To quote Megnut: "Summer drinks should be like summer evenings: long, light and cool." May I add? Summer drinks should be like summer evenings: easy, relaxed and refreshing.

In two days, my home will be descended upon by a mother-daughter group from Michigan, Minnesota, Maryland, Colorado and Saskatchewan. Half are staying at my house (what we're calling the "restaurant") and half across the street at a neighbor's, whose shaded patio has "happy hour" written all over it. So I went looking for recipes for easy summer cocktails, concoctions that can be served on a moment's notice, ones that will titillate the eyes and the nose and the throat.

So belly up, bloggers, summer's nearly here.

NON-ALCOHOLIC SUMMER DRINKS
Sailu's Food ~ Watermelon Agua Fresca
Cooking Medley ~ Strawberry Limeade
Passionate About Baking ~ Ginger Lime Mint Cooler
28 Cooks ~ Ginger Beer

SUMMER VODKA COCKTAILS
Sweetnicks ~ Green Vodka Cooler
Domestic Goddess ~ Berry-Filled Sangria
Family-Style Food ~ Passion Fruit Caipiroska (that's Karen's beautiful photograph, too!)

BEER DRINKS
Hedonia ~ Michelada
YumSugar ~ Ultimate Margarita

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS
The Well-Seasoned Cook ~ Campari Champagne Cocktail
Bake & Shake ~ Meyer Lemon Champagne Cocktail
Greedy Gourmet ~ Buck's Fizz

WINE COCKTAILS
Andrea's Recipes ~ Sangria
Going Gluten-Free ~ Sara's Superior Sangria (also non-alcoholic version)
Field to Feast ~ Rooibos Sangria

LIQUEUR COCKTAILS
Married with Dinner ~ Strega-nator
Fun & Food ~ Blue Hawaiian

GIN COCKTAILS
Erin's Kitchen ~ Gin Bucks
Kirsten's Home Cooking ~ Gin & Juice
Fancy Toast ~ Bubbly Gin & Pomengranate Cocktail

RUM COCKTAILS
Miche Mâche ~ Mojitos
G Living ~ African Ginger Beer

BlogHer food editor Alanna Kellogg loves a surprisingly refreshing cucumber lemonade on hot summer days.