I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
Summertime by Laurie Buchanan
Twice a day, every day, the ice cream truck slowly makes its way down our street. We can hear the distinctive sound of summer—ice cream truck music—approaching from the distance.
The first run of the day—usually around noon—is accompanied by Pop Goes the Weasel. Through the open window we can hear children plead with their parents, “Paleeze!”
The second run—conveniently after dinner, about 6:30pm—is accompanied by Do Yours Ears Hang Low? and the whining harmony of siblings, “…but we finished all of our dinner!”
Regardless of the time of day, most of us still freeze in our tracks and smile as the familiar melodies kick our salivary glands into action and trigger visions of summers long past.
The best investigative reporting is done by journalists who are willing to jump in the trenches and do some taste testing. Somebody had to do it, and I’ve got melted ice cream on my shorts and shirt to prove it.
So what’ll it be—a Creamsicle, Choco Taco, Haagen-Dazs Bar, Starbucks Coffee Ice Cream, Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia bar, Bubble Gum Swirl Bar, Giant Neapolitan Sandwich, Itti Bitz, Oreo Cyclone, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bar, Snow Cone, Popsicle Intense Fruit Shot, or a Blue Bunny Double Lemon Chill?
What’s your favorite way to cool off in the summertime?
“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan
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© 2011 Laurie Buchanan – All Rights Reserved
Tuesdays with Laurie 
Oy Vey!
Are those all the treat that that ice cream truck carries or are you just asking us which one we prefer?
The Mister Softie truck comes around usually only once, we have on occasion a blue bunny truck that comes by! I have not bought from one of these trucks in years.
The Wawa, the local convenient store, or even the food store is only a few blocks away. To tell the truth I would rather go out for a good cup of coffee…
Jeff – Those are just a FEW of the types of ice cream novelties that our ice cream man carries — it’s mind boggling! On a hot day if I was given a choice between a good cup of coffee or coffee ice cream, I’m pretty sure I’d go for the ice cream 🙂
First: Favorite way to cool off: Swimming! in a pool, lake, river, or ocean.
Second, unless I am mistaken, we live in the same town and I have never seen that ice cream truck, could you please give him my address?
Linda – And we only live 2 miles from HolEssence (north of 176, between Walk-up and Rt. 14) so we have to be somewhat close since you walk by HolEssence all the time. Isn’t that the coolest ice cream truck? And it’s loaded with EVERY sort of ice cream concoction under the sun 🙂
Here is a good one. Last Friday after dental work my dentist told me that my gums would be sore for at least 24 hours and recommended I eat “ice cream” !!!!! Not a problem doc 🙂
I told one of my cousins and she said she wished her doctor would tell her to eat ice cream.
Ann – WOW, that sounds like a delicious “prescription!”
It sure was. I went straight to the store and got a half gallon of Breyers chocolate ice cream. I hate to admit it, but it is all gone now 🙂
great summer post here! yum yum!
I just can not eat dairy – so in the winter I get a frozen soy dessert that is pomegranate chip or whip raw almonds with frozen berries for a kind of rich cold treat.
My all time favorite is cold watermelon. Twice a day as of late
Our ice cream carts are all driven by struggling college students…and I hear them go around Capital Lake, below our house, about every 2 hours in hope of a sale. Last year, about 7pm they would wander through our neighborhood about 1 time per week before heading home. My favorite fellow last year was a computer geek/musician…he programed his cart with his own computer generated renditions of some amazing songs…we all know and love…but it was so funny to hear God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and O Come All Ye Faithful in the heat of August – it felt Australian! And then there was the tinkly version of Handel’s water music!!! It did truly bring out the neighbors!
Patricia – The ice cream truck music story you shared is funny! (I’m a huge watermelon fan too)
WATERMELLON. . . yup, I’ve graduated from heat producing ice cream (check the Ayurvedic books, dairy prducts produce heat in the body), to the cooooooooooool enhancing vibe of the ever so flavorful wa-de-melon. Umm Um good. . . .followed by NO HOT FLASHES:)!
Alison – I was just telling Patricia that I’m a huge watermelon fan too! (I didn’t know about the “no hot flashes” benefit — that’s a great piece of information).
I have Ice cream for lunch, no problem. I come in hot and sweaty and go to the freezer, I get my core body temp down as fast as possible, any way that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! My favorite by far is Extreme Moose Tracks, chocolate ice cream, tiny peanut butter cups, and Fudge. What’s not to love? Except for the fact that I can’t sleep at night if I eat it too late!
Sandi – I am well aware of your penchant for Extreeeeeeeeme Moooooooose Tracks! Just reading your description made me drooooooool!
I smiled to hear ice cream trucks in New York City–yes, the heart does sing when you hear that music, even when you didn’t grow up with ice cream deliveries. I like to cool off in the shade of our deck, with a good book, and sometimes even a cup of hot tea. Hot tea? you ask. Yep. Don’t know why. Unless it’s above 90. Then cool tea is a must. Heading out there now… Thanks for the splash of summer.
Kathy – I can well imagine your summertime deck in the woods. Ahhhhhhhh.
Strangely, Len drinks a cuppa hot tea too when it’s hot 🙂
Favorite way to cool off in the summer … well, let’s see. Sitting under a shade tree with a good book, a tall ice tea, and maybe a piece of blueberry pie on the side! With heart, Daisy (love the ice cream trucks! so lovely!)
Daisy – I’m a “with a good book kind of gal too.” I wouldn’t have thought about blueberry pie…but that’s a good opportunity for “research”…
Laurie: Over here in northern New Jersey it’s much as Jeff attests to—“Mr. Softie.”
Here’s the jingle:
Ah, at one time I was addicted to the white stuff (vanilla being my favorite) then I moved into Yogurt Territory. But my wife Lucille and all the kids love it, and we often respond to one of the two daily visits the truck makes on our suburban street.
Love that photo! To escape these days I always seek the indoor refuge of air-conditioning where the PC and the plasma await……..
Sam – Yogurt is a very healthy choice, good for you! With 5 children, the ice cream truck driver’s gotta be thinking “Cha-Ching!” when he sees them coming.
We have air conditioning at HolEssence, but we’ve never had it at home. If things get really bad, we can head to the basement where it’s at least 10 degrees cooler 🙂
Sam – I was responding from my phone before so I didn’t get to hear the jingle. Now I’ve listened to it and I don’t think I’m familiar with the tune — but it’s perfect for an ice cream truck!
Okay, so I’m late again . . . everyone has already picked all of my favorite ways to cool down: swimming, ice cream, frozen yogurt, so I guess I will just have to top them all and say a weekend trip to the mountains, the higher, the farther, the deeper, the better!
Barbara – Whenever you arrive is the perfect time! And I’d have to agree that a weekend trip to the mountains — higher and deeper — would be spectacular!
This brought back childhood memories in Michigan…running to the ice cream truck daily! Did you know that Alaskans eat more ice cream per capita than any other state? Perhaps it’s because the air is dry but what is most unusual is I crave it most in the winter!
Monica – What a cool statistic about Alaskans and ice cream — I had no idea!
Your list of ice creams on offer is poetic – or perhaps a list of alternative titles for Tom Wolfe’s next journalistic essay.
Paul – You crack me up 🙂 As always, thank you for visiting Speaking from the Heart.