Refreshing Watermelon Punch

When I was growing up on the farm, my father planted three long rows of watermelons – each one stretching at least a city block. It was a sight, and it meant we had more watermelons than most folks could imagine.

By July and August, we’d drive the pickup truck straight into the field and load the back full of those big, striped melons. Then we hauled them to the house and laid them under the old pecan trees, the same ones still standing here at Big Mill B&B Extended Stay today.

Every afternoon, no matter how hot it was or how much work we had left, we’d stop, slice open a watermelon, and eat until we were cool and sticky with juice. Whatever we didn’t finish went to the cows and the mules – nothing was ever wasted on a farm. We didn’t feed the watermelon to the chickens. Mother said it hurt their faces.

If you are having a summer party, this is the punch you should serve. This gorgeous, refreshing Watermelon Punch Recipe with the frozen ice ring will please everyone. It is definitely a show stopper.

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This Watermelon Punch is a refreshing summer drink made from sweet, juicy watermelon - and the colorful ice ring makes it a true show stopper at any gathering.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword watermelon punch, watermelon punch recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 20 servings

Calories 153kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

• 1 Fruit: lemon or orange washed and sliced
• 2 liters lemon lime soda chilled. Reserve half
• 1 large watermelon
• 1 qt orange juice
• 3/4 cup sugar or to taste

Instructions

• The ice mold is optional. If using, it should be made earlier, in time for it to freeze preferably overnight. A bunt pan works for the ice mold or Ice Ring.

• Slice the lemon or orange and arrange in the ice mold. Pour 1/2 the lemon-lime soda into the mold and freeze.

Punch: The punch needs to be made just before serving.

• Cut watermelon into halves. Scoop out pulp and place in blender, seeds and all.
• Blend for several seconds on medium speed. Strain through a fine-sieve colander, squeezing out juice. Discard solid parts.
  
  
• Pour watermelon juice into a large container with lid. Add orange juice concentrate and sugar and stir until sugar and orange juice are dissolved. Chill until ready to serve.
  
  
• When ready to serve, pour punch into clear glass or plastic punch bowl. Add the lemon-lime soda and stir. Place ice ring in the punch bowl.
  
  

Serving Suggestions:

• This is a gorgeous red punch, so be sure to serve it in a clear glass or plastic container. It looks great served in wine glasses.
  
  

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 1310IU | Vitamin C: 32.8mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Recipe from innkeeper at Big Mill Bed & Breakfast 252-792-8787

Quiet rentals for traveling nurses & professionals in eastern North Carolina 252-792-8787

Looking for extended stay lodging in Eastern North Carolina? Big Mill Extended Stay offers quiet, fully furnished rentals ideal for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests relocating to the area. Our accommodations provide comfort, privacy, and Southern hospitality – perfect for short-term or long-term stays. We also have three RV rental spaces

Strawberry bread is a springtime treat for folks in eastern North Carolina. You can make this bread any time of year, but it just seems so special when strawberries are in season, and and you can pick them yourself. It also is a great treat in the middle of winter when you are thinking about those warm spring days.

Fresh strawberries are the best

I was outside getting ready to take a picture of these berries when a rainstorm made me take cover in my Old Red Truck. While I waited out the storm, I took this photo – the lighting was perfect. It is one of my favorites.  Local berries, of course.

Old red truck is gone, But fresh strawberries are still abundant in eastern North Carolina. I miss Old Red Truck.

My mother Chloe used self-rising flour, but I never did. Lately I have been experimenting with her recipes and some of my own and now I am a believer, especially if “quick” is in the cards.

Enjoy!

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast 252-799-8787

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Strawberry Bread

Picking strawberries is such fun I always end up with "too many." This bread is a great way to preserve that bounty.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword strawberry bread, strawberry bread recipe, strawberry quick bread

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 207kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup corn or vegetable oil
• ¾ cups sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped & mashed strawberries (about 1/2 pound of berries) drain ALL the juice off
• 1 cup self-rising flour packed (see note for all-purpose flour) *
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two mini loaf pans with cooking spray with flour like Baker's Secret.
  
