Here’s a scientific term I wish I didn’t understand: heat dome. Europe has been suffering under one, bringing with it two record-breaking heat waves and more than 1300 excess deaths in the past month. And North America will be on the receiving end of one this week. Ontario and the US midwest and east coast are preparing for temperatures to top 100F/37C this weekend.
There’s a lot to say and feel about climate change. We here at Fit is a Feminist Issue worry and write about it a lot, including most recently Sam’s post here. It’s changed our daily lives in so many ways, including exercise and work and wake-up schedules, travel habits, buying plans– this is just the tip of the (melting) ice berg.
But we can’t and shouldn’t spend all waking moments confronting future and present fears and woes. In order to keep ourselves ready for the long-haul of adjustment and advocacy and innovation and conservation, we need occasional pauses. We need to be refreshed.
And, for my money, there’s no better and more refreshing pause than making and drinking a cold or icy fruity beverage. I’m serious. Who can be sad in the presence of fresh watermelon, a spritz of juicy lime, the cold rush from an ice-cold glass? Not me. And I bet not you. I mean, doesn’t this look like a (momentary) solution to all our problems?
This drink is part of my regular summer drink rotation. Consider adding it to yours.
A new addition that I’m trying this weekend with friends is limonada, or Brazilian lemonade. It’s not really lemonade in a classic sense, as it contains sweetened condensed milk as an ingredient (WHAT?! don’t knock until tried). Also, you pulse (not pulverize) cut up limes in the blender, which adds to its limeyness. Here’s a recipe. I dare you to try it, and I double-dog-dare you to comment on the results. Are you reading, Sarah Pie?
I wrote in more detail last summer about fun summer cold beverages; check it out if you are looking for more ideas for cooling off in a hot summer.
And Happy Canada Day to all!