Saturday, July 29, 2017
Staying Cool
When my younger daughter, youngest child, was thirteen-years-old, we were attending the craft show during the Helen Keller Festival, a stop on the way to Memphis. The weather was hotter than it is now, upper 90s. We were so hot and thirsty as we walked. Soon, we saw a snow cone stand and walked slowly to get one. I convinced her to get just ice then get a flavored snow cone later. I did not want either of us to get sick from so much sugar while over-heated. Later, we got the flavored snow cone. It was a long time ago and we carried no water.
Last week, while I was at Walmart, I saw a Popsicle maker, an eight-holer, reduced to a quarter. After washing it, I filled it with water. Ice with a handle is very cooling. I don't have to roll it around in my mouth, chancing choking on it, chew on it, or let some flavored, colored concoction dribble down my chin.
I don't know what I would do without ice. Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle, a novel I would highly recommend. I will spoil just one part about ice. The street gutters had toilet refuse in them which all ran to a lake. Men cut ice from this lake and stored it in ice houses for the wealthy to purchase in summer.
Want some of that ice in your tea?
Social reform regarding the treatment of immigrants was what Dreiser desired to happen. However, his account of the meat packing house so appalled President Theodore Roosevelt that the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act was the result of the book's descriptions.
Okay, I got away from ice. Now, I am doubting the lake where ice was harvested was in The Jungle. Oh, well. No, it is the next day, and I was correct about the novel.
I love banana Popsicles, so I am going to see about banana flavor for my homemade Popsicles. I can put bananas and oj in the icicle maker, too.
If you have ever rubbed an ice cube on your body to stay cool, this little handled ice cube will work. I know I have rubbed an ice cube on my face, neck, and chest to cool off. Have you?
Your turn
How much does ice figure in your keeping cool? Shall we count ac as ice since it can by icy? Have you ever put plain water in your Popsicle mold? Eaten a plain snow cone without flavored syrup all in the name of cooling off? Have you read The Jungle?
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Oh, me and ice go way back! It is so important, that we are installing a separate ice maker that makes 80lbs of ice a day! Sonic Ice at that! I keep a glass of ice water with me ALL THE TIME! Ice on my body to stay cool - oh yeah - directly on the back of my neck at times. Me and ice are one. LOL!
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
DeleteAn ice maker would be heaven! You may a good call getting that for your home. I like ice on the back of my neck, too, but with long hair, I have to put my hair up for that.
I tend to turn to water rather than ice to stay cool. Not certain why. And water on the back of my neck, my feet, my hands does help me cool down. My partner's mother used to put their pyjamas in a plastic bag in the freezer on very hot nights, so they were cool to get into.
ReplyDeleteEC,
DeleteI am sure you use cool water. I may have to put a nightgown in the freezer! How about I just live in one of the aisles of WM? Or, a meat locker?
I live in Alabama too. Of course I have rubbed ice cubes on various body parts. The most cooling is the back of the neck
ReplyDeleteAnne,
DeleteI was quite sure you would answer. Ice cubes are a necessity in this area of the country. On the sides of my neck and along my collar bones are cooling to me. Yes, the back of my neck if my hair is clipped up.
My husband loves ice. One benefit here, when it's hot, we have no humidity.
ReplyDeleteMichelle,
DeleteI live in a subtropical climate, always humid except for rare spells. Lucky you!
I thought the ice my ice maker maker tasted 'funky' so I turned it off and bought a bag of ice- I've hardly touched it. Guess I really don't use ice much. I drink water from the tap and an occasional diet coke that has been refrigerated. I keep my water bottles in the fridge. I'm going to make a conscious effort to drink more now.
ReplyDeleteI bought some Popsicle molds this year. I haven't made them solely with water yet. I'm trying to lose weight and have been proud of myself for making them with sugar free juice. ( I know that splenda is bad for you, but am more concerned with calories.) The popscicles are a great late evening treat.
ReplyDeleteEllie,
DeletePutting low-calorie juice in them molds seems like a good idea for a weight loss treat for late evening. I hope you lose weight. I am going to try that.
NAN,
ReplyDeleteMaybe you need to clean your icemaker? I try to keep water bottles in the refrigerator at least in the summer.
I use refrigerated ice tea to stay cool, don't use much ice unless I am in the heat all day.
ReplyDeleteAnother great use for your popsicle makers and your fruit that is about to go off...make a smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt and enough juice to blend. Freeze as a popsicle and you have a wonderful breakfast for a hot day. Dump in a cup and eat with a spoon to avoid dribbles!
Patti from CA
Patti,
DeleteI may be the only person who cannot stand refrigerated tea...lol. I do have plans for a smoothie in my blender and to use it in the popsicle mold. How did you know I would dribble it that early in the morning?
I have someone coming tomorrow to crawl in my cabinet and get out the blender base where someone shoved it to get it out of my way. Yeah, so I have not been able to make a smoothie for over a year. Thanks.
My mother was born in Jasper AL in 1921. She said they had some very cold winters as she was growing up and the summers were hot and humid. I don't believe they had much ice then but somehow survived.
ReplyDeleteJanet,
DeleteJasper is about 40 miles from here. Oh, it is very cold in the winter but seldom ice storms or snow. She was remembering 100 years ago, so it may have been different climate. Plus, she probably heated with wood. But, the summers were hot and humid, very much so. This is a subtropical climate. My mother survived no ice, too. I lived without ac or much ice for the first years of my life. But, I am old and spoiled...lol.
One can not live in PHX AZ without a continuous supply of ice. Our freezer puts out a lot, which I use day and day.
ReplyDeleteurspo,
DeleteI can imagine it is hot there. I have to refill ice trays, and use little except at meals. I keep water bottles in the refrigerator. I will drink the water as it comes from the tap since it tastes good. I try to stay hydrated not matter how cool or cold the water is.