Chronicles of a Thrifty Homemaker: Bringing Back an Old Fashioned Summer

I am so happy that others are as excited about this series of posts as I am. Here's a few comments left on the blog:

Kathy in Illinois said...

What a wonderful post, Terri!! I was thinking the same thing when I read your previous post of what summer means to you. We do grill alot in the summer- every Sunday- weather permitting- and usually in between too. In fact we had t-bone steaks on the grill for Father's Day today! Yum!! We had lots of fresh fruits- water melon, cantalope,cherries, "Georgia"peaches and grapes. A favorite summer memory is in the summer evenings my 2 sisters and I would put on a circus for our mom and dad. Then we would sit out in the metal lawn chairs and watch the sky and catch fireflies! We would swing on the huge tree swing and play croquet. I wish I could go back to those carefree days again. I hope you get lots of feedback on this one. I will be reading. Thanks for the memories.
God bless, Kathy in Illinois

Now doesn't a circus sound like fun?! We often 'put on a show' for Granny in the evenings after supper, entertaining her with songs we'd learned from the radio or Vacation Bible School. Our parents were far less interested in such things but Granny was always a great audience.

Michele said...

Funny, I was just sharing stories from my childhood summers with my "bored" children.

I used to tell my children of our fun summers here too when they were bored. Kay probably had the most fun of all the children living here because she listened and attempted to make her own fun. She tells me that she's proud I taught her to use her imagination. Gracious but imagination is the most fun thing of all!

Kay said...

I decided to do this (enjoy summer) a few years ago, as my children grew up and moved away. My Farmer is busy with long hours during this season, & I used to resent that he wouldn't stop and just sit on the patio or enclosed porch with me. Then I decided to just do it myself and enjoy my own company. (and God's.) I furnished my porch with chairs and a table and some fun decorating pieces. I made our patio more user friendly with chairs, a bench and sweet smelling herbs. Now when I have some free time, and the heat isn't too bad, you'll find me in one of those two places, reading or just watching nature.

I'm right there with you, Kay. I try to replicate what was best about summers in the past. Sitting outdoors under a shade tree or on the porch sipping a glass of ice water, pots of pretty flowers blooming all about me. Often I'm alone too, but only just at first. Before fifteen minutes are up I've often been joined by the cat, the dogs, and husband and any kids who happen to be home as well, lol.

Heidi said...

I never buy watermelon since it is only Jos and I. I do however buy other types of melons and we love to eat them. As a child, we used to believe my parents when they said a watermelon would grow in your belly if you swallowed a seed...lol. Did your parents ever tell you that too?

Hugs from Holland ~
Heidi

Oh Heidi! There's a memory I'd forgotten. We were told some tall tales about watermelon seed. After a day in the fields playing, we were urged to wash up. Granny always inspected our ears and assured us she could grow watermelon in the dirt she found behind them, lol.

Mama and Daddy were like your parents in telling us the seeds would sprout in our belly if we swallowed them, but my cousins assured us solemnly that they had it on good authority that watermelon seeds caused appendicitis. Needless to say with such dire warnings we didn't attempt to eat watermelon seeds on purpose!

Let's have a bit of melon fun...

I remember this dessert from summers when my oldest children were little. It looks like watermelon, right? But it's yummy ice cream and sherbets.
http://www.joyofbaking.com/WatermelonBombe.html

Infused waters being all the rage just now, why not watermelon infused water?

This picture is from the blog listed below.
http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/08/25/infused-water-makes-a-beautiful-cheap-summer-beverage/

Why not try a watermelon smoothies? Again the picture is from the blog, which tells you all about how to make this treat.

http://homecookingrocks.com/watermelon-smoothie/

And this photo of watermelon pops is from the blog spot listed below. Don't they look great? I love that she used real melon to make them.

http://maresfoodandfun.blogspot.com/2008/07/watermelon-pops.html

Mind you all, we only ever watermelon as it came from the rind, but why not try it as a salad?