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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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July 25, 2017

Sun Tea and a Summer Story

Good morning friends, and thank you for meeting me (Julie) here today, At the Picket Fence. In case you didn’t know, I am a monthly contributor here for Vanessa & Heather and I am very honored to be a part of their team. If you are interested in following my blog where I am busy decorating & cooking in Michigan, you can follow along here —-> Redhead Can Decorate. Since we are in the middle of Summer, I thought today might be the perfect time to share my Mom’s homemade “Sun Tea Recipe” and story with you. I hope you are thirsty.

Very simple sun tea recipe from redheadcandecorate.com.

Iced tea can have so many different meanings for folks depending on where they live, or where they are from. I grew up in a small town in Western New York near Niagara Falls, called Grand Island. Yes, it actually is an island and there are 2 bridges that go over the Niagara River that surrounds the island. Summers were hot, and at one point we lived in an apartment building on the very top floor. Luckily, we did have air conditioning but it wasn’t the fancy central air kind that so many of us are used to today. I still remember the sound the big chunky air conditioner in the wall made in our living room when it would get really humid out. We would shut the sliding glass door to the balcony, and shut the windows and you would have to turn “General Hospital” up really loud to hear it 😀 . As a matter of fact, now that I think about it, I remember shutting the bedroom and bathroom doors too, so the cool air would stay in the front of the apartment. Oh, I could tell you lots of fun vintage apartment stories about green shag rugs, and yellow appliances, but I better stick to the sun tea recipe.

Very simple sun tea recipe from redheadcandecorate.com.

I give all the credit to my 83 year old Mom for this sun tea recipe. She’s actually been very ill, but has pulled through, so it feels very nice to be telling you a story about her today. You see, the reason I brought up the 1970-80’s apartment because that is where I remember my Mom brewing her sun tea. So now you are probably wondering how in the heck did she do that from a third floor apartment? Well, it was the balcony of course. Can you picture it? It was a tiny balcony that was located off of the dining area and my Dad put a regular sized picnic table out there for us to eat on. We only had 1 bench that could fit, but hey, it worked! Eating was very important in our house :-).

So, my Mom’s “iced tea bell” must have went off when she realized how sunny it was out there during the afternoon with the sun hitting the picnic table just right for hours. She would brew her tea on that red wood picnic table, on that tiny balcony, in that hot apartment building often. How smart, right? I mean, all it takes is a couple tea bags, lemon if you have it, and water (see full recipe below). Oh, and of course the sun. I should also add that Joanne (that’s my Mom) used a really cute clear glass drink dispenser that had painted lemon slices on it. So, anyhow this tea was and still is absolutely amazing, just like my Mom. I really hope you try it.

Very simple sun tea recipe from redheadcandecorate.com.

SUN TEA RECIPE

Take any large glass jar, pitcher or dispenser that will hold at least 2 quarts of water (no plastic). We have well water so I use room temperature bottled water (tap cold water is fine).

Add 6-8 tea bags of your choice (no need for the cold water tea bags in my opinion).

Remove the paper tag on the tea bag. I used black decaf in the picture. Then wash your lemon, slice it up and add it to the water.

Find a sunny location and let it sit for hours (at least 2)
I use my deck post and love to watch it steep from my kitchen window.

If you add enough lemon there is no sugar needed, but feel free to add your favorite sugar.

Chill and serve over ice. (should last if refrigerated for 4-5 days)

This sun tea would be so delicious with lavender simple syrup added in for a touch of sweetness. Get the recipe here!

10 Comments Filed Under: Beverages, Good Ideas, Recipes, Summer

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Comments

  1. Karen says

    July 25, 2017 at 4:00 AM

    I love sun tea, I sit my pitcher on a table on our deck where the sun shines in the afternoon. Best tea ever. Made some yesterday and will make another pitcher today.

    Thanks for sharing your story…….

    Reply
    • Julie says

      July 25, 2017 at 5:32 AM

      We got it down, don’t we Karen? Thanks for your comment and enjoy that tea!

      Reply
  2. Joan Clanton says

    July 25, 2017 at 6:40 AM

    i worked for the NY state extension service for 28 years and we taught people to use BOILING water to make sun tea. tap water doesn’t get hot enough in the sun to kill the bacteria that may be present in tea bags. you could possibly get sick with vomiting and diarrhea– no one wants that! Hope this doesn’t sound like i’m a know it all, but a few years ago over a hundred people drank sun tea at a restaurant in Syracuse ended up really sick.

    Reply
    • Julie Fiato says

      July 25, 2017 at 3:35 PM

      Hi Joan, wow that’s awful! If you are worried, of course you can boil the water first. We have never had a problem.

      Reply
  3. Cheryl says

    July 25, 2017 at 6:47 AM

    What a sweet story. When we were younger we would do the same with our ac. Yep, we could swap apartment stories for sure ; )
    Glad to hear your momma is doing better. Thank you for sharing the recipe. : )

    Reply
    • Julie Fiato says

      July 25, 2017 at 3:21 PM

      Thank you, Cheryl!

      Reply
  4. Pam says

    July 25, 2017 at 7:17 AM

    Thanks for bringing back memories on Sun Tea. I love it and used to make it all the time. Looks like I will have to start again. Glad your mom is doing better.

    Reply
    • Julie Fiato says

      July 25, 2017 at 3:23 PM

      Thank you, Pam! I appreciate your kind words!

      Reply
  5. Michele says

    July 25, 2017 at 8:50 AM

    What a sweet story. Your place back then sounds exactly like my first apartment as a 20 year old first married couple. We didn’t have two nickels between us and we lived very simple as we started out. HOT in summer up there and COLD in winter – but we got through it. Looking back feels humbling.

    Glad your momma is feeling better. 83 – that’s awesome. My mom died when she was only 59 – just much too young. Hug on that sweetie of yours as long as you can. Keeping her in my prayers.

    Reply
    • Julie Fiato says

      July 25, 2017 at 3:31 PM

      Such a sweet comment, Michele I am so sorry you lost your Mom so young. My husband did too, so I know how difficult that is. Send you hugs from Michigan!

      Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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