Making Sun Tea in Jars

I love sun tea. We have a big pitcher for it, but it tends to leak in the fridge and I tend to get sick of one flavor of tea before it's empty. Enter the most versatile item in my kitchen: the ball jar! Now, I may have seen this idea somewhere else (like Pinterest) and then completely forgotten it, but I would prefer to say I came up with it on my own.

Did I mention it is also the easiest thing ever? Just add 2 tea bags to a clean jar, fill with water up to the neck, cap, and then let it sit in the sun for 4-5 hours, depending on how strong you like your iced tea. Make sure the spot will stay sunny for a while. I set it up on the west side of my yard so it would get sun all afternoon. After it has brewed, remove bags and place jars in your fridge and let cool. When you're thirsty, pour over ice and add sugar if you like that kind of thing. I recommend storing your tea unsweetened. Drink it within a week of brewing.

When I was surfing around posts on sun tea, I discovered that some people have concerns about sun tea since you don't boil the water. If you follow these guidelines, you should be fine, but if you're worried, I would brew it overnight in the fridge instead.

Enjoy!

 

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It's 30 lists time again! Days 1-5 #30lists

http://30daysoflists.com/

Ideas, Goals, and Pledges

I have some good ideas. Well, I think they're good, anyway. Maybe if I put them out there I might abide by them for once. Once, like a million years ago, I made a pledge to not buy any tchotchkes for a year. Now it has been more than 4 years. No tchotchkes. Maybe it's because my best friend laughed at me in the comments to that post. IN YOUR FACE! (Love you)

Anyone want to make some pledges with me?

1. Clean out my closet. For reals. I actually clear out my closet quite frequently, but it never seems quite clear enough. I need to really get down to it.

2. Photos! I can't believe I still haven't gotten my photos from Comic-Con off of my camera. I planned on this being the year I blogged about it super early, but instead it's super late. I blame my back. It totally seized up after all the traveling I did this summer and I could barely move. I did get a lot of Vampire Diaries watched, though, so really it's a win.

3. Books. If I have a shopping addiction, it is probably to buying books. As a result, I have many books on my shelves that I have yet to read. For those not on my shelf (or on my desk, or stacked in the living room), I am embracing the library more. With the Colorado Springs Library (pretty extensive actually), several college libraries, and the DMNS library at my disposal, there's really no excuse. Especially with things like hold shelves and interlibrary loans. I just need to also embrace the "renew books" and the "return books on time" philosophies as well.

4. That Pesky GRE. I have taken this test once before, but my knowledge of Geometry deteriorates a little more each year, so I guess I need to study. I'm dedicating Friday as GRE study day! I'm hoping to take it in about a month. After the CPA exam, standardized tests don't really scare me anymore.

5. Make contacts and join societies. This is good for students and professionals. I've started going to office hours more, even if I don't really have questions. I talked with one professor about Harry Potter for about half an hour. As for joining societies, I recommend that for everyone! Joining a society looks good on a resume, and you might learn something, too!

6. Volunteer. Since moving to Colorado, I haven't been that involved. Since this is basically the only time since 7th grade that I haven't been volunteering for something, I am jonesing to give back to the community! It just feels good, you know?

7. Blogs. Not necessarily a pledge to get back to blogging (though, that is something to think about), but to get back into the community. I am planning a comment spree on all my favorites that I haven't visited in a while.

8. Facebook. How many people, in a list of goals, make one to spend MORE TIME on Facebook? This might be the first. I really need to promote Nerdified Shirts more on social networks.

9. New Shirt Designs! These have been in my head for a while, but they are going to be on shirts soon! Look for new designs by the end of September. There, I've made a deadline!

10. There is no ten, because I just looked up and realized I have to leave for class in 20 minutes and I'm still in my PJs. OOPS!

Anyone have any other good ones?