Since moving from the midwest to the east coast, we’ve so far had 2 hurricanes, an earthquake, 4 major blizzards, several tornadoes, and umpteen Nor’easters, and my hubby has become quite the talented lumberjack! This stump is from a 90 foot tree that snapped in half, about 45 feet up, and fell on the house during our first storm, Hurricane Irene, and my hubby had to remove it from the roof, then take down the other half. I was SO SCARED because, we’re still talking a good 45 feet of tree to come down!!

This snapped so high up, even standing all the way back to the fence I couldn’t get but parts of it in the pics! 

Partially removed, but still more to go!

What a scary mess, huh?! And that was just a tiny part of our first storm! But my husband could not have done a more professional job! He cut it perfectly to fall into the woods next to the house! Boy was it LOUD when it fell, too! It shook the whole house! I was so thankful that everything went as planned! Since then, he’s had to take 2 more down from Hurricane Sandy, and the city had to take one down out front by the road just a few weeks ago. We still have too many that are dangerous now, but they’re too close to the house, and one especially, will need a pro to handle. But I think my hubby has done a wonderful job so far!  

Yard work of any kind is hard work! Especially in the blazing hot sun, so I always have lots of sweet tea on hand for him! On a super hot day, he can down 3 glasses, one after the other, to quench his thirst! Needless to say, we go through lots of sweet tea! At least a 3-quart pitcher a day! And every now and then, we enjoy a “hard iced tea” spiked with a li’l sumthin’ sumthin’! 😉 This one is actually my personal favorite! A shot each of vodka and good old-fashioned grenadine! What – – a – – treat!!! Absolutely delicious!! And a HIT at summertime backyard barbecues and parties, too! Just be careful with these, though! Vodka has no taste and you don’t even notice it’s in there until you’ve had too many and go to stand up! So always, of course, drink responsibly and don’t drive nor let your friends or family drive.

Welp, we’ve got another heatwave due to arrive this week, so I’m sure I’ll be enjoying a few more of these before this summer comes to an end! I hope you give this a try sometime soon, too! You’ll really enjoy this pretty, deep ruby, thirst quenching, sweet treat! So invite a friend over and relax on the porch and enjoy the rest of the summer! Have a wonderful day all! 

WOOD SHED HARD ICED SWEET TEA with VODKA & GRENADINE 

Makes 1 gallon (Approx. 15 servings – 10 oz. poured over a little ice in a 12 oz. glass)

3 cups boiling water

1/2 tsp baking soda

10 tea bags

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vodka

1 1/2 cups Grenadine

cold water to fill to gallon mark

DIRECTIONS:

In large glass measuring pitcher, place 3 cups water into microwave and nuke on high until boiling. Mine takes almost 5 minutes to bring to a boil. Remove carefully, add baking soda, let fizz down, and stir in until dissolved. Add tea bags, poking down in, cover with a small plate, and let steep for 30 minutes. 

Remove tea bags, pressing out excess tea with back of spoon against measuring pitcher first. Add sugar and stir briskly until dissolved, about 30 seconds. In 1-gallon pitcher or jug, fill 1/3 of the way with cold water, add vodka and Grenadine. Add sweet tea concentrate, fill rest of the way with cold water. Stir, or lid tightly and shake to mix. Refrigerate to chill. 

To serve, add a few ice cubes to tall glasses, pour chilled sweet, hard iced tea over ice. Enjoy!! 

NOTE: Never pour hot tea concentrate directly into a glass pitcher without adding cold water/ingredients first to reduce the heat or you can break your pitcher from the still very hot liquid!

*Want just a spiked glass from a pitcher of sweet tea? My regular sweet tea uses 3 cups boiling water, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 9 tea bags, 2 cups sugar and cold water to fill to make 3 quarts following the same basic directions. (*REMEMBER! Add a little of the cold water first to the pitcher if using a glass pitcher to prevent breakage.)  To make one glass, pour 1 oz. vodka and 1 oz. grenadine over a little ice in a 12 oz. glass. Add 8 – 10 oz. sweet tea. (10 oz. = 1 1/4 cups.) Stir and enjoy!