Sunday, July 10, 2011

Watermelon

I just sat here last night and ate half a watermelon. I love the time for fresh fruits and vegetables. Last night I also had grapes and a peach.(And I wanted the strawberries Mel was showing). Sherry got her Mangoes from Glenda in Florida today they are beautiful!!!

watermelon

I did not thump the melon (as dad would call it), cause, to tell the truth I cannot tell when one is ripe by thumping it, dad could. I always sneaked and plugged one, if I wanted to know. I stole very few watermelons, but it is hard to resist when you are walking to the river to fish and they just roll out in the road in front of you. The same thing happened to onions and tomatoes. It was amazing!

watermelon3

I walked to the river it was about 2-3 miles I think, thru the farms and woods. I would carry a pint of pinto beans when mama had some left. that onion and tomato sure went good with it. I always said the blessing. I sometimes forgot to take my dog something, but he would share mine or find his own.

When dad would take us on a trip, mama always had a box of salt. Long before there were rest stops, Dad would stop on the side of the road and buy a melon. Along the roads there were picnic tables. (I do not know who was responsible for them) Dad would either hit it with his fist or drop it. It would break open and we would pick at it. Dad carried a very small pocket knife and I carried a big one, called a ‘Camp King’. Using my fingers I would sprinkle salt on my pieces. Dad likes salt on his also. I cannot remember Shirl and mama whether they did or not.

watermelon1

(I never left this much melon on a rind!)

Mama always seemed to have the wash cloth and dad always used his handkerchief to clean up with. The rinds were thrown out into the woods. That was travel in the 40’s & 50’s.

Many times on the trips dad would stop and get a big slice of hoop cheese and crackers. Most of you know there was no McDonalds.

I believe I think of those trips every time I eat watermelon. I love me some melon.  Once in Biloxi Miss we went out for watermelon. I ate it so far into the rind the seller gave me a free piece.

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

DID NOAH FISH?
A Sunday school teacher asked, "Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark ?"
"No," replied Johnny. "How could he, with just two worms?"

Ever wonder about Russian sports cars?

This is the Marussua Sorts car!

Marussia sports car

6 comments:

betty said...

Nothing better than watermelon on a hot summer day! It is so refreshing and satisfying! I like it both ways, with and without salt. I liked the story of your travels; kids take it for granted these days with fast food restaurants when traveling. Your parents had to be creative with meal planning while you were all traveling! Wonderful memories I am sure!

betty

shirl72 said...

Nothing better than a good watermelon. One of
the kids called it a waterlemon and we never
would correct him. I don't use salt. I don't have a gallon carton to put one of my little watermelons in to let it have a shape when it matures. They are plenty little ones out there, maybe we can find somebody that buys milk by the gallon. They are growing every day...I don't know what size they are suppose to be I will look for the tab that came with them.

Shirl

Paula said...

I like the Noah fish joke. We never traveled when I was growing up. I remember the first time I ate in a restaurant and I didn't like it at all. Went to San Antonio with a girl friend and her family. Now I spend as much time as possible eating out and not cooking. Haa

Fred Alton said...

I LOVE watermelon and can totally identify with those trips, stopping at a roadside market, eating melons, boiled peanuts, and once in a great while we stopped at a cafe to eat. Dad always tipped a quarter, no matter how much the meal had cost us. Special memories of eating the sandwiches Mama had packed at a roadside picnic table.

Amelia said...

I am one of the rare people that actually doesn't like watermelon. I enjoyed reading about your memories though :-)

Missy

Cher' Shots said...

Thanks buddy, it's going on midnight and now I'm craving watermelon. Guess I best just go to bed and dream about it.
'love & hugs from afar'