a blonde and a brunette: it's a southern summer

Summer in the South is more than a time of year it's a complete lifestyle.

In the South everything revolves around food, and when summer arrives, so do all the fresh fruits and veggies.

"Because I'm an old Southern woman and we're supposed to wear funny looking hats and ugly clothes and grow vegetables in the dirt. Don't ask me those questions. I don't know why, I don't make the rules!"
~Steel Magnolias

It's true, but this southern girls can still do it all in cute heels...

I don't have a garden, but I do keep a nice supply of herbs especially mint to make these little summer concoctions...

My Mojito Recipe:

Equal parts club soda, rum and simple syrup

(I like mine super sweet, but if you don't then use a little less syrup)

Poured over muddled mint

Squeeze 1/2 of a lime into glass and garnish with lime slices and mint

Since we are talking about drinks then we have to at least mention iced tea, the South's house wine...

I drink mine super sweet with real sugar...the brunette is an unsweet with lemon:)

Another summer tradition is sun tea. Throw your tea bags and fruit (optional) in a glass container full of water and sit in the sun for 3-5 hours...doesn't this look oh-so-refreshing! My mom always made sun tea when I was growing up:)

Ice tea and fresh veggies scream summer, but so does being on the water. Every lake, river and pool is full of bodies during the summer because 1. it's fun and 2. it's necessary. It stays above 90 from May to September and typically hits 100 on a daily basis with humidity so high it's sometimes are to breath!

Most Southerners usually make a yearly voyage to the Gulf Coast for a little beach time...the beaches of Alabama and northern Florida are scattered with families on vacation. If you went to school in the SEC then I guarantee you've spent at least one spring break in the Destin/Ft. Walton area:) Most refer to this area as the "redneck rivera," and while that's pretty accurate, it's still a great spot for delicious food, beautiful beaches and tons of southern hospitality.

The gulf coast is beloved to all and no matter if you live on the shore or not it still feels like a piece of home. You can only imagine the heartache occurring as the images roll in of all the poor animal...and for the friends that have had to cancel their vacations because the oil is starting to reach the shore...and for the sheer devastation that this spill is creating for businesses that rely solely on the beach visitors.

The Love List wrote a passionate post about the oil spill crisis...click here to read.