The Sweetness of Summer + Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

Mid-morning on Monday the 20th, Lil Buddy, sitting next to me, leans over and hugs me hard. Says, “you know what? I’m your best friend!”

Is there anything else to say?

I’d be happy with that. But besides this sweetness from the littlest there is the sweetness of summer.

Watermelon. Ice cream. Iced coffee. Daylillies. Lightning bugs. An easiness wrapped into our days.

Light longer. Family walks. A jump in the pool! Going to the movies – of of us together for the first time. A day trip to see Daddy in the mountains.

It’s in counting the every day gifts that my eyes are open. Beyond the challenges of the daily to see how blessed we truly are. I see all the sweetness!

Like Mama Ann’s sweet tea!

: Mama Ann’s Microwave Sweet Tea

2 family sized tea bags (or 6-8 regular sized)
2 cups water in a 2 cup, glass, Pyrex measuring cup
approx. one cup sugar
lemon to taste
2.5 qt pitcher

Remove tags from tea bags so the metal won’t spark in the microwave. The staples that hold the bag together at the top of the bag will be submerged in the water.
Push the two bags down into the water so they aren’t floating on top.
Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Let steep while still in the microwave for 6 minutes.
Put one cup sugar (or however sweet you like it – can even substitute splenda for diabetics) in the bottom of pitcher.
Squeeze that good tea from tea bags by squishing with a spoon.
Remove tea bags.
Pour liquid over sugar.
Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
Fill remainder of pitcher with water and stir again. Squeeze half a lemon into tea and stir again.
In a pinch you can use the store bought lemon juice in the plastic lemon. Good and strong – and perfectly sweetened!