Every summer when I drive through rural neighborhoods, I am always delighted to see enterprising young boys and girls standing on the corner by a table draped with a sign: “Lemonade for Sale.” Handwritten signs and eager, sun-kissed faces wave at me, and I try to stop whenever I can. Mainly because I am glad to see this decades-old tradition still alive and well. Realizing that their “business” is usually bankrolled by their parents or grandparents, it is still heartwarming to see them learn a thing or two about running their own business.
Making even a few dollars a day is an honorable and admirable way to spend the hot days of summer. Whether or not their lemonade is very good (usually watered down to increase profits or because the ice melted hours ago) or just average, it doesn’t matter to me. I try to support them and tell them owning your own business is a rewarding thing to do. I bet many of the world’s great entrepreneurs once had a lemonade stand. Our oldest son sold watermelons door to door in grade school until he saturated the market and learned a big lesson!
This also reminds me of the old phrase, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” How true. It is inevitable that we will get some sour times in life that seem sad, unfair and overwhelming. Sometimes those sour times go on for a long time, and we struggle to understand, “Why me?” If we are creative and hopeful, however, there is usually a way to find something sweet in the sour and turn things around. It may not be apparent at first, but if we persevere and hang in there, a silver lining is almost always available, and in our grasp. Perhaps it takes these sour and stormy cloud times to truly teach us how to get beyond them and use the lessons to improve things or make ourselves stronger. Not easy, but I guess that’s the reality of life.
Although I try to limit recipes with sugar, it is the perfect ingredient rather than sweeteners to make a mouthwatering glass of lemonade. A little goes a long way, but nothing is more refreshing when we hit triple-digit temperatures in the good old summertime. Add some mint, and it is delightful.
Here’s a recipe you should try and enjoy sipping or selling!
- 1 cup lemon juice (4-6 fresh lemons)
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups cold water
- Ice
Wash lemons and mint, then pat dry. Juice the lemons until you have about 1 cup offresh juice. In a pitcher, add the mint leaves and sugar. Gently muddle them to release the mint flavor. Pour in the lemon juice and cold water. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint.
When you make the lemonade, save the lemons. Lemon zest is perfect on seafood and is also an ingredient in salad dressing. Never waste the lemon goodness!
Sour is okay and beautiful when we turn it into sweetness,
Gay Gaddis
Founder. Author. Artist. Trailblazer.
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