It's June!
Time to break out those grills, smokers, picnic blankets, lawn chairs and get ready to venture outdoors for some fun in the glorious sun or under the spectacular stars on a warm summer night!
It's the perfect time to gather with family and friends to have sweet communion with food and nature!
My family loves eating outdoors!
Every chance we get, we sit outside to eat a meal, snack, or sip a cool drink on the front porch with "Gramma", my mommy while watching her beloved wild birds eat from their bright red feeder.
This summer, bird watching, cool drink sippin', grilling, and other family outdoor activities will be slightly different with mommy.
For this season, Mommy will be enjoying those things and many others, not from her favorite porch chair but from a wheelchair.
In the early part of this year, my mother suffered a debilitating stroke.
In a blink of an eye, this vibrant, life of the party socialite went from dancing in the living room with her grands and great grands to her body betraying her; leaving her immobile and in the hospital for months.
My beautiful mother, a nurse by profession was now being cared for.
A celebrity home chef by passion, who had fed stars, host of friends, and generations of family, was now being fed.
From the hospital back to her home, we praise God and celebrate every victory of her healing. Sitting up alone by herself without support brings out the balloons and her
"45 second" work out of standing with her walker is a cause for champagne!
We can not thank God enough for his loving kindness that he has shown our family, for his mercy for her survival, his grace to care for her through this journey.
Though this journey is not an easy one and there are some days where we have tears, we have learned to embrace the journey with JOY.
Sustainable joy that gives strength, lightens the load and lifts the spirit.
Joy sprinkled with hearty laughter from a reservoir yet flowing from her, the effervescent sparkling "Mary Emma!
HONEY, my mommy's spirit is still full of life, her mind is sharp, and the "clapback" force is still mighty strong in this Jedi! LOL!
One day while caring for her, I woke her up from her nap with bright squeaky "HEYYY, how are ya doin'?" Looking at me with only one eye opened, her reply was, "Better than you because I still have good sense!" She giggled!
And being the matriarch chef of the family, mommy is very much "actively" involved in what goes on in HER kitchen and with her meals.
Instructing us what to add, do, and what to DEFINITELY NOT DO in preparing her meals and her snacks.
For our family, creating meals, snacks, fun foods for her doing this season has been comforting.
Nothing heals the body, renews the spirit and blesses the soul better than good food and laughter.
I know this to be true because my mommy told me so!
Here is one of our quick easy family summer favorites to help start your summer celebration off deliciously!
FAB FOODIE CLUB FRONT PORCH WINE SIPPIN' SLUSHIE
Things needed:
Large bag of frozen tropical fruit Or frozen berries
A chilled bottle of white fruity wine or fruity red wine
Rose's Simple Syrup (to the taste)
Crushed Ice
In a blender add:
Two cups of crushed ice
One cup of frozen fruit
Pour wine to your taste
Add simple syrup to sweeten (if desired)
Blend. Garnish with fresh fruit or mint.
ENJOY!