What is your favorite summer cool down?

I always thought swamp cooler was a drink! Like I dunno GA version of LI Iced Tea or something.... may we please have a picture? I can't quite visualize it. Maybe I'll go to google images or wikipedia.

podster, my part of Tx. is 90% swamp coolers, although I have both types in my home.. Love the Rif. air but have the electic bill. Therfore try to use swamp most of the time.

Screened porch and overhead fans -- it works for me!
i freeze in the air conditioning

We have overhead fans in every room.

I went over my entire bunch of pictures and didn't have one . Mon . I will try to load pictures off my camera.
Google should be good .

My daughter and I hang out at Lake Michigan - Jarvis Beach in Chicago.

Hi Liquidambar2!

Frozen watermelon? Really? I just happen to have 3/4 of one that the kids aren't eating...and it's swelting hot arround here...well for me it's hot...for some of you all you'd laugh at me I'm sure 'cause it's definitely NOT Texas here but...just the same...we aren't used to that much heat here. Gonna have that watermelon in the freezer soon...how do you do it...cut up in chunks and chuck into the freezer? Gonna try that anyways and give it a go! May have a new fave by tomorrow! :)

Didn't ask me , but I cut it into bite sized pieces and freeze it on a cookie sheet , then chunk it into zip lock bags . It doesn't last long .Yum

Wed2thawind
Nice name.
My parents loved fishing and loved catching pike - so I know Canada in the summer time and it is hot too.

To Freeze Watermelon
Digger told you exactly right.
Freeze separate on chunks before putting them all together in a bag..

Darn it - always extra many steps and extra time - in all this food stuff.
I only started doing this last fall when I raised a bunch to sell (and did but still had the small ones that I froze) .
I know they separate out easy to pull out and eat like a bag of chips-- just as they first start to defrost. We ate them all up by Jan. Freezer was full

I never did see how it was to lump them all together in a bag -at once- they may have separated too once they started to defrost.
Has anyone else did this and what how did it turn out?

I don't care for grapes myself so I've never done this, but I've heard that freezing seedless grapes is an easy, no-extra-steps-necessary frozen snack.

Also good for a cold sweet snack if you're not wanting to put on extra calories . They melt fast , so eat fast . LOL

Well I don't want to be insulting anyone but I'm still for sitting in front of the air conditioner if you have it there. It may not be that healthy but it is calorie free, and it sure FEELS GOOD!!!!

Hi...glad my idea of frozen grapes has taken us into these new directions...I'm now a frozen fruit junkie! I admit I haven't tried the watermelon yet as I was thinking that just
chucking 'em all in the freezer might not work out too great...was waiting to get more info...good thing I did or I'd likely be knawing on a big chunk of frozen melon just now...lol! I tried mango that was getting over-ripe instead! Mmmmm! Yummy! Watermelon next...promise!...in separate bites!

The name...Wed2thahwind...I was sitting here in the HEAT and a nice cool breeze came in...I told myself I just fell in love with that wind and...tadahhh! A name was born...lol! Glad you like! :)

juhur7...I for one am not insulted in the least...I'd be sitting in front of the a/c right now...with a bag of assorted frozen fruit...if it weren't that I'm alergic to the coolants in the a/c! Cheers all!

Ohhh, I got wedded to the wind this evening. I was tiling my watermelon patch this evening - hot, humid, sweat coming off of me like I just step out of the shower. I thought I was going to have to stop before the job was finished and just at my breaking point; along came some wind off some thunderstorm some wher.
Thank Goodness!.

I finished the job, and my sweet son came with the truck and trailer to load up my tiller and --he brought a big container of ice water.

I had to buckets of rain water that ran off the barn - and splashed some water on my face ---- it was so hot it was like bath water and I got no relief from that! BUt the wind from the movement of the truck on my ride back was delightful!

I have by the way - seedless grapes just getting ripe - they are about the size of large beads on a necklace. I was wondering what to do with them.


This message was edited Jul 22, 2012 10:04 PM

Hey all, my husband's aunt (born and raised in Florida before central air was in every home) used to mush up wantermelon with some good chunks left in and then mixed in vodka or Southern Comfort and freeze. Made a great adult slushy....I'm just saying.

