When I spotted the Horned Melon … with names like African Horned Cucumber, Jelly Melon, or even Kiwano … so named by those down under in NZ – it looks to some extent like a kiwi … a prickly one, I'd guess …
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| African Horned Cucumber |
... I thought of Jacqui and her prehistoric fiction … so here's another useful plant – should you ever find yourself stranded in the Kalahari or Namib deserts and need a drink …?!
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| Paleo Makgadikgadi Lake in pre-historic times |
It apparently has plenty of useful benefits … so I've included a link below to those suggestions – I do like the way they've summarised each one … but honestly do we need to be told to cut off the spikes before snacking on the peel?!
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| Illustration found inside the book - which highlights where subjects may be found |
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| This is the book I refer to |
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| Female flower on the vine |
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| Awaiting the sun to ripen the fruit |
Anyway perhaps natural selection will take to weeding the human race?!
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| Namib - Sand and Sea |
Healthline on the Kiwano melon - benefits
Savage Land - my post for Jacqui
The presumed maximum extent of the Paleo Makgadikgadi Lake in early Pleistocene and the course of the rivers in the early to middle Cenozoic - website here ...
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
33 comments:
Kiwano sounds like a wonderful food. I was going to say 'superfood' but I don't like that expression. Oh, blow - I've used it.
Glad to hear that you're feeling a little better - brain fog is unpleasant. I hope you can find something to dissipate it entirely.
Horned cucumber looks threatening.
Take-out is so bad for the body.
I've taken note of this fruit. You may see it appear in the next trilogy.
I have never heard of such a fruit - it looks a bit off-putting! Glad you are feeling better.
So many fruits and vegetables I have never heard of.
I love that your horned melon reminded you of Jacqui's prehistoric fiction. Do you eat the seeds too? I think the next 'try 'em' on my list is going to be white strawberries. Hope you are well. Cheers,
Love it.
@ Janice - doesn't it sound delicious ... I could order some via the dreaded 'A' but would cost pounds sterling 39 - ?? So I decided I didn't need to know or taste. Thanks re the health note ...
@ Alex - delicious inside, dangerous out. And yes - take-out is awful ... not for me either ...
@ Jacqui - thanks ... I hope you've noted the map ...
@ Anabel - nor had I heard about it ... otherwise I'd have posted about it before ... but (I think) fun to know about. Yes - I'm glad I'm feeling easier ...
@ Diane - I agree there are lots of veggie and fruits to try and taste ... me too - I love finding new ones ...
@ Sandra - thank you - just an easy post to put up ... yes you can eat the seeds. White strawberries are delicious ... enjoy them. and thanks for the 'love it' comment ...
Cheers to you all - Hilary
Oh, I'd absolutely need a primer on how to eat those fruits. If I was brave enough to try them. You never really know what parts of a fruit are good and what aren't when you're unfamiliar with them.
Removing the spikes seems fairly obvious, but nowadays there's a note on everything for safety purposes. It generally means someone was stupid in the situation. Natural selection, indeed!
Cheers to a clearer brain. Keep the humor and curiosity. Cheers to a healthy June!
A big hooray for less brain fog - which hasn't been evident in your posts or comments but has no doubt been distressing.
Those fruits sound good. I will keep an eye out for them. Thank you.
Hari OM
I love exotic fruits... but given the price of local produce these days, anything beyond that is almost prohibitive. I nearly fainted at my grocery bill today and nothing fancy in it! YAM xx
That cucumber is so weird looking. :) Would I try it with its odd monster like appearance? I don't know. haha
I don't know that I would pick prickly fruit and put them in my fridge. They may be perfectly healthy fruits but as Australia's recent deaths from individually picked, poisonous mushrooms have proven, amateurs need to be cautious.
I've never tried anything like this,
but your writing style makes it tempting.
Surely man has gone too far with nature!!
Thanks for the information!
Passion fruit with banana and lime sounds delightful and thirst-quenching. Interesting info as always, Hilary. ☺ I'm glad you're feeling better!
@ Liz - ah ha ... I know some would find the thought of eating these fruits somewhat daunting ... but I love finding out about produce ...
@ Joanne - yes ... removing the spikes does seem obvious doesn't it - but everything has to have instructions ... as you say. Natural selection ... and now a clearer brain ... I don't think I can change - so there'll be plenty more 'odd' posts ...
@ EC - yes thankfully less brain fog. Oh great - if you find one of these fruits and try one please let us know ...
@ Yam - yes I'm eating seasonally and British these days ... I'm enjoying the asparagus season ... life is expensive ...
@ Teresa - oh .. you'd have to give it a go ... think of that taste ... sounds delicious to me ...
@ Hels - interesting comment, thank you ...
