Just Another Story

 

Sunday I wrote about my trip to the local Farmer's Market.   I think I have mentioned before I am very picky when it comes to choosing vendors.  I want to know where my food comes from and who grows it, otherwise, I might as well just stop in at the local grocery store.

One of my favorite vendors is "the peach lady".   She has a name and her stall is not named "the peach lady", but honestly, I don't know either.  Shame on me!  I met her last year and spent several minutes chatting with her about her peaches.   She is passionate about what she brings to market; and, she is willing to share her passion with anyone who will listen. Her enthusiasm and her smile is contagious.

She does not have peach orchards, but gets her fruit from a local peach grower she refers to as "my peach man" (hum....maybe this is why I call her "the peach lady").  The variety of peach changes as the summer progresses.  Each Saturday morning I look forward to stopping and chatting about the peach of the day.  

While we talk, I am touching and smelling, trying to find the bowl of fruit I want to take home, all the while she is filling a bowl choosing one or two from various containers sitting around on the table.  Once I've made what I think to be the perfect selection and hand it to her, she takes out several of mine and replaces them with the peaches she has been collecting during our conversation.  After she has placed each one in a bag, she turns her back to me, bends down and takes out one peach from a box sitting on the ground. She brings it up, holding it ever so gently between her thumb and middle finger.  Showing me this treasure she says, "I'm going to put this one in your bag.  Make sure it is the last one you eat, now, you hear me?  It's not ready yet", shaking her head from one side to the other always smiling, " but it will be when the others are gone.  Oh,h,h it will be so,o,o good ."

Okay, I know once peaches are picked they do not get sweeter as they ripen, but that last peach does always seem to taste the sweetest.

Well, now you know.   I not only bring home food to feed the body, but sustenance for the soul as well.  One will be consumed and gone by the end of the week, the other will leave its mark for a lifetime. 

 Thanks for sitting with me and allowing me to tell

yet another story of an extraordinary someone

found in a most ordinary someplace. 

They are all around us. 

(Iced mint green tea and a peach scone)