It’s hot outside!  The dog days of summer are upon us and all we want to do is have something icy while reading a book.  Preferably in a hammock or on a porch swing or on a floaty in a pool.

I know what you’re thinking.  I just shared some Whole Fruit Popsicles and then proclaimed how I could never replace ice cream with popsicles.  So why make more of them?

Good question.  These popsicles aren’t an attempt to deter me from ice cream like the last batch.  These ice pops are only meant to take iced tea up a notch, making it even colder.

Arnold Palmer is credited with making the tea/lemonade combo drink popular.  Great idea, Mr. Palmer!  The two ingredients work great as popsicles too.

I decided to use Earl Grey tea.  You can use any type of flavor you like.  Brew the tea stronger than you normally would.  Add a bit more lemonade mix to the water than it calls for too.  We like our ice pops full of flavor!

Let’s talk about books and reading while we wait on the tea to get stronger.

I’ve been doing a lot more reading this summer than usual and it’s making me happy.  Most of the books are paper copies, checked out from the library.  Recently I downloaded a few on my old Kindle and I’m enjoying that way of reading too.  Here’s a list of some of the books I’ve enjoyed:

Belong To Me by Marisa de los Santos  – This is a sequel of sorts to Love Walked In (also really good).  Some of the same characters from Love Walked In show up in Belong To Me, along with a whole new set of people.  The story is compelling and the themes of the book invite you to think about what makes a family.  The books can be read in any order, but I do recommend reading Love Walked In first.

Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon – This book is a must for Mitford fans.  It’s just a delight from beginning to end.  Comfort reading at it’s best.  This one will make you feel good about the world, and who couldn’t use that right now?

Tricky Twenty-Two, A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich – This is a fun, page-turner.  There’s nothing of substance here, but sometimes that’s the exact kind of book I need.

China Dolls by Lisa See – I enjoyed this book, but I will say that Lisa See’s writing is heart-wrenching in places.  China Dolls was not as good as her book, Shanghai Girls.

The Lost Choice by Andy Andrews – Anything by Andy Andrews is worth reading multiple times.  The Lost Choice is very good.  Also worth the read The Traveler’s Gift, The Noticer and The Noticer Returns.  Andy Andrews writes books that are life changing and I don’t say that lightly.

I know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam – I like Vanderkam’s writing because of the way she reframes how I think about time and time management.  In this book, she draws insight from interviews and time logs of women who have successful careers and families.

I’ve also started and not finished quite a few books.  I enjoyed them for a while, but they didn’t feel worth finishing to me.  I’ve got a copy of Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls fame checked out and I can’t wait to start it.  And I’ve got two books on hold at the library – The Boys in the Boat (I’ve heard great things about this book) and Hamilton: The Revolution (about the Broadway musical).

We better finish out the popsicles now.

Print Recipe

Arnold Palmer Popsicles Plus What I've Been Reading This Summer

Servings: 8 popsicles

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups strong brewed tea cooled
• 1 1/2 cups lemonade

Instructions

• Stir tea and lemonade together.
• Pour into popsicle molds.
• Freeze until firm, 3-4 hours.