Delicious, Exotic, Non-alcoholic Party Beverages

Chai is my favorite for fall and winter. You can get a good organic Chai concentrate in a box at my local health food co-op. I serve it half & half with Almond milk. Its usually served hot like coffee. It does have caffeen in it. Its made from tea, and spices and is a little peppery. Mmmmmm!

For summer there is nothing better than fresh-squeezed organic lemons or limes (or both) with turbinado sugar to make lemonaid. Add a sprig of fresh mint or a slice of lime to the top of the glass. Or put a tiny sprig of mint into your ice cube trays before adding the water and freezing. I like to make lemonaide all summer by boiling water, adding the sugar to dissolve it, refrigerating it, then adding the lemon/lime before serving.

For a great easy punch, half-fill a large punch bowl with cold 100% juice of any kind (cranberry blends are good,) add a bottle of seltzer or Sprite for some fizz, and float scoops of a really good sorbet or sherbert on top. Get whatever's the latest fruit juice craze, like pomegranite juice. For more decoration, slice oranges thinly and float them on top.

In the south, sweetened ice tea is a favorite. Make sun tea, 0r make large batches of tea ahead of time and cool it in the fridge, then let people decide on the sweetener themselves, and offer a bowl of fresh lemon slices to put in it.

Green tea is very popular now and very summery and light. You can even put the tea in ice cube trays, and as they freeze, empty them into large zip lock bags. Put the bags in a cooler and either add them to the regular tea or use them in other drinks.

In the winter, make hot tea and add mulling spices to it for a great flavor. Use cinnamon sticks as stirrers. If you have a pot of this on the stove as guests arrive it makes the whole house smell wonderful.

Everyone likes chocolate. At least everyone female I know. Get a really good chocolate and melt it in a double boiler, and add a variety of milks--I prefer Almond milk. Adding a spoonful of coconut milk is excellent. I prever Agave nectar right now as a sweetener (its like honey but not quite as sweet.) But turbinado sugar is good.
For more flavor, add cinnamon, vannilla, nutmeg, allspice, mint or cardamom. Don't forget to have some tiny marshmallows for a garnish.

For any sweet drink, have whipped cream ready for on top. The stuff in cans comes in three flavors now; strawberry, chocolate and vanilla. Unfortunately, these usually have dairy in them, so we have these available for those who can have dairy products.

Also, get some sprinkles. These finishing touches are what makes the drink special for a party.

V8 with some Swedish Bitters, sea salt, a celery stick and an olive is a great drink.

For a party I always buy the little paper umbrellas for the drinks, and I go to Goodwill and get as many real glass drink glasses as I can find. The real glass makes everything taste better than plastic, and even if they don't match--its easier for people to remember which drink is theirs.

If you want to get more complicated, and can afford it, buy or borrow a juicer. Ahead of time, scrub up a lot of fresh locally grown organic fruit and/or vegetables, and stick them in a huge bowl of crushed ice. Have your visitors select the vegetables as you juice them. Be sure to include things like fresh spinach leaves, cucumbers and beets.

Gratitude

Beatitudes
for Friends of Persons With Disabilities


Blessed are you who take time to listen to difficult speech,
For you help me to know that if I persevere I can be understood.

***************

Blessed are you who never bid me to “hurry up”

and take my tasks from me and do them for me,
For often I need time, rather than help.

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Blessed are you who stand beside me as I enter new and untried ventures,
For my failures will be outweighed by the times I surprise myself and you.

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Blessed are you who understand that it is difficult for me to put my thoughts into words.

***************

Blessed are you who never remind me that today I asked the same question two times.

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Blessed are you who respect me and love me just as I am,
And do not wish I would be otherwise.



WEAVE, WEAVE US TOGETHER, TOGETHER IN LOVE.


"God has given each of you some special abilities;

be sure to use them to help each other."
(1Peter 4:7-11)

And God Said...

...No

I asked God to take away my pride.
And God said, "No."
He said it was not for Him to take away, but for me to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
And God said, "No."
He said her spirit was whole, her body was only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.
And God said, "No."
He said patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
And God said, "No."
He said He gives me blessings, happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain.
And God said, "No."
He said suffering draws me apart from worldly cares and brings me closer to Him.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
And God said, "No."
He said I must grow on my own. But He will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
And God said, "No."
He said He will give me life, that I may enjoy all things.

I asked God to help me love others, as much as he loves me.
And God said, "Ah, finally you have the idea!"

© Claudia Minden Weisz


"When we look back and wonder how we ever made it through,
we realize it's not because we are clever, but because God has been wise."

--Author Unknown

Quotes to Live By

“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life.
Comes into us at midnight very clean.
It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands.
It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.”

-- John Wayne

"When you come to the edge of all the light you know,
and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown,
faith is knowing one of two things will happen:
there will be something solid to stand on,
or you will be taught how to fly."

-- Barbara J. Winter

"Reflect upon your present blessings,
of which every man has plenty;
not on your past misfortunes,
of which all men have some."

– Charles Dickens