Saturday morning I went to the farmers market for the first
time this season and I was disappointed to learn I missed peony season. The
elderly “flower guy” at the market said he sold over 4,000 blooms this year
including those he sold to event planners. Now, he’s got sunflowers but I didn’t
buy any because I forgot to bring a container of water. Boohoo! I especially love
having flowers in the house the day after my house cleaner has been here. Going down vendors’
row, I sampled Gouda goat cheese, coffee and cookies and bought cucumbers, red
raspberries, lettuce and tomatoes. Then, to feed my carbs-starved side, I bought
pretzel rolls and cranberry-walnut bread---mostly for the freezer. I also came
home with to-die-for walnut and chocolate bread pudding. I collect bread
pudding recipes---over 100 to date---but I’ve never seen it for sale at the
farmers market and it was worth every bit of the $4.00 for a four inch square. I
almost bought a smoked bone as big as Levi and I would have had I not
remembered he had nine teeth pulled last week. He still needs to be on soft,
canned dog food until his recheck next week. I hate that stuff! I’m so used to
him being a free-feeder with dry food available 24/7 that I’m afraid I’ll
forget to feed him.
The farmers market had its usual color---the street
performers with their open instruments cases begging people to throw in money,
the church ladies selling jam, the librarians pushing summer programs, dogs and
baby strollers (plus dogs in strollers), and the venders selling home-made
Cracker-Jack, cheese, chocolate, jerky, plants, honey and, of course, every kind of
vegetable and fruit grown within a 100 mile radius, which is the rule for
calling things “locally grown.” Darn, I just remembered I should have bought
some honey! If you eat a little locally harvested honey every day you can build
up an immunity to your plant-based allergies. Or so they say. I haven’t tested
that theory yet.
After the market I went to the Breakfast Only Café. They
only have three tables for a single diner and I was given the one in the far
counter where I had a perfect view of all the action. But instead of
people-watching I took up eavesdropping and listened to the conversation of four teens sitting within touching distance. They were in town for a basketball
tournament and didn’t know each other well, if at all. Nice young guys, three with
dreadlocks and wearing uniforms from different parts of the state and one local kid who seemed to be in charge of showing the other three around town. They talked
respectfully about teachers, girls, basketball camps, the white-to-black
ratio at their schools and some big-wig coach who likes to walk around in his just underpants. They passed around their cell phones to show off photos
of the girls they date or like. I'm not exactly sure if you can see a blush on a black kid's face but I'm pretty one of them was doing just that during the 'girl' talk. While sneaking a peek at their cell phone photos, I glances out at the other diners
and was instantly jealous of a guy wearing a “Soft Kitty” t-shirt. If you know
what that is, you’ll know how silly a non-nerd woman of my age would look wearing
one. It’s the only thing holding me back from acquiring one.
On the way home I was listening to a NPR Public Radio talk
show and they were discussing how the Jewish community is starting to speak out
against the hatred towards Muslims in America. The Jewish guest said, “If the
Holocaust taught us anything it taught us that if we don’t stand up against hatred
of other ethnic or religious groups then sooner or later that hatred is going
to come after you.” Isn’t that a basket full of words to think about. They
also talked about the Muslims who took up a sizable collection to help rebuild
the black church that burned down last week. Building bridges with love and
respect, they said. “Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey-ey Goodbye.” If you saw the news
this week, you’ll understand that reference and why it fits into a discussion of building bridges with love and respect in America. But I digress.
Changing Topics: The first batch of nine things I brought to the online auction house closed this week. They sold for probably half of what I’d have gotten on e-Bay. But it’s so much easier and quicker than e-Bay that I can live with that. My next batch of 38 items will close on Wednesday which should tell me more. That first batch was live over the 4th of July so that may have had a negative effect on the bidding. If not, I’ll still have to e-Bay a few of the higher ticket stuff.
The coming week will be a busy one. It includes seeing the
King Tut Exhibit in town, taking the dog back to the vet, going to a Write and
Share Meetup, taking another load to the auction house, going with my niece to
find the rest of our ancestors’ grave sites and meeting with my Movie and Lunch Club. ©
