Written by Faced with a prompt of “freezing” for today, my mind went immediately to the opposite and so we have this melting ice pop. I loved having ice pops as a kid. Although we would sometimes have our own in the freezer, it was even more fun to buy them yourself from the guy in the ice cream truck that would prowl the neighborhood. Once we kids would hear the familiar “ding, ding” of the bell we would rush to our mom, begging her for a bit of change so that we could enjoy a lovely frozen treat. With change in hand, we’d run sometimes blocks to catch up with the ice cream truck, which is what we called it, even though it was actually a van. Though, our ice cream guy wasn’t really into his job, I think. He would often drive far faster than he should, leaving us little time for our important mom negotiations. Sometimes, we were so out of breath by the time we caught up to the van that we could barely spit out the words to place our order. But thankfully, we always found a way and were soon enjoying a messy, melting bit of summer goodness.
I always loved this type of popsicle. The kind with multiple colors. This one is perfectly made up, of course, and I’m not sure what the flavors actually are. Some kind of watermelon, banana madness it seems, but those are the colors I gravitated toward today. As a kid, there really wasn’t a color made that would stop me from trying it. One of my favorite treats was a popsicle called Strawberry Shortcake. This was a strawberry center with a layer of vanilla ice cream that was coated in an ingredient called “cake crunch” that’s made up of way too many other ingredients to mention. It basically contained all the artificial colors and flavors that could stop a grown man’s heart, but simply captured the heart of young boy. I haven’t had one as an adult, but the memory is more than enough to satisfy my cravings. Those visions of running after the ice cream truck are so vivid. Sure, maybe it was because we actually had to run in our neighborhood to catch up with a guy who seemed to be avoiding us, but it was still fantastic!
In the heat of the summer, of course, once the treat was obtained it was a race to finish it before the scorching sun finished it for you. But, that was all part of the wonderful experience. My little crew of friends would come back home with faces smeared with various colors of food coloring and happiness and life was just pretty awesome. I often miss those carefree days when you just did the next thing on your mind and didn’t have a list of things that you absolutely had to do. I don’t think I really appreciated the freedom I had as a child. If I didn’t get my change for the ice cream truck that day, I was devastated and though my little life must nearly be at its end. These days, I’m just always trying to catch up with life and not get too far behind. But, I love dreaming back to those days when all that mattered was a handful of change and gleeful run toward nirvana. Sometimes, when things get a bit stressful, I think back to these days. Suddenly, rather than feeling stressed, I just feel the sweet glow of a life lived in sheer joy. And in these moments, no matter what challenges still lie before me, I can feel each little worry falling into the background, and simply melting away.
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About the DoodlewashM. Graham Watercolors: Gamboge, Opera Rose, Permanent Green Pale, Ultramarine Blue, and Neutral Tint. Lamy Safari Al-Star Fountain Pen – Extra Fine,
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with Platinum Carbon with black ink in an A6 
You reminded me that we have tangerine popsicles in the frig – though Popsicle is a licensed name, so it’s really a frozen fruit bar but it’s gonna be mine in about 30 seconds – YUM! And I do love your beautiful melty treat, Charlie – tempting me to indulge!
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 And thanks for the watch out… I’ve changed the term to ice pops in order to avoid any potential issues. So glad you enjoyed this! I’m super jealous you have such a frozen treat at your disposal!! hehe
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“the memory is more than enough to satisfy my cravings. ”
Excellent!
Aww thanks! So glad you liked that bit! 😃💕
Love your Popsicle blog and your painting of that drippy treat. Ah, the memories! I lived in San Francisco when i was a kid and don’t ever remember an ice cream truck, but when we were on vacation there was always one roaming the lanes. It really was grand. And as for the memories, why do you think I paint so many children? I remember and love it all. <3
Thanks, Charlie.
Aww thanks, Susan! 😃💕 I totally love that you paint the beauty of childhood! I can’t paint people at all, so I have to resort to objects instead. hehe Childhood memories are so wonderful!!
For some of us they are wonderful memories, and I count myself blessed that mine were happy days.
“I often miss those carefree days when you just did the next thing on your mind” – ohhhh yes.
Beautiful. I remember the hideous “bomb pops” with glee – the red white and blue ones – I really have no idea why I ate blue food ever, but it was a delight. An ice cream truck still goes through our neighborhood – I wonder what he’d do if I ran out there?
Haha… Bomb pops were the best… I painted one of those once. Blue food was awesome. It was so unnatural… it had to be something great!! You should definitely run after the ice cream truck!! If one came through my neighborhood I would be the first in line!! 😃💕
I had a good laugh at the thought of a slightly disgruntled ice-cream van driver who speeds through neighborhoods with throngs of children running and waving madly behind him, Charlie. And I *love* the idea of “watermelon banana madness.” If you lived just a little bit closer I would suggest an experiment involving those very ingredients. Alas, your lovely little melty painting is a lovely consolation.
Awww… thanks, Heide! 😃💕 I would definitely be popping over to try such an experiment if we lived closer together!! What fun!!!
The PERFECT post for this summer weather we’re having here, thank you Charlie, that makes me smile . And that gorgeous painting of those fabulously artificial colours is making me think I’m going down to the shop to get me a lolly very shortly as it’s nearly lunchtime 😊
Awesome!! Thanks, Phil!! 😃💕 Glad this brought back great memories and seems fitting for today. I’ve been craving one of these ever since I painted it! hehe
Love this, perfectly timed! The nostalgia is flowing again, in all its sticky colour. I like the sound of the flavours in the doodlewash pop! I don’t remember the chase for the ice cream van – perhaps ’cause I was, natch, rarely there 😉 – but the sound of Greensleeves in chime makes me happy regardless.
There were some doozies on the side of the van, weren’t there, all with their incredibly strident branding and hilarious names. Did/Do you have Funny Feet over there? It’s one of the more memorable from days gone by. What could be more appetising than sucking on a big strawberry toe? I used to favour the Calippo, because they turned into an drink almost immediately, and the packaging scuppered the sun’s plans to take away your lolly!
Yeesh – I want a lolly now!
hehe!! You should totally have a lolly, Jacob!! 😃💕 And oh my gosh! I think I did have something like Funny Feet here… I think they were called Frozen Toes and had a bubblegum ball embedded in the big toe. Sucking a big foot was a weird idea that makes you wonder who invented it! Lol