I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen these mandarin oranges in my local grocery stores. But I wouldn’t have bought them if I had.

Sumo Citrus Honey Bell Mandarin Oranges

Thaddeus saw these mutant citrus fruits in our high-end local grocery stored. He was there unsupervised and purchased two of them. They were large and softer than most citrus when I squeezed it a little. They were also expensive…five dollars a pound.

After our midday dinner, he peeled one and I was quite surprised how fresh it looked inside.

It was also incredibly fragrant. Eating it, I was even more surprised by what came out of this ugly outer peel. Incredibly juicy and flavorful, it was like eating candy.

I’m not sure if this fruit has been around for a while, but now I see it everywhere. We picked up a box at Costco the other day.

My social media feed has also been flooded with ads from Harry and David for “Honey Bells”. Surprisingly less expensive than our high-end grocery store.

Readers’ Comments/Questions

Thanks to Karen K. for comments on ribbing:

“Ribbing is slow, repetitive, and foundational. You don’t see dramatic progress right away, but it’s what gives the hat structure, stretch, and staying power.
That mirrors the bigger idea behind “melting the ice”: real change comes from steady, unglamorous effort done consistently.
In just one week, Melt the Ice Hat projects on Ravelry jumped from under 2,000 to nearly 6,000. That surge says a lot: people are anxious, but not frozen; overwhelmed, but still willing to act. When big systems feel stuck, folks turn to community, creativity, and small disciplined actions. Thousands choosing the same quiet, repetitive work is a sign not of despair—but of care, solidarity, and hope stitched together.

Thanks also to Fred G. for replying to Laurie’s questions about decreases on the Melt the ICE Hat. He explained it much better than I could have.

Current Cranking/Knitting

I was able to finish the second machine-cranked sock and graft the toes and weave in the ends.

Now I can be decked out in neon from head to toe. I mimicked the sock design that I purchased from Celeste at CrankCraft Socks. Like Celeste’s design, they fit me well.

I also started a third Melt the ICE Hat.

It’s amazing how much support this pattern has gotten and how it will translate to support for Minnesotans.