First Day of Summer

Today is the first day of summer and it is hot in our area after a cool and wet start to the month. People complained about 33 C temperatures but I saw people today wearing hoodies. I expect they came from countries where hot is more like 40 to 50 C. 

I enjoyed a beautiful morning bike ride to work and my trip home was also enjoyable as my route is along a shaded trail. Multiflora roses are an invasive species introduced to North America from eastern Asia in the late 19th century. The trail is fragrant with the blooms of this naturalized rambling shrub that cascades over creek banks, low trees and logs. Wild daisies, buttercups and other wildflowers are blooming in the meadows. 

I start anticipating the summer solstice as we mark the winter solstice on December 21st. When the early darkness of November and December reaches its peak I know that slowly, a minute or two at a time, the days will start to lengthen. I try not to think about the shortening days that start tomorrow as we head toward the winter solstice again. 

I have been experimenting with different iced tea and coffee recipes. I purchased a cold brew coffee filter that sits in a quart-sized mason jar. The homemade cold brew tastes just as good if not better than cold brews at local coffee chains.

I am enjoying a refreshing iced tea made with Earl Grey tea, chopped fresh ginger, fresh mint leaves which grow well in my garden, and lemon juice. It can be sweetened but the flavour is excellent without sugar. Here is the basic recipe. 

I bought a box of "family-sized" teabags which make one gallon of iced tea per bag. Each teabag is the size of my Kindle reader. I am not a great fan of American-styled plain iced tea but will give these a try with a twist of lemon and some simple syrup. I am not a fan of sugary drinks and find canned and bottled iced tea excessively sweet. My mother-in-law made the best iced tea using leftover tea with lots of real lemon juice and a bit of sugar. I will try to replicate her "recipe" that she made by instinct for a picnic we are planning later this week.

Summer is the time for simple suppers. Tonight I cooked 2 cups of dried pasta and added chopped tomatoes, spring onions, peppers, celery, cheese cubes, and corn to the drained pasta. The dressing was a drizzle of avocado oil, an equal amount of lemon juice, and a spoonful of sugar, salt and pepper.  The salad could be made a hundred ways with different vegetables and protein options. 

Happy summer! Enjoy every day.