Recipe: Here the Southern Living way....

1 large watermelon, quartered
Pickling salt
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons whole cloves
16 (l 1/2 " sticks cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
8 cups sugar
1 quart vinegar (5% acidity)

Remove flesh from melon, peel watermelon. Cut rind
into 1-inch cubes. Place rind in a large crock or
plastic container. Add water by the quart until it
covers the rind; add 1/4 cup pickling salt for each
quart water, stirring until salt dissolves. Cover
and let stand in a cool place 8 hours. Drain well.

Place rind in a 10-qt. Dutch oven; cover with cold
water. Bring to a boil and boil until rind is almost
tender. Drain and set aside.

Tie cloves, cinnamon, and mustart seeds in a cheese
cloth bag. Combine spice bag, sugar, and vinegar in
a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; remove from heat, and
let stand 15 minutes. Add rind to syrup. Bring to a
boil: reduce heat to low, and cook until rind is trans-
parent. Remove spice bag.

Pack hot rind into hot sterilized jars; fill with hot
liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles;
wipe jar rims. Cover jars at once with metal lids, and
screw on metal bands. Process jars in boiling-water bath
10 minutes. Yield: about 5 pints.

Good luck and thanks for sharing your memories.