The lemons in my belly - revised recipe

Lemonade is in my belly.

On its way there it speeded down my throat, through my heart and soul and soothed my fretful mind.

I try to banish winter. Spring creeps slowly and tentatively. My mood sours.

The crocuses are up and bracing themselves against the wind that has been gusting and tearing at them from the north. They are holding their own. The magnolia trees thought about budding, but have halted their progress. The cats know the sun has passed the equator - and should be doing a better job on the back deck. So they take it out on each other, fighting over space at the window, and then shed on the sofa.

And, Steve and I, sit despondently, and wait for the word windchill to disappear from the cheerful lingo on the perky weather channel.

The whole city filled with people, cats, dogs, raccoons, skunks and squirrels, trees, flowers and weeds braced...sitting...waiting...life ready to burst at the seams.

The tonic for our pains - is in the fridge. A blue pitcher dosed with 100% homemade lemonade. For all that ails you. Steve snapped one snowy day and looked up a bunch of lemonade recipes.

It was so easy we were a tad annoyed with ourselves for not trying this sooner. Enjoy.

Spring Tonic Lemonade - with future possibilities as lemon freezies, when such things matter.

2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (depending on the size of the lemons get 10 -12)
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of water
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon zest

Combine the water, sugar and lemon zest in a pan and heat to boiling. Stir and allow heat to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Allow to cool (we put ours in the fridge). The zest turns the water a beautiful hopeful shade of yellow.

Once cooled, mix in the lemon juice.

Add more water until the lemonade is as thin or thick as you would like...bear in mind the more water you add the more you dilute the sweetness...so do this carefully and depend on trial and error the first couple of times.

It hasn't lasted long here. It is a classic...if two tries qualifies...I keep thinking it might be lovely with vodka or gin...Enjoy...let me know if it works for you.

Come on sun...come on...

Drawing above by these kids.