After Harvest, Comes Celebration
Another Way for week of September 8, 2023
After Harvest, Comes Celebration
I love to hear from readers, especially when they respond with a story that follows up on something I wrote about.
Earlier this summer I told the story of how our family was begged to help finish eating a container of Orange Pineapple Ice Cream that we had enjoyed the evening before as our bedtime snack when on vacation. Daddy pushed us to eat it for breakfast so it wouldn’t go to waste. (In those days we had no way to travel with a box of ice cream without it melting to liquid.)
This reader (who asked that I not use her name) said that column in mid-July “brought back many memories to me.” She is an 80-something-year-old widow who had the joy of being married over 60 years. Her husband, unfortunately, passed away a few years back.
Her ice cream story runs like this: “When we were first married my father-in-law owned a tractor and thrashing machine, and went all over the neighborhood to thrash oats and wheat for the neighbors. After the thrashing was done for the season, all the neighbors would get together one evening to pay their bills (for the thrashing). My father-in-law would buy the ice cream and the rest would bring snacks, cookies, or cake to help celebrate. There was a place in Middlebury (Indiana) that made homemade ice cream called Vic’s Ice Cream and my father-in-law would buy a five-gallon tub of ice cream called “Orange Pineapple” and probably also some vanilla and chocolate. I don’t remember those, but I do remember the Orange Pineapple Ice Cream. What a fun evening we had.”
This reader had a second story to tell, which I enjoyed as well.
“My birthday was [early in July] and my daughter came and brought me a box of “Hudsonville Orange Pineapple ice cream” in memory of my husband. A week before, I had been to a grocery store and wanted to buy some ice cream because I was having some friends over. And yes, I bought a box of the Hudsonville Orange Pineapple in memory of my husband. It was definitely one of his favorites.”
I loved the timing of my column with her birthday celebration. Fascinating!
Now I’ll add my own little postscript to these tasty tales. Vic, the first owner of Vic’s Ice Cream was probably close to my father in age. They were also distant cousins of some kind (third or fourth, if I remember correctly). To us children, Vic had the most amazing stock of candy varieties, sodas, bubble gum and baseball cards, and of course ice cream. I always thought the town kids were lucky because they could walk by the ice cream shop on their way back and forth from school, but sometimes upperclassmen who knew how to get over there went there during lunch break. It was a special landmark for many of us in the small town of Middlebury. Someone said of Vic, “He knew how to make people happy.” What a job! Making people happy. Vic had an engaging smile.
Vic Sr. died in 1989 but he had a son who was my age. In grade school, we had some classes together. I recently read the sad news that Vic Jr. died last year (2022). We called him Victor. I hope someone in the family reads this and is reminded of how much joy they gave the community.
Most of us get happy just at the thought of a delicious bowl or cone of ice cream, especially on these days when the heat seems to linger as we anxiously await the coming of fall and cooler weather.
Yes, we could all do with eating less ice cream, in terms of calories and sugar, but we can use more celebrations! And now I’m grateful to this reader for giving me a break and “writing” my column for me!
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P.S. After this appeared in The Goshen News, a cousin of mine in Indiana, Elaine Hooley, filled in my forgetfulness about how we (my family) were related to Ice Cream Vic:
“As for relationship, he (Vic) was your second cousin, so your dad and Vic were 1st cousins ‘once removed’. Vic’s grandma, Mary A. Kauffman was an older sister of your grandma, Barbara Kauffman. Mary Ann was 14 years older than your grandma, which is the reason you have a second cousin in your dad’s generation.”
She also told me that Vic died in 1989.
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What’s your favorite flavor or brand of ice cream?
Are there ice cream hangouts in your neighborhood?
Would you rather have pie, or ice cream for dessert? Pie or cake?
Comment here or share your favorite ice cream story!
Another Way, P.O. Box 363, Singers Glen, VA 22834, or email anotherwaymedia@yahoo.com.
Another Way is a column by Melodie Davis, in syndication since 1987. She is the author of ten books, most recently Memoir of an Unimagined Career. Another Way columns are posted at FindingHarmonyBlog.com a week after newspaper publication.
findingharmonyblog 
What is my favorite flavor of ice cream? Orange-pineapple sounds pretty tasty, but when faced with a choice of flavors at the grocery store, I often go for chocolate or strawberry.
When we want to celebrate a milestone (or a personal victory) we may go to Coldstone Creamery. The ice cream there is pricey but servers mix flavors and then add all sorts of yummy morsels, your choice: sprinkles, tiny marshmallows, etc.
Mr. Vic looks super happy, probably because he knew he made his customers happy. Thanks for a delectable post, Melodie.
You are like me in sticking with traditional flavors. I’m really boring on that score: I almost always choose vanilla, although my hub likes variety in ice cream. So we choose butter pecan or strawberry or almond or black cherry ice creams for variety. Coldstone Creamery sounds yummy. We have a favorite “pricey” location at Grammies near Dayton Va. You may want to drop by there when you are here for Homecoming! I favor it over Klines, the most famous of the ice cream shops in the valley. 🙂
Years ago, my sister and brother-in-law lived in Middlebury, Indiana. I remember visiting and loving the town and the people. Thank you for these precious memories.
Well, now I wonder who your sister and brother-in-law were or are! We grew up four miles from Middlebury. It is still a homey place, as you infer. By the way, in poking around your blog, I loved the post on Marigolds and Miracles. One of my favorite stories in that vein was the year my 5 year old (I think) brought home a marigold plant they started at Sunday school, and we were happy to plant it in our flower bed out front. However, even though it grew, it just wouldn’t bloom. My daughter kept watching for a blossom, we all did, and finally finally on the first day of November that year, her flower bloomed. Yes, that was in Virginia. It never thrived but we were all so happy for that tiny miracle that lifted her spirits when she finally saw it blooming! Blessings to you.
Hello, their last name is Souders. They haven’t lived there in a long time. We are all from Virginia, although my husband and I live in SC now. 🙂 Thank you so much for reading my blog. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement.