Frontalgirl - you are welcome! That poem brings me a world of memories, much like the poem, some real, some imagined. I can't hear the words 'watermelon pickle' and not think about it.

You can pickle watermelon rinds! I have been doing it all summer so far. I've been buying these beautiful, globular organic watermelons that are actually quite small, almost the size of a pomelo, and slicing the leftover rinds into even strips, then pickling them in a solution of one part cider vinegar and 2 parts water, plus a few sprigs of dill. Enjoy!

Summer of eggplant, thank you for that beautiful poem!

Yes, and it's also a wonderful poem http://ellemay.wordpress.com/2007/09/07/reflections-on-a-gift-of-watermelon-pickle-received-from-a-friend-called-felicity/

Yes you can pickle a whole watermelon http://kcmeesha.com/2009/07/08/russian-gourmet-pickled-watermelon-a-40-value/

I don't know why you would want to - the fruit of the melon is so good fresh and the rinds are so good pickled.