I wish you all a peaceful and meaningful Holiday Weekend. Thanks for your support and generosity. I will be pushing for food pantry support all through the weekend, and I will