Icy dessert coffee

It's definitely felt like summer lately! Our temperatures have been hovering near 100 degrees for days, and we've been enjoying some pleasures specific to the season... like ice cold beverages!

My favorite iced drinks this summer have been our "mochaccinos."



We make about a quart of "strong" coffee (for us, that's 4 tablespoons of coffee in our little Bodum French press).

Then, we add 1/2 cup of powdered milk,
1/4 cup of sugar,
and 3 tablespoons of chocolate syrup.

We give it a little time to cool, and preferably, chill. (Otherwise, it melts the ice and dilutes the drink!)

Then, of course, pour over ice... and, enjoy!

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
John 4:13-15

Pretty projects & special touches

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Most days are filled with ordinary duties, and at the end of the day, I often find I've taken little or no time for pretty projects or special touches. It's such a pleasure, though, to do something pretty, and over the past several weeks, as small needs and tasks came up, we took our chance!

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My lavender is such a pleasure to me. Two of my pots were started from seed several years ago, and I've been blessed to have them bloom year after year. Often, though, I don't do anything with the blooms except to welcome the sight and scent of them. But this year I trimmed, which will hopefully be good for the plants. And, the result was a petite bouquet!

We took a few moments to remove the petals and added them to a small jar of sugar. It's now "steeping" in the refrigerator, waiting to be added to a special confection.

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A broken lampshade was mended and then decorated with a lovely "wallie" purchased ages ago and set aside.

We thought the results were so pretty that we gathered up some more candidates to decorate, too! :)

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And, my supply of purchased birthday cards was dwindling. So, I recently spent a pleasant Sunday afternoon with pretty papers, scissors, and stamps. I'm now ready for two upcoming birthdays!

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
Psalm 90:17