Sounds good . Now let's see , do I still have any Southern Comfort in the cupboard ?

Although I do not really want to be all sweaty and hot, I can't help it. I want to be in my garden so bad. I feel that there is always something that needs my attention out there. I love gardening.

destinip, I agree! And that is why I think God invented bubble bath! Some candles, that frozen watermelon slushy, and a good book at the end of the day.......☺

I just bought two more watermelons , and put a bag of grapes in the freezer . I offered D H a cup of them last night , his first taste of them . MISTAKE ! Now I have to buy enough for him to make a meal out of , or hide them . LOL

Digger;
With those blueberries and grapes - if you have strawberries, and blackberry juice of what ever - you can make smoothies and freeze them. I makes all that stuff last longer. And everyone has a chance of getting a little of every thing.

My mother and grandfather use to freeze cantaloupe years ago. They laid the sugar to it though, but both were sugar holics, it may not have been nessacary. Also they would let them thaw out before eathing them. I bet they would have been better eaten some what frozen.

Does anyone know about frozen cantaloupes?

My watermelon plants are coming along.
The ones that sprouted early are spreading out and setting on watermelons
I had to replant again because a lot of the seeds did not come up. I over planted the next time, some places 8-10 came up and still there were spots were nothing came up.

I got a wet rainy day and mud boots and transplanted.

I guess I will go out and pull off my seedless grapes -a little larger than the size of BBs and see how they do.


This message was edited Jul 25, 2012 10:29 AM

My teeth hurt when I eat frozen things. WAH! I drink cold, icy drinks through a straw. Actually trained myself not to like ice cream.... but reading this thread has SO got me craving something frozen!

I have to buy strawberries and grapes . I do make a lot of smoothies tho , and freeze slices of banana . I buy the flavored water and mix banana, yogurt in the blender . Favorite ! Blueberries , figs , any fruit is fair game .
I've frozen cantaloupe and like it . I've made pies out of cantaloupe too . My favorite way to eat cantaloupe is to refrigerate it and when good and cold , halve it , de-seed it and drop a large dip of well hardened (from freezer ) vanilla ice cream in the center .
I need to go pick blueberries . I have two clumps of bushes that were late getting ripe .

My teeth used to hurt me too . My bottom front were sensitive from the age of seven. Fifty years after that , I decided to trade them in on some new ones .I only get brain freeze now .BIG LOL !

Blueberry Tea

I do not understand how Digger you are still picking blueberries - mine are all done a month ago and I live north of you.
You know - you all are canning corn - while I am planting mine.

I really would like to know what kind of blueberries they are!
I know you don't know but darn I am envious.

Cantaloupe pie????
Never heard of it!
What is in it besides cantaloupe?

Echoes over here -- cantaloupe pie?

Liquid , Make it like pumkin pie or sweet potato pie . always add a pinch of salt and don't be stingy with the butter . Actually , in south Texas , they even make pie out of grapefruit . Make as you would any fruit pie and thicken with a little flour instead of corn starch . (which I don't like anyway . ) Again , a pinch of salt and extra butter .
I looked up the thread and thought I offered you some of these blueberry sprouts . I either have that on another thread , or I sent it into space . Try the pie Carriel .

Yes you offered on another thread.
Thanks.

Been away for a few and missed a lot of great suggestions I can see. I tried the frozen watermelon...yummy! I couldn't get it in fast enough tonight as I am parched and needed someting real cold real quick...don't have no southern comfort here in Canada and no alcohol on hand so I improvised...frozen watermelon bits, juice of 1/4 lemon, cranberry juice all blended in the blender and poured into a martini glass! Now THAT is refreshing! New fave!!! I'm gonna get everybody hooked on it arround here!

Hey Digger, glad your dh is into the grapes...my boyfriend is also getting hooked on them too...not to mention ME! I'm realising pretty well all frozen fruit is awesome. Frozen bleuberries in your morning cereal is also delish! Helps me alot since I don't like b'fast usually but this goes down well. Hope everyone is having a good one!

The recipe sounds really - really good.
Thanks @ Wed to the Wind.

