Summertime, Girlfriends, and Other Favorite Things.

Hi there, Henry Glass Summer Party Guests! Welcome to my little taste of summer fun, I'm so glad you stopped by.

Time in the sun with girlfriends is pretty much one of the best things ever (these girls will be showing up on friendship cards in your friendly neighborhood Trader Joe's stores any day now!).
I've gotta admit, though, it's something I don't get around to very often, and maybe you don't either.  Making time, coordinating busy schedules - more often than not, stuff gets in the way, life happens, and dates get pushed back weeks, months, even longer.  But when it finally happens, we all wonder why we don't do it more often.

Last week the planets aligned and a group of friends got together for an amazing pot luck lunch featuring goodies from our gardens and one friend's signature mojitos.
The perfumy citrusy freshness of a mojito just screams Caribbean sunshine - which got me thinking about some extra-special girflriends-in-the-sun time I was lucky enough to get this past February.

My oldest friend in the world (no, silly, she's not that old, but we've been friends since we were toddlers) and I went on a cruise together.
We enjoyed sunshine,
beaches,
sunsets
and sunrises,
amazing food and lots of catching-up time together.
We spent a lot of time slowing down
and doing nothing (that's me, just floating) 
which is exactly what both of us needed.  It was pretty awesome.

I hope you make time this summer to enjoy some quality girlfriend time, it's good for the soul!

And good for your tastebuds: my friend Peggy's signature mojitos.  They truly are the best I've ever had.  I've tried many recipes with varied or fancier ingredients, I've even made my own garden-fresh mint-infused simple syrup, but nothing touches hers.

The recipe is a simple one but the secret, Peggy says, is in the process and the order in which it's done:

Drop 12 mint leaves into a tall glass, and muddle.  Add 4 teaspoons sugar, and muddle again.  Add 1/2 lime (cut into smaller pieces) and muddle again until there is a decnt amount of juice extracted; then add 1.5 oz light rum (she uses Bacardi), and stir with a spoon until mixed.  Add cubed ice (not crushed!) then fill glass with club soda.  Stir up again so the mint and lime are suspended in the ice and not just sitting on the bottom of the glass, and toast to your good friends!

And be sure to go visit my other fabric designing friends on the Henry Glass Summer Party for daily fabric giveaways and other fun goodies!  Happy summer, everyone!

Comments

[sue]

What a wonderful blog post, I really enjoyed all of the pictures. Such a cute illustration featuring girlfriend's on vacation, I'm sure that's going to fly off the Trader Joe's shelves! I think for those who like mint will love that drink, I've never had it before, but you make it sound so tasty, I'm a little boring when it comes to my mixed drinks the only one I seem to go for is a frozen margarita. Cheers girlfriend!

[Kim]

Looks like such a fun girlfriend get away! - Makes me miss some of my vacay buds...need to start planning!

[Martina]

Beautiful pictures.

[amberbop]

You are so fancy!

[Gill]

Looks like you had a great time!

[MarciaW]

Thanks for the lovely photographs

[Joyce Shelton]

Beth I'm so glad you had a great cruise with your bestie! Nothing like it!! Your photos are gorgeous and the colors...wow. my favorites!