Summertime Sippin’

Y’all what is better than a hot summer day when the sun is shining and there’s not a cloud in the sky? I’ll tell you. It’s a hot summer day when the sun is shining, there’s not a cloud in the sky, and you’ve got a sweet summer concoction to wet your whistle.

What seems like forever ago, more years than I can remember, my dad introduced me to this fabulous country singer he’d met at his favorite local bar. Now my dad was always quick to tell you that he hated country music, so I was shocked when he walked in and handed me a CD with a quintessential country crooner on the cover. It only took a few bars of the first song, and I was hooked.

If you’re a real country music fan, you owe it to yourself to check out Craig Curtis. This Canadian cowboy has been Keepin’ It Country in Nashville for over two decades. He’s got a voice that would make Hank Williams and George Jones proud, and a smile that makes it impossible to doubt that he’s a genuine country boy with a heart of gold. I had the pleasure of meeting Craig shortly after his first CD was released. The story of how he ended up in little old WashPA is one of heartache and happiness, and I am so grateful that our paths crossed.

My sister and I, along with our parents, became local groupies for Craig. Whether he was in town with just his guitar or an entire band, we never missed a show. We became friends with some other amazing people at these shows, and we spent many nights filling Craig’s tip jar. He introduced us to a little thing called the Holler N Swaller. See, when you’re out drinking and having a good time, sometimes ya get a little loud. Craig would y’all “1…2…3…holler“ and we’d all holler with him, and then he’d say “swaller” and we’d all take a drink.

So lemme tie this story into my original statement about summertime sippin’. Summer in our family means days spent in the backyard by the pool and nights around a bonfire with family and friends. We affectionately named our backyard the Holler N Swaller and adopted that as our battle cry of sorts. It’s not unusual for someone to just hold up a drink and say “1…2…3…hollllerrrrrrrr!” Everyone else joins in yelling and then we all say “Swaller” and take a drink. I know, it’s taking a little while, but stick with me. I am the Bartender Extraordinaire at HnS. We had a small travel trailer that served as the bar down by the fire pit. It was great for storing chairs and blankets, and keeping the food and drinks away from the bugs and critters that were undoubtedly present. The official drink of HnS is the Fuzzy Razzle. See? I told ya I’d get back to the original point. 😂

The Fuzzy Razzle is the perfect summer cocktail in my own opinion. It’s a delicious combination of peach schnapps, Razzmatazz, and orange juice served over ice. For an extra twist, we’ve been known to add some Sprite to make it a Fizzy Fuzzy Razzle. It’s a sweet summer punch that goes down smooth and leaves you feeling like you’ve escaped the stress of everyday life. A good cocktail doesn’t have to be made from the most expensive bottles in the liquor store. To borrow a line from Tim McGraw, it just has to feel good on your lips.

It’s finally starting to feel like summer, and I’ve been craving a few Fuzzy Razzles. They’re extremely versatile. Just as delicious on the front porch or floating in the pool as they are around the bonfire. I miss those carefree summer days and simple summer nights. They were always filled with love and laughter. There are days I wouldn’t trade for anything, and nights I’ll never forget.

Lucky for those of us who were regulars at HnS for all those years, many of those unforgettable summer nights happened before every second of life had to be documented on social media. I’ve got some good old-fashioned photographs tucked away in a box, but those memories are predominately stored in my mind and etched into my heart. I hope that this summer in all of its uncertainty will allow us some the opportunity to get back to the HnS and make some more memories. Here’s to some summertime sippin’. 1…2…3…hollllllllerrrrrrrrrrrrr!!