  
• Wash and hull the berries. Chop and mash berries and strain off the excess juice. Measure out ½ cup.
• Whisk egg in large mixing bowl. Add oil, sugar and mashed strawberries. In another mixing bowl stir together the flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry mixture to the strawberry mixture and stir.
• Pour into loaf pans, filling about 1/2 full. This is a moist bread and it will not cook through if you fill the pans too full.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned or until a straw inserted into the center comes out clean. Moist breads like this Strawberry Bread are difficult to know when they are done. The straw or small knife inserted into the bread is the best way to know. You can’t just go by the time.
• Cool on wire racks for five minutes. Remove bread from pans and continue to cool until ready to slice. To store, wrap in clear wrap. This bread will keep fresh for several days.

Notes

* Note: if using all-purpose flour add ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 16.7mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast Extended Stay – Peaceful Lodging for Traveling Nurses & Professionals 252-799-8787

Settle into a quiet, fully furnished space at Big Mill Extended Stay in Eastern North Carolina. Our rentals are perfect for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests who need a comfortable home base during long assignments. Enjoy privacy, farm views, and the welcoming charm Big Mill is known for. Three RV rental spaces are also available for extended stays.

Made with fresh pecans, golden honey, and a touch of sea salt, they roast to a beautiful, caramelized crunch in minutes. Whether you’re filling gift jars, topping a salad, or setting out a festive snack tray, these homemade honey-roasted pecans are always a crowd favorite.

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Course Appetizer

Cuisine American southern

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12

Calories 187kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

• 3 cups pecans whole, shelled
• 3 tbs honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt Plus more

Instructions

• Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet. Set oven to 250°F. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Toast pecans. Spread pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes to lightly toast.
• Coat with honey and salt. Transfer warm pecans to a mixing bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of honey and stir to coat. Sprinkle in ½ teaspoon salt and mix well.
• Slow roast for flavor and crunch. Re-spray the cookie sheet. Spread coated pecans in a single layer. Bake at 220–250°F for 1½ to 2 hours, checking often and stirring once halfway through.
• Finish and store. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and separate any clumped nuts. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Honey-roasted pecans stay fresh for up to 1 week at room temperature. For longer storage, refrigerate in a sealed container.

What is the secret to luscious roasted pecans? Roasting at a low temperature for 1-2 hours. 

Yield: 3 cups

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbs | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

My parents planted these pecan trees in 1922. Amazingly, they are still producing. Some years, they do take a break.

Looking for extended stay lodging in Eastern North Carolina? Big Mill Extended Stay offers quiet, fully furnished rentals ideal for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests relocating to the area. Nestled on a peaceful farm with gardens, lakes, and orchards, our accommodations provide comfort, privacy, and Southern hospitality—perfect for short-term or long-term stays.

We also have three RV rental spaces.

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast Extended Stay 

Quiet rentals for traveling nurses & professionals in eastern North Carolina 252-792-8787

Geeks on Tour Jim, Contemplating Starlink Hookup at Big Mill B&B

For those of you asking, “What is Starlink?” it is Elon Musk’s Satellite Internet Service SpaceX. I really don’t understand Elon’s obsession with the letter “X.” And SpaceX keeps launching more satellites for faster and better service. March, 2024, SpaceX launched a payload of new satellites. And SpaceX cell phone service is not far away.

Sometimes Starlink Installation Can be Uncomfortable!

You can’t image the comments that I am getting. I feel like folks just hear something and then never really research it. I heard things like, “I certainly wouldn’t do anything that involved Elon Musk.” Well, how trite. Do they research the board of directors on all brands? No, they don’t.

Friend Marty installing the original Starlink

We had to mount the antennae on a roof that had no trees encumbering the view to the sky.  We picked the workshop – I do have 8 barns, so this was the lucky one.  It is fascinating to see the antenna move to follow the satellites.

We also had to bury the cable to the house, so that I could have the modem inside where I can fiddle with it inside and not in a barn with dirt daubers.

Bob Greene Supervises Jim from Geeks on Tour

Bob Greene has installed Starlink at Green Acres Campground and he too loves it. We both have lots of territory to cover. Since the Pandemic, I am getting many folks who work from home – which is the situation here at Big Mill B&B. Starlink is the answer, thank goodness.

Starlink is especially good for folks in under-served rural areas, like us and for folks in RV’s, boats, or anything mobile. That version is called Starlink Roam.

Anyway, I am quite pleased.

It is not so easy to teach an old dog new tricks – but maybe you can. We studied cryptocurrency and we are ready! You can now pay your bill at Big Mill B&B with Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrency can’t be denied; it is already here and we want to make things convenient for our guests.

We think Cryptocurrency is fascinating and we welcome your Bitcoin!

