Flower Powered

I have Viking blood!  Well, more accurately stated, I'm one quarter Norwegian.  That stands for something, I'm not sure what.  Regardless of the fractions, Things I get to do today includes taking watermelon to a family reunion potluck.  Some things stir my creative juices, and the plane watermelon begged for something out of the ordinary.

Well, naturally a bowl made from the rind would be like a boat.  Any Norwegian with any sense, and there would be those who dispute the possibility that Norwegians could have any sense, but they're not we folk, any Norwegian would know that the boat to build would be a Viking ship.

Marsh Mallow masts
Shields of Calendula, Oregano, Borage, Bok Choy

Handy as this Andy is, she has never built a boat, let alone a Viking Ship.  We needed to leave for the family gathering in about 20 minutes.  Fortunately the only tools required were a knife, a BIG spoon, and little gadgets used for carving pumpkins.  A short time later, my helpful husband had cut the "boat" innards into bite-sized chunks while I tossed about Viking shield patterns for the sides of the craft.  With time on the side of extreme simplicity, a citrus zester was used to give a bit of pattern to the rind.  Flowers from the yard stepped up to add color, texture and design as well as to shape the "masts" that the rind/watermelon could not do.

I doubt that this melon tasted better than the others at the table, but folks moved toward the Viking ship and dipped generously of its contents.  Letting flowers on board for the shields seemed perfect--flower power--make peace not war.  Family reunions can always use a generous helping of peace.