Watermelon Rind Pickles

1 pound watermelon rind
Brine:
3 tablespoons salt
6 cups water
1 tray of ice cubes
Syrup:
1 + 1/3 cups honey
1/2 cup white vinegar
3 cups water
2 star anise or 5 whole cloves
2 (5-6 inch) cinnamon sticks, broke in half
1/4 of a lemon,thinly sliced with seeds removed

Instructions
Trim most of the the pink flesh and all of the outer green skin from the rind. Cut into 1-inch pieces. To make the brine: in a large glass or stainless ssteel mixing bowl combine the salt and water, stirring to dissolve some of the salt. Add watermelon and ice cubes; let stand 3-4 hours or overnight.
Drain the watermelon rind in a large colander and rinse with cold water. Add to a large saucepan with enough water to cover them; bring to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes until fork tender but not mushy. Drain.Make the syrup by combining the honey, vinegar, water, and spices. Boil 5 minutes and pour over the watermelon; add lemon slices. Let stand overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat watermelon in syrup to boiling then lower heat and simmer very slowly25-30 minutes. Allow to cool then store in a large glass jar in the refrigerator 2-3 weeks.