Watermelon Memory

We had our first watermelon of the season last week, bringing a flood of memories of summers long ago. I cannot eat watermelon without remembering a special moment the summer I turned nine. We had gone to Brigham City, Utah, to visit my uncle Reg and his family. My aunt served us each a big slice of watermelon on a plate and we all sat around the big dining room table to visit and enjoy the special summer treat. Using a fork, I carefully cut around the heart of my slice, intending to save that sweet center to eat last. My little brother saw an opportunity and quickly snatched that center piece of my slice and popped it in his mouth. I was quite stunned and didn't say a word. But the look of disappointment was on my face and without saying a word, Uncle Reg cut the center of his slice and placed it where my center had been. His gesture was kind, his smile warm and genuine. I managed a smile back and a timid "thank-you". Little did he realize the impact of his actions that told a little girl, "You are important to me, I care about you, I love you!" I have many uncles, all good and wonderful men, but that day, Reg became my favorite. Kindness is never wasted, especially on a child.

blanket & booties

Booties and blanket for Sarah's new baby.
Happy mothers day to all you motherers out there!
You are angels on earth and God is mindful of everything you do to bless those around you.

Blanket & booties

Congratulations to the Franco family in Hawaii on the birth of their baby boy!

Cinco de Mayo--celebrate with fried ice cream!

As part of our family's Christmas traditions, we have a big, fancy Mexican meal for our Christmas dinner. The grand finale is fried ice cream. Don't wait for Christmas to try it, though; today would also be a perfect day for a Mexican feast including fried ice cream...

Early in the day, make ice cream balls the size of a baseball, one for each person. Freeze hard.
Later in the day, take them out of the freezer, one at a time and, working quickly, coat each one with honey, then roll in rice krispies. Return to freezer until ready to fry. To fry, heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot until hot. Take balls out of the freezer one at a time and immerse in the hot oil for exactly 3 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in serving dish. Serve immediately with chocolate syrup and/or whipped cream.
Note: Fry the coated ice cream balls within 24 hours of coating; if they are made too far ahead of time, they will be tough instead of tender/crispy.