We are now in that dynamic aspect of the zodiac calendar known as Leo, which I am. Below is a little Southern recipe to quench your thirst. You need not add the bourbon if that’s not your cup of tea. ;)
Mint Julep Iced Tea
INGREDIENTS
8 mint leaves *
1 lemon, sliced *
1 lime, sliced *
1 cup bourbon
3 cups cold sweetened tea *
Cubed or crushed ice
* You can substitute Celestial Seasonings ‘Lemon Zinger’ tea, about 4 tea bags with 2 quarts of water in place of all these starred ingredients.
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine first 3 ingredients in a 2-quart pitcher, pressing with spoon to crush mint.
Stir in bourbon and tea. Add ice. Makes 2 quarts.
My Poems/Flash Fiction :
Fairy Dust
Outstretched limbs
intricately ethereal
interlace
a renaissance
instantly transform
momentarily suspend
reality and fantasy
ferried
dust to dust.
*************************
Tea Lights
The tea trickles
through my throat,
settles in, and I surrender.
**************************
The End of the Rainbow
It was a beautiful day, the kind when we loved to play outside all day long, imagining wonderful childhood scenarios of superheroes and lands conquered.
But today, we were on a mission to the Tile Man's house. Mom and Dad needed to buy new tiles.We all hopped in the car, sat in our designated seats, Dad at the wheel, cigarette lit. We were ready. Dad drove to a strange place, down a wooded lane to a quaint, pastel painted cottage. My siblings and I were instructed,"Play quietly in the yard, while we go inside and choose the tiles."
Soon, the sunny day turned cloudy, and I was given the task of going inside to alert the adults that "It's going to rain." And it did. It poured. But... as suddenly as the rain began, it stopped. The sun blazed brighter than before. That's when we saw it! Suspended in mid-air, were glistening medallions, golden, sparkling, glimmering! "What is it?!" we implored.
Dad's voice answered in amazement, "Well, I'll be... We've discovered the Pot of Gold! There must be a rainbow nearby."
"Oh, Daddy! Can we go out and grab some of the gold?"
"Naw... you have to let it stay right there."
Our young, believing eyes widened. Dad smiled and drove down the lane toward home, as we silently dreamed of the many ways we could use that magical gold. I turned to look out the back window to get one more glorious view. But all I saw was a row of tall, evergreen trees, dripping from a brief, summer shower and a mysterious mist wafting through their branches.
© Jeanne I. Lakatos
