint gone wild. I had planned to compost this overabundance of mint, but as the scent released from the pressure of my fingers, I suddenly had to have mint iced tea.
So, I hopped upstairs, washed the whole bunch, and stuck it in a glass pitcher. When the kettle was whistling, I added hot water about three quarters of the way up and took my rightful place in the hammock while it steeped. While I relaxed and read, my husband called out the window to ask if I had added sugar. Too lazy at that point to adjust the pitcher to his tastes, I directed him on the addition of sugar. After I finished reading, I filled the pitcher the rest of the way and poured some of the tea over ice in a to-go cup and headed off to class. Deliciously yummy.
I’d like to give you a recipe, but I kind of just threw it together. Here is an approximation for you:
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, washed
- 32 ounces boiling water
- 4 teaspoons sugar
Combine all ingredients and allow to steep for at least fifteen minutes before adding enough ice to cool down your tea. Enjoy this last taste of summer!
Don’t forget to check out Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!
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