Though summer appears to have no end in sight, today we have simple, tart lemonade and tonight we have two sweet stories. “Seven Silly Eaters” by Marla Frazee is a classic on most reading lists, but “When Lightning Comes in a Jar” by Patricia Polacco is not. Both involve the sweet and sour drink we most enjoy. With much of our tomato, pepper, cucumber and flower crops in harvest mode, we are spending more time in the hundred degree heat than anticipated. The water turned off, and the heat turned on.
How I prepped for Bunny Book Club
Bunny Book Club has entertained many of the popular summer titles in anticipation of garden season mid-spring, and now we are just maintaining. The days are long, and full of reading time. Sometimes I search for book that encompass a holiday or large season of time. Summer here in the south is very long, so it makes opportunity for highlighting the details.
Even today, we read “Natsumi’s Song of Summer” by Robert Paul Weston at lunch. Surely, it entertains larger themes of friendship and summer. But our conversation landed on the amount of references to cicadas. Those we are familiar with! We find the shells, we hear their song, we feel them buzz by. It is the details of summer that are most entertaining.
Our little ones are now very familiar with the routine of outside chores in the garden, followed by a glass of mom’s “electrolytes” aka lemons, honey and a pinch of salt. As they grow, we can talk about the effects of potassium and sodium on the human systems, or how lemons grow, or food importation. Today, they are toddlers enjoying summer stories with lemonade.
What can our toddler learn?
If your kids are anything like mine, they live for the gadget. Mom can be picky choose-y about what gadgets we keep (for storage sake!), but they are also wildly more entertaining than toys for these two!
Think simple machines. An apple press, a cheese grater, a handheld frother, a citrus press. The squeeze the lemon kind, and the press it down kind. No matter, they want to “help”. As long as they have proper instruction, and a safe environment, I am for it.
Now, this recipe calls for the juice of 5 lemons, but if you too have helpers…. Make it 7!
Lemonade Recipe:
Ingredients
Our lemonade is an adaptation from “Venison for Dinner”.
5 lemons
½ c honey
½ c warm water
1 pinch of quality salt
2-4 c cool water
Ice
Extras: sliced kiwi, cubed pineapple, chopped strawberries, ½ c coconut water
Directions
- Dissolve honey in 1 cup of warm water.
- Halve lemons and squeeze juice into honey water.
- Stir in salt, cool water and ice.
- Dilute to taste.
- Mix in extras such as: cubed pineapple, sliced kiwis or frozen strawberries.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 8-10 days.
Supplemental reading list
“Natsumi’s Song of Summer” by Robert Paul Weston (Disclaimer: We opt out of reading about spirits, and this book mentions the concept briefly! Mom omitted from the read aloud, and nothing was lost from the story but a caution to those who can read themselves.)
“Seven Silly Eaters” by Mary Ann Hobermann
“The Bee Tree” by Patricia Polacco
“And Then Comes Summer” by Tom Brenner
“Summer supper” by Rubin Pfeffer
“Sun” by Sam Usher
“The Perfect Birthday Recipe” by Katy Hudson
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