Guest Blogger: Lyndi Fultz, NWA Foodie
As a kid growing up in North Carolina, my sisters, brother and I would spend most of our sunny summer days exploring our backyard and venturing into the thickly overgrown woods. Dirtiness was never a thought for us kids. You don’t have to grow up in the seventies to have that attitude. For the most part, that’s just how kids think. Play hard, explore, get dirty, and be carefree. Those weren’t the days of fancy store-bought treats. Those were the days of making do with what you had on hand and eating fruit in its season since that was the only time it was available.
Mom kept a constant supply of ice popsicles in the freezer for us. Over the years our popsicle container collection became a mish-mash of styles with over-stretched pre nonBPA plastic choices. We became experts of sticking popsicle sticks in cups with a bit of plastic wrap and reused rubber bands to hold the stick in place.
We loved those ice popsicles. Never once did we complain that it was just frozen water. It was refreshing with a kick of fun to it.
I told this story to my husband the other day and he was stymied. For the life of him, he couldn’t understand how a water Popsicle could be that all that great. I could see that look of “poor you, growing up that way” cross over his face.
I simply said... trust me.
This weekend our nieces came over for a sleepover and I decided to try the water popsicles on them. They were running around our woodsy front yard, exploring and hunting for just-the-right- rock. “Here, have an ice popsicle.” I handed them the water popsicles and waited.
Besides the initial puzzled look as they realized the popsicle wasn’t sweet, the two carried on with their kid adventures, slurping the popsicles as fast as the water was melting down their dirty hands.
“Aunt Lyndi, you’ve GOT to try this.”
I rest my case.
Obviously, there is no need to create a special recipe for these popsicles. I used Mountain Valley spring water and I think that the flavored sparkling waters from Mountain Valley would add a nice touch. Feel free to add a little surprise in some of the popsicles, such as gummy bears or raspberries.
How simple is that?
Happy Labor Day weekend!
Lyndi Fultz, nwafoodie
Arkansas Women Blogger member Lyndi Fultz writes about living and eating well inspired by life in beautiful Northwest Arkansas at nwafoodie. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place, which she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and-honey. She doesn’t think you have to live in the big city to be a foodie. All you have to do is explore your own backyard. Light-hearted and approachable, nwafoodie is conversational with a healthy and simplistic approach to eating well.
http://nwafoodie.com
