A MEMORY
Fun in August
Dear Friends,
Summer is quickly coming to an end. Children have already returned to school in some parts of the country. College students are leaving precious summer jobs hoping to have a week of vacation before going back to campus while freshman are there getting acclimated to their new “home.”
The rest of us, we’re looking forward to the extreme temperatures easing up and less congestion in malls and other large gathering places. We, too, look forward to a vacation from constant chatter and squeals of laughter from the pool or beach as youngsters attempt to cool off from the excessive heat that has driven all of us to maddening states of mind.
As the summer draws to a close, I am reminded of something that never failed to cool me as a child. HOMEMADE ICE CREAM. It always made a difference in how I felt on a very hot day.
Ice cream on a hot summer day is a good cooler from sweltering heat.
It’s mid August. The Georgia temperature and daily weather patterns of the 1950s were much different than today's 2023 climate-change patterns. Shade trees and pool dips today are no longer enough to cool children, teens, and adults from the sweltering 100+ hot temperatures. Still, one dessert stands almost alone in helping provide momentary, “cool-quenching,” relief. That dessert is ice cream.
1950s Georgia had temperatures in the 90s, and at times near 100. 2023 Georgia temperatures are soaring beyond 110 with higher than usual humidity. Besides pool dips, other cooling options—ice cream, ice cones, sherbet, lemonade, iced tea, and cold water—are all sources of relief from the ever climbing temperatures.
Homemade ice cream is what I remember most! Every summer was filled with many things to do and much fun; but, helping grandma and grand aunts make homemade ice cream was the best.
Grandma took the old fashioned churn from its perch on top of the cabinet, chose a bowl in which to mix ingredients, and began the joyful task of blending fresh fruit, cream, and other ingredients to make our cooling delight!
Several of us older kids took the little red wagon to the local ice house—about five blocks away—to get a large block of ice. We sang, danced, and chatted excitedly on our way there and back, anticipating the sumptuous treat that would be the end result.
One of the adults used an ice pick to chop the ice. Then we kids spread the ice and rock salt between the cylinder holding the ice cream mix and the wooden churn. Each child had a chance turning the handle so that the mix would harden faster.
That’s also when the real fun began—the debate as to who would get the ladle—the middle piece mixing the ice cream. Oh, that was the best part of making the ice cream—the right to spoon the first ice cream and then slowly lick the remainder from the ladle!
When the ice cream was ready our cones or cups were filled. We’d go to our favorite seating area – some of us under a shade tree, some of us on the back porch, and some of us in a rocking chair on the front porch happily eating our ice cream slowly but with much flair.
The August days of heat were momentarily cooled by delicious fresh strawberry, peach, mint, or some other flavor. Everyone was happy, even grandma who put the remainder in the freezer and cleaned the churn and kitchen.
Memories of delight are abundant. Remembering those wonderfully fun days helped me feel cool during hot August 2023 days.
What are your favorite August “cool off” moments? Memories are comforting, especially when they bring joy and smiles to our face.
Have you had ice your ice cream or sorbet today?
Enjoy the remainder of the summer,
Mary Marshall, PhD
Wonderful post! August in my growing-up region of western Washington state always meant blackberries. I still love them fresh off the vine on a warm afternoon. If we'd had our own ice cream churn, there'd have been blackberry ice cream. Mmm-mmm. We did make vanilla once when someone came visiting with an ice cream maker and rock salt. That was a TREAT! You're right about that first spoonful.
Yum. Homemade ice cream is the best!