This time of year, you can spot farmer stands all over the place. Right now, they’re overflowing with fresh watermelons. I love it. I’m a sucker for watermelon – especially salted watermelon.

I don’t know why, but watermelons bought off the side of the road just taste better than the ones from the grocery store. So when I saw a little stand in a parking lot, I had to stop to buy us a big ol’ melon. As I selected from the pile of fruit in the truck bed, I thought of Mamaw and Papaw.

I’m always reminded of the mountains when watermelon season rolls around. Mamaw and Papaw loved watermelons. Papaw brought home the biggest ones he could find and put them in the creek to keep cool until it was time to cut them open.

After dinner, we’d sit around the picnic table with giant melon wedges and a salt shaker. When we were done, we tossed the rinds over the fence for the cattle.

I still take my watermelon the same way I did as a kid – pass the salt, please! Something about it brings out the sweetness of the fruit. Bug agrees with me; she prefers hers with salt, too – as does Mama Clark. We’re about the only ones I can think of who like it this way now that Mamaw and Papaw are gone.

How about y’all? Do you eat salted watermelon?