When Life Gives You Lemons

Lizard has been telling me since he was diagnosed with Parkinson's that I got stuck with a lemon. I tell him, no, he's a peach, because he hails from Palisade peach country. He insists he's a lemon, to which I respond, "I've always loved lemonade!"

I've been having some serious hankerings for lemonade since our summer began getting hot. I noticed brands and flavor options new (to me) at the local grocery store, and I decided to do my own little taste test.

Minute Maid Zero Sugar was first. We'd hit 88 degrees for the first time in 2023, and I'd been working in the garden. I finished this bottle in about two hours. Although it was cold and refreshing, it made me want to not waste money on other bottled lemonades. It didn't really have that much of a lemon flavor at all.

Next came Florida's Natural Lemonade. I was glad I tried another brand because this one had a bit more flavor. Still didn't taste like fresh lemonade, but it didn't seem as bland as the Minute Maid. And, I could drink a whole bottle of this after working in the garden, and it won't show up on my hips.

I probably never would have given the Simply Light a second look had I not decided to try to compare flavors. I typically don't look for "light sugar" when purchasing beverages. I look for "no sugar." That said, I do buy Simply Orange with high pulp because it's the only high pulp orange juice I've been able to find for years. (Other than making my own freshly squeezed orange juice at home.) The Simply Light lemonade actually has more of a lemon taste than the previous two candidates in this comparison, but this one is a bit too sweet for my tastebuds. I don't know that I would guzzle it on a hot day because it has a bit too much sugar content for downing a whole bottle in one sitting. The Simply Limemade is not bad, but it has too much sugar to enable me to consume recklessly when I'm parched. Oh, and now they are offering a Simply Peach juice, too. Lizard and I will have to try that!

Our dairy offers Natalie's Lemonade, which, according to the official website, is made of three ingredients: water, pure cane sugar and lemons. They also offer a strawberry lemonade. I've tried both. They are okay. Now that I'm comparing lemonades, I might go ahead and get another Natalie's this week to give it another shot. I'm curious how I'll feel when actually comparing flavors. All I remember now, years later, is it wasn't as lemony as my own fresh-squeezed lemonade.

I've also enjoyed Wendy's blueberry pomegranate lemonade and Good Times' black cherry lemonade. Cafe Rio has great killer mango lemonade and mint limeade. Black Bear Diner and Black-eyed Pea both have to-die-for fresh lemonade, as well as in-season berry lemonades. The best to-go lemonade I've tasted from any fast food restaurant is Mad Greens', which also boasts three ingredients, lemon, water and pure cane sugar. I think this might be the best purchased lemonade I've tasted, other than the sit-down restaurants.

Yes, I'm a picky lemonade connoisseur. The best lemonade I've ever tasted is my own freshly squeezed. I think I'll go make a glass right now!

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Lemon Tree, Very Pretty

The little lemon tree I started from seed at work died in 2020 when I wasn't able to go into the office to care for it. The much taller lemon tree I planted from seed at home also crossed the lemon bridge suddenly and without warning last year.

I snapped a photo of the home tree in October of last year because the sun coming through the leaves was so beautiful. About a week later, I noticed the leaves were no longer beautiful. I tried touching one of the leaves, and the leaves began falling off. I don't know what happened, but I was heartbroken. I had several years invested in that little tree.

I've seen lemon trees in the nursery, and I was never tempted until now because I knew I could grow trees from seeds. Starting a new little tree at home, though, required a ton more patience than the first effort had required. I think it took more than two months and planting seeds several times before I finally got my first hint of green.

Of course, it is possible a lemon tree is a slow starter in winter in Colorado. I had the little, tiny container next to the living room window, and I thought it was getting adequate sun. But maybe lemons just need more hours in the sun to sprout. I'm finding that applies to peppers, too. Both my new lemon tree and my serrano pepper plant finally began poking up through the soil in April.

I probably will always fight the temptation to buy one of those adorable little lemon tree planters from the nursery. They are just too darned cute. But for now, I'm getting ready to move my tiny little lemon tree to a bigger pot!

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Wordless Wednesday

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9 to 5

I recently returned to the office for the first time in 15 months.

I took my crochet bag but didn't have time to get into it. I didn't take public transportation. I drove. I had to take in a big box of stuff I couldn't have carried on the train. And I'm not quite sure how I feel yet about riding public transportation again. I guess I'm not quite ready for that.

It's pretty amazing how easy cleaning is when you haven't seen things for 15 months. If I didn't need it for 15 months, I can go without. I filled a recycle bin with accumulated junk mail, old paperwork and drawer contents. I wasn't the only one! There were recycle bins placed throughout the floor, and all of them were receiving unhealthy meal proportions!

Back in March of 2020, I thought I'd be working from home for two weeks. So I didn't bother to take my plants home. My little lemon tree (and the lemon seeds I started for co-workers) fried in the office heat of last summer. I think computer rooms were the only locations air conditioning was used to save energy and cut costs.

During our Safer at Home time, I started a new set of lemon seeds at home, and they are doing quite well now! They just got to go back outside for summer a few days ago!

I fully expected all my plants at work would be dead. One of my (essential) co-workers, who was allowed to begin going into the office a couple of hours once each week a full two months after the nightmare of 2020 began took pity on my one surviving plant. She has nursed it along for an entire year now. And this is what I found on my desk when I returned for the first time.

Friends are priceless.

I don't know that things will ever again be the way they were 16 months ago. Some things were good to lose. Other losses forced us to appreciate what we have. What we have now is better than what we had during the darkest parts of 2020.

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Citrus Serenity

I've been playing with my food again.




And oh, was that fresh-squeezed orange juice after I got done playing delicious!!! (As was the freshly squeezed lemon limeade and the orange grapefruit juice. I'm definitely going to have to do this more often!)

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