August 22, 2013 Ode to produce.

Driving home tonight after dancing, I caught the wonderful smell of freshly turned earth, emanating from the fields next to the freeway where all manner of tasty goodies are grown throughout the year and sold at both farmers' markets and the farm store adjacent to the fields.  As I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with the smell of the earth and my heart with joy, I realized how incredibly lucky I am to live where fresh produce is available straight from the fields almost year round. 

As snow is so rare here that we may see a few flakes every twenty years or so, our local farmers can harvest one crop and prepare the fields for the next one pretty quickly.  During strawberry season, we are treated to the fattest, sweetest, juiciest strawberries imaginable.  Our blueberries are plump and plentiful.  Tomatoes are so beautiful, I could almost write a sonnet to their beauty and flavor!

As autumn grows near, we can look forward to all manner of squash including that Halloween favorite, the pumpkin which has patches erected all over town in its honor.  Fresh corn so sweet you'd swear it was dipped in honey gives way to corn mazes to amuse and challenge. 

As so many turn to fast food and preservatives, I feel very blessed that I have options and they are neither processed nor packaged, aside from that which nature gives them. 

I admit it.  Most of what is in my refrigerator was in a field within the last week or so.  But I do like my chicken and fish so you'll still find an omnivore's diet in my refrigerator and pantry.  But you won't hear me wax poetic over a chicken breast or salmon fillet as I would for the perfect strawberry, the sweetest melon or the firmest tomato.  The just don't give me the same inspiration.

The hour grows late so I'll wind this up, the better to go dream of produce, fresh from the fields to my table, where my dinner is fit for kings!

My gratitudes tonight are:
1. I am grateful for fresh fruits and veggies.
2. I am grateful for another wonderful night of dancing and chatting and loving life.
3. I am grateful for furry faces greeting me at the door.  (OK, so Heather picked up the food bowl while she had my grandpuppy over and forgot to put it back down, but they still met me at the door, anxious for my attention!)
4. I am grateful for tomorrow's delivery (they missed it today somehow) of my new storage shed.
5. I am grateful that the monthly pod rental will soon be a thing of the past.

Love and light.