To Market, To Market

Today was the day I finally got to do what I've wanted to do since May- hit the farmer's market. For the past two months it seemed as though one thing after another conspired to keep me away. Okay, to be fair it was really only one thing: traveling. And the after-effects thereof. But this week I made a Pronouncement that if we were to travel anywhere, it wouldn't be until Saturday night, damn it, because I was getting up early on Saturday morning to go to the freaking farmer's market.

And so I did.

Slighty less early than originally planned, but early enough: it opens up at 0700, and I was out the door by about 0720. There are two reasons for going so early- the first is that it's important to get there before everything's been picked over. The second is that it's bloody well hot here in the Heart of Dixie, even at eight o'clock in the morning. Better to do things that involve being outdoors early in the morning, or else late at night.

The market is only about half a mile from my house, so when I go I tend to walk (another reason to do it before the sun gets too high) which I did today. I left Nathan sleeping in bed, put on my favorite Patagonia dress and a backpack, slipped some headphones into my ears and got a-walkin'. I was reminded of how much I really do enjoy our neighborhood, especially once I got down there with all my fellow market-shoppers and their gorgeous dogs. I really would like a dog, one of these days...

I had a few things on my List, and I managed to get most of them. Peaches were a necessity, although the ones I got need a few more days ripening. I also picked up blueberries (Nathan's favorite), as well as corn, onion, potatoes (little reds and sweet) and a fresh loaf of bread from our favorite bakery (I totally love that they have a stall there, now). The one piece of produce I was thwarted on was a melon. Usually I can find absolutely gorgeous little melons down there- so sweet you'd think you'd accidentally sugared the thing- but not today. Today only one stall had any watermelons to speak of, and the smallest of them was the size of my torso. I'm not kidding. I mean, I know I have a short torso and all, but that's still a damn sizable melon for someone to haul home in a backpack (and still have room for one's other goodies). So I passed.

The walk back up was a bit less pleasant than the walk down. For starters, it actually was a walk "up"- uphill the whole way. And the sun had managed to clear most of the trees by that point (still pre-0800, mind you) which meant that by the time I got home I was (as I put it to a friend earlier today) wet and slippery as a salt-water eel.

Needless to say, I didn't keep my dress on very long. Thank heavens for blinds, right?

Once I was comfortable again I put away my groceries, washed my berries, and piled half of them into one of our pretty little sushi bowls. It was a very pleasing thing, aesthetically speaking: the dark blue berries against the cool white and cobalt blue of the porcelain. Put me in mind for a portrait, later. Then, because I am the best wife in the world, I headed back into the bedroom and woke my husband up to blueberries for breakfast.

Definitely a good start to the day.





(...later I did backbends...)