One of our local fruits called Persimmons

Here in the Ozarks we have a tree called a persimmon tree, I still have several growing wild at my house. A lot of time's they grew close to gether. As kids we would climb them and sway them back and forth until we could grab another one to climb into (I guess it was cheap entertainment for us). We also would climb a small hickory tree until it bent over and tie a rope to the top and one at a time you would get on the tree while everyone else held the rope and tried to buck you off, but that's another story...lol.. Ok back to the persimmons. Persimmons grow to about the size of a golf ball and they have a seed in the middle of them. Many times we picked out the seed and split it open to see what the winter weather was going to bring. This is not a lie or folklore,  I have done it many times. When you split the seed the vain in the the center would resemble a fork, spoon, or a knife and I have seen all three at different times. The fork called for a mild winter that there was no snow to shovel,  the spoon called for a lot of snow you better get out the shovel, the knife called for a long cold sharp winter, I still check it every year and they have not been wrong yet. In the late fall the persimmon looks good and ripe and even falls off the tree, BUT if you dont wait until they are completely ripe, when you take a bite of one, your mouth will pucker and you will never forget the taste. When ripe they have such a sweet taste that our deer long for them also. As I read back thru old recipes that have been passed down I have came across some for persimmons. I dont know who the author of these are so I cant give them credit but I am sure glad they were passed on but I will put them as they read... _____Ozarks persimmon loaf,,,, mix 2 tbsp. of lard,, 3/4 cup of sugar,, 1 egg,, 1 cup of flour, , 1 tsp of baking powder, , 1 tsp of soda,, 1 cup of persimmon pulp,, 1 cup of black walnuts,, pour into loaf pan. Bake around 350 for 45 min. or until done. Makes 1 loaf.........____Persimmon bread...1 1/2 cups of sugar, , 2 eggs,, 1 3/4 cups of flour, , 1tsp of soda,, 1/2 tsp of cloves,, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg,, 1/2 tsp of raisins,, 1/2 cup of cooking oil,, 1 cup of persimmon puree,, 1/4 tsp of baking powder,, 1 tsp of salt,, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon,, 1/2 tsp of allspice...first make a puree by rubbing persimmons through a sieve or through a food mill. Measure oil in  mixing bowl,  add sugar and mix well. Then add eggs, persimmon puree, spices sifted with flour and lastly the raisins.  Turn into 3 or 4 oiled pans, filling each one-half to two-thirds full. Bake 45 min at 350 or until bread is done........._____Persimmon pudding...1 c flour,, 1 tsp salt,, 1 tsp cinnamon,, 1 c persimmon pulp,, 2 tlb melted butter,, 1 c chopped dates,, 1 c sugar,, 1 tsp soda,, 3/4 c milk,, 1 tsp vanilla,, 3 egg yokes beaten,, 1 c chopped nuts... combine and sift all dry ingredients, add the remaining ingredients,  mix and pour into baking dish, bake at 350 until done.........I am looking forward to trying these recipes,  but most of all I found another recipe that even sounds better.
The recipe for a happy home...
8 cups of love
4 cups of loyalty
3 cups of understanding
2 cups of caring
4 spoons of hope
2 spoons of tenderness
1 bushel of faith
1 wheelbarrow load of laughter
Take love and loyalty,  mix thoroughly with understanding.  Blend it with caring, hope, and tenderness.  Add faith and laughter.  Mix well. Bake it in sunshine and serve in huge portions every day.
God, Family,  USA, may God bless us