Cryptocurrency will be more and more acceptable and we want to be at the forefront of this trend. We made this decision partly because of the advantage cryptocurrency offers in the legal international trade. For us, hosting international guests is a booming market.

We will now accept Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin, USD Coin and DAI. We plan to add to this list in the coming months.

Guests who wish to pay via cryptocurrency will be sent an invoice to pay in crypto prior to arrival … BUT we still like the old standbys — Visa, Master Card and greenbacks!

If you are dying to spend your profits from cryptocurrency – now you can do it at Big Mill B&B!

Big Mill B&B Extended Stay Lodging. 1607 Big Mill Road, Williamston, NC 27892. Tel. 252-792-8787 cell is 252-799-8787, info@bigmill.com and www.bigmill.com

DISTANCES to Hospitals and Towns from Big Mill B&B in Williamston, NC:
Greenville, NC: Vidant Hospital, ECU School of Medicine – 27 miles (country roads)
Washington, NC: Vidant Hospital, Ridgewood Rehab, River Trace Rehab – 21 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Windsor, NC: Vidant Hospital, Brian Center, Three Rivers Health & Rehab Center – 17 miles (east 4-lane drive)
Windsor, NC: Bertie Rural Health – 20 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Ahoskie, NC: Vidant – 37  miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Tarboro, NC: Vidant Edgecomb Hospital, Parkwood Village Retirement Center, – 33 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Plymouth, NC: Domtar Paper – 30 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Edenton, NC: Vidant Chowan County – 37 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
and North Carolina’s Outer Banks!!! are 85 miles

Come to Big Mill B&B just outside the little town of Williamston, NC and enjoy the benefits of home while away from home for your next traveling job or contract.

A guest Edna Perkinson Painted this Portrait of Old Red Truck

One Christmas I parked my Old Red Truck in front of the Pack House and decorated it with a Christmas tree and wreath with sparkling fairy lights everywhere. It certainly was popular with my guests and anyone who rode by.

When January came, Old Red didn’t want to go back under the shelter. Nephew Monk had to bring his big tractor and drag her out of the yard.

Other folks seem to like old red trucks too:  friends got together and had Old Red sit for a portrait. I love it. I have old red truck dish towels, sheets, dishes, door mats … these things just keep turning up.

Old Red Portrait – a Gift From Friends Painted by J. Roberson

Renowned photo artist, Stacey Haines, took my portrait in Old Red. This special truck has certainly been a topic of artistic merit!

I must tell the truth — when David Tuttle left the farm he told me I could keep that “piece of junk old truck,” so I did. I am determined to keep her running, maybe not on the road, but “farm worthy.” She has caught on fire three times, not really her fault. I think David wants her back!

She has a 1973 body and a 1966 engine (390 C.I.D. S-code). Like me, she can use her age to her advantage – her tags are cheaper. If older is better, Old Red is getting greater!  This truck is a “shade tree mechanics” nirvana. It was under these pecan trees that David Tuttle used a Come-Along to remove Old Red’s original engine and install a Thunderbird engine.

Shade Tree Mechanic David Tuttle

I have replaced the tires ($20 each), water pump, starter, carburetor, ignition key, gas tank and gauge, and other stuff I can’t even remember. I am determined to keep Old Red in the family.

Hopefully, the next time I see you, Old Red will be running!

YES, we are open and we hope you will come and stay at Big Mill B&B Extended Stay.  Come enjoy the benefits of home while away from home for your next traveling job or contract in eastern North Carolina.

Big Mill B&B Extended Stay Lodging. 1607 Big Mill Road, Williamston, NC 27892. Tel. 252-792-8787 cell is 252-799-8787, info@bigmill.com and www.bigmill.com

DISTANCES to Hospitals and Towns from Big Mill B&B in Williamston, NC:

Greenville, NC: Vidant Hospital, ECU School of Medicine – 27 miles (country roads)
Washington, NC: Vidant Hospital, Ridgewood Rehab, River Trace Rehab – 21 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Windsor, NC: Vidant Hospital, Brian Center, Three Rivers Health & Rehab Center – 17 miles (east 4-lane drive)
Windsor, NC: Bertie Rural Health – 20 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Ahoskie, NC: Vidant – 37  miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Tarboro, NC: Vidant Edgecomb Hospital, Parkwood Village Retirement Center, – 33 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Plymouth, NC: Domtar Paper – 30 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
Edenton, NC: Vidant Chowan County – 37 miles (easy 4-lane drive)
and North Carolina’s Outer Banks!!! are 85 miles