Liquid Sunshine



This weekend while most people were getting ready to head to their Super Bowl parties, my daughter and I added three new citrus trees to the front yard garden.  Our neighbor recently ripped out a fruitless mulberry tree that was heavily growing into our property.  Removing the tree freed up a huge open space, but we were still left with the nasty roots that were left behind with the tree.  Planting the new citrus trees required the assistance of a pick axe, a sharp shovel, a sassy five year old girl, and my trusty Labrador retriever(she just kept watch).  After a few hours we were finally able to get our new trees in; a Yuzu (aka Japanese Citron),  an Indio Mandarinquat, and a Sanguinelli Blood Orange. These three trees join our existing 10 citrus trees, and add to my obsession of citrus trees. After a couple hours of ripping out roots in mid-60's weather, and dressed in shorts.... my daughter had a fabulous idea.  Lets make some orange juice! 



So, we headed into the backyard where all of our mature citrus trees are.  We grabbed a colander to fill up with fruit, and then another, and then another...  There is no shortage of fruit on these trees, and we are blessed to be able to grow sunshine in our very own garden. 



I can't help but to get a little teary eyed when my daughter helps me in the garden.  I have tried very hard to make sure that "yard work" is never a chore for her, but instead a labor of love.  She loves being outdoors and often begs to go outside and work in the garden.  She's probably the only person I know that likes pulling weeds.  As long as she's pulling weeds with me, she is happy.  As much as I would love to think she is a mini-me, she is so much more awesome than I am. 



This day we picked over a hundred oranges, and juiced them all in our handy Jack Lalanne juicer. One by one those oranges went in, and a beautiful orange liquid comes out.  The finished product is the best orange juice you could ever ask for.   We downed three glasses each. 



After three glasses, our bellies were full and we were left with tons of orange juice still waiting in a bowl.  Sooooo, for starters I copied the Skippy drink that I had at Grange last week- except I improvised the orangecello for my homemade limoncello, added fresh orange juice, and topped it with a half of a bottle of Blue Moon Belgian wheat ale.  The result was YUMMY.  The rest of the orange juice we put in large jars, and brought to our neighbors (who were all having Super Bowl parties).  The printable labels I found on Pinterest (my favorite addiction besides citrus), which you can find here and here. 

Hope you are finding a little bit of sunshine in your life- whether it's a fresh orange, or a smile on your child's face.