@ Katarina - passion fruits are so delicious ... so I'd give one of these a go. Thanks for the appreciative comment re my writing style - just me is what I call it!! Man has to be on the brink of going too far with nature - or AI perhaps ... great to see you here ...
@ Debbie - good to see you ... I, like you, like the sound of these flavours ... thirst quenching while enjoying the sun. I'm glad I'm feeling easier ...
Cheers everyone - thanks for your thoughts and comments - Hilary
This is my first acquaintance with Horned Melon, Hilary, but I have never met a melon I didn’t want to eat so this one would doubtless join the list. We are now into water melon weather here. Yesterday it topped 30 degrees. We had no melon so a gin and tonic on the patio had to suffice. It was a very acceptable substitute I may tell you! Lots to chew over in this post, but the thing that really caught my eye was, “Perhaps natural selection will take to weeding the human race.” Now that would be a real step in the right direction! Have a great weekend - David
Hi David - well it was my first acquaintance the said Melon ... and thought it was interesting enough to post about. You're lucky ... here we're under 20 - but on the coast ... and boy it's almost cold!
Gin and tonic on the patio sounds ideal ... I'll join you with a vodka and tonic - for some reason gin and I do not agree.
I'm glad you enjoyed my sentence about weeding out the human race ... made me smile writing it up!
Cheers to you and Miriam - and thank you I'll enjoy the weekend - Hilary
Glad to hear the murkiness is passing. Cheers,
A few names I have heard of, but many that I have not. Loved our holiday last year in Namibia, I could happily live there. Cheers Diane
What a strange looking fruit, sounds tasty though. As they say, don't judge a book by its cover! Glad to read that things are on the up for you, Hilary.
I hope you health gets sorted out and soon. There are so many edibles I've never heard of and I agree with you about so many people who couldn't survive in an emergency.
How cool that you thought of Jacqui and her prehistoric fiction when you saw the horned melon. It sounds like such a fascinating and useful plant, perfect for a survival story. The idea of it tasting like a mix of passionfruit, banana, cucumber, and lime is really tempting.
It's amusing that they have to advise cutting off the spikes before eating the peel. Your thoughts on natural selection and modern youngsters are quite playful, and I totally get the sentiment. It's great to hear that your brain murkiness has eased. I hope your GP visit brings even more clarity.
Have a day filled with energy, beauty and fun, Hils.
It's a little scary-looking, but sure sounds tasty! So glad to hear you're doing better, Hilary!
I tend to agree with Shaw: ‘Youth is wonderful. A shame to waste it on children.
Feel yourself hugged, Hilary.
Hilary!
So lovely to see you are still educating us with a side of wit and wonder.
That horny cucumber sounds like a great, fruity drink or smoothie—I might have to concoct it, now that I have more time. I’ll let you know how it turns out…
And the previous post - pi + infinity in poetry=perfection!!
thanks again for sharing your infinite bits of wisdom!
Tara Tyler Talks
Hope you've had a lovely weekend, Hils. Cheers,
@ Sandra ... life trickles on ... it is taking its time. Thanks for all the comments - appreciate them ...
@ Diane - great to see you ... I keep finding new things and am always glad I can incorporate them here. I loved Namibia too - I hope you can get back sometime ... but France and your home looks wonderful ...
@ Keith - yes as they say don't judge a book by its cover ... as too the horned melon. The body is on slow mode - but improving far too slowly.
@ Susan - the health is being a nuisance, but so be it - it could be so much worse. Yes - today so many couldn't cope if something happened ... I get frustrated with the youth as so many seem to live and be ...
@ Melody - Jacqui's pre-history is so well written ... and having some experience of Africa ... I enjoy the memories of life down south.
It was like the time when Avocados were introduced to England - people didn't know how to eat them ... similarly take off the spikes - crazy instruction!
Thanks ... I do get so frustrated by youngsters of today. The medical appts are happening - and one day things will resolve themselves, for now I'm coping ...
@ Elizabeth - yes they are scary looking aren't they, but I thought they sounded very tasty. Slowly but slowly towards improvement - thank you!
@ Sean - ha! - another quote I see ... and a v good one. You feature my post of today ... it's hot hugs at the moment!!
@ Tara - I can't help myself - this where the brain meanders. Oh - ok you used the horny cucumber!! I've just avoided that word ... but it did come to mind. Oh yes - please let me know if you do concoct a drink using the horny cucumber ...
So glad you enjoyed the Pi + infinity in poetry ... great to seeing you here ..
Cheers everyone - I'll be around shortly - Hilary
Nothing against HOT hugs. ;-)
Still hot hugs! Belatedly arrived ... thanks!
And it's even getting hotter. ;-)
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