During my youth time was never on my mind. I had plenty of time to do things. I never considered time to be short and passing. I set goals that had no timeline…why would I? I had plenty of time ahead of me. I am not 80 years old, but I’m not 18 either. I am at an age that understands time is fleeting. I need to take advantage of it while it’s here, and while I am able. If only I could prevail against my worst adversary: procrastination. I’ve had my victories, but not enough…
It seemed I waited too long for summer to arrive, only to wake up one day and realize that the season is about to change again. For my son, today is the last day of summer. The new school year starts tomorrow. While there are still technically five weeks left of summer, I know that I will wake up one day soon with the cold autumn winds lightly swishing my face and I will be surrounded with hard squashes and the scent of fall apples filling my soul.
Summer might just be my favorite season. I look forward to trips to the beach on weekends. I love the sun on my skin. I love the carefree feeling summer brings. Our days as a family are definitely less hectic when school is out. I love being able to spend lazy days with my family and unhurried evenings with later bed times. At the top of all these, I also love the summer crops! The ripest tomatoes, the sweetest corn, the best berries, the tastiest eggplant, the juiciest peach, the perfect watermelon…it’s quite a long list! I will surely miss these summer treats, and I’m afraid I didn’t eat enough of them! And could I wait another nine months?
Last night we had my nephew and his girlfriend over for dinner. They are young artists with the slender bodies of early twenties dancers, and do not consider food much of a priority. They were obviously hungry. I know what that’s like, as I was there once. I decided to make spaghetti Bolognese, Caesar salad, stuffed mushrooms, toasted breads and burrata. I remember being grateful to be fed well when I was that age…most times I lived on instant ramen, good old Totinos pizza rolls, and Hot Pockets. It was a terrific dinner and we were full. They asked if we had dessert and I gave them choices: two types of ice cream, cookies, and watermelon. I ended up serving ice cream and watermelon. The watermelon was just right…sweet and juicy! We all commented on how much we love watermelon, which prompted me to tell a story about my childhood and my love for watermelon.
I was reminded of the time when my grandparents owned farmlands in the Philippines. My grandparents planted rice, corn, and melons. Some of the farms were just a short walk behind their house. My childhood was rich with outdoor activities and many cousins, with whom I shared everything. This was the time when we were allowed to be outdoors without adult supervision. This was also a time when sunscreen wasn’t even an afterthought, let alone the priority I’ve made it for my son. By the end of every summer I had cracked, dark brown skin. It was a simpler time but maybe just a bit careless, too. My cousins and I spent a lot of time together during the weekends at my grandparents’ house, but in the summer we had the entire season together. I remember those wonderful times: hot, humid, carefree, and full of love. We ate steamed corn, sucked on sugar cane stalks, split twin pops, shared halo-halo, roasted cashews over bonfires at night, consumed unimaginable amounts of mangoes, and cracked watermelons. Watermelons were the best treats during those hot summer days in the tropics. I remember trekking a narrow dike to the watermelon fields with my cousins and sister, armed with a spoon in our pockets. Someone from the team could tell if a watermelon was ready for eating by snapping his fingers on the melon’s skin with his ear pressed against the rind. I was told that a certain sound indicated the ripeness of the watermelons. We would cut several of the ripe watermelons from their vines, take them into our hut, and crack them open. Then spoons were taken out of our pockets and we ate until we were full and satisfied, juices running down our chins and arms…it was the best!
My nephew and my son seemed mildly amused by this story. It was way before their time, perhaps even too primitive for them to understand. After all, watermelon can now be bought pre-cut in a container (with a spoon!) at any supermarket. And seedless! It was simply a different time and place, and I was lucky enough to be there.
I like eating watermelon just as they are, but they are also great in salads and beverages.
Here are some watermelon recipes to enjoy during your carefree summer days.