I just froze 20 pints of seedless grapes I raised -- yesterday. They are about the size of marbles and come in a really packed together tight pod.

I am so impressed with this variety of grapes, I only have the one vine that I bought it at Lowes six years or so, ago. It grows fast and produces a mauve (pinkish) blush on green and best of all they are (SEEDLESS).. They are sweeter than the other grapes my parents raised that are very dark purple blue, have seeds ,and are rather sour.
If nothing else I will make grape pies out of them, because you are suppose to include the skins to make a good grape pie.

My parent's grapes - I had to spend hours popping out the skins and putting them in a separate bowl to save, and then run the pulp; and seeds through the juicier.

See what I have had to do in the past.
That is why I whin/whimper/ cry/ complain when I have to freeze the watermelon in separate piecies on a cookie sheet. Wore out with it all - even if it is really good.

This message was edited Jul 30, 2012 11:45 PM

Sit at a table with a few cookie sheets and a small cutting board . Watch T V and cut away . Even better yet , use a very small mellon ball or butter ball cutter and scoop away to your hearts content.

Sitting sounds great!
I do that with green beans.
But really that is not why I am a whinning about it -it is because it ties up my freezer with great big cookie sheets takes up room in the freezer. - darn cookie sheets.
It is not cutting them up or placing them on the cookie sheets not to touch one another - it is getting enough room -in the freezer and I can hardly stack them, you know.

I do have trouble with making room in my freezer. Actually I have three - . I fill them by autumn to the point I could not squeeze in one small raisin - let along big cookie sheets.

Sigh! such a small matter in life, but still one that vexes me.

I have three freezers , same problem . I need to eat more out of them . One , the upright is for meat and main stuff to make a meal around and the 15' chest is for the fruit , veggies , over stock meat and mis stuff . The side by side is for leftovers from meals such as soup and beans,ham chunks and bacon, and pecans , peppers , coconut and other stuff for baking and everyday seasoning including flour , pasta , rice and anything that could get bugs .I have an empty freezer, 15' in the shop that I need to sell , and another , 22' to junk.
I do my green beans and peaches at the table too . Tomatoes are fast , I do them in the kitchen .

Wow, you guys are energetic. I have an old chest freezer that is mostly empty. Sadly, its primary function is a folding station next to the dryer.

Wish I had a folding table , you lucky thing, to have that much room .

OHHHH, I actually had a good long belly laugh, from your comment bonehead.
Yes, I too have one beside the dryer - and it does make a good folding table -


Another thing that can keep you cool - well not really but cooler - is to do all work - farm or yard before 10:00.
You could wait till the evening around 7:00 or 8:00 even, but I do believe the heat builds all day in the summer and there is no cool evenings.

Freezer is actually an excellent place to store any food with a fat content--coconut, flour, wheat germ, coffee, nuts, seeds, butter, cheese, bacon--as well as anything you can get apart after frozen (like blueberries, cranberries, melon balls or grapes). if you wrap stuff carefully freezers are perfect!

Yes... food with fat content ~ lol When it is frozen, I can't eat that fat stuff as fast. Then I have time to think about it while it thaws. 8 )))

Digger ~ you mentioned

Liquid , Try the food processor , then pour into square cake pans and freeze , melt a chunk just a little , reprocess and have a great smoothie . Add other fruit if wanted , or a little fruit juice of your choice . It's cool out this morning , so got everything watered . Need to set out some plants , but can wait
Pod , I never have more than three at a time and have a large fridg for a camper ,with separate freezer . So far , it's big enough but would appreciate the information if you find it .
Back in 1996 or so , I froze 7 gallons of pecans I had picked up and shelled . I thought my step son had taken some home with him years ago . Not so . I cleaned out the freezer in the shop and found three gals. Everything went into the landfill except the pecans . I kept putting off cleaning the freezer because the shop was a good walk from the house and always locked . I did check it when I was down there to make sure it was still working , but just one of those things I kept putting off . You know , "It's frozen , it can wait until I have more time " That was two years ago and after tasting the pecans , determined they were as fresh as the day they went into the freezer . I have made many pies and have only about a cup left now . Sure glad I tasted them before they went to the deer and squirrels . Not one rancid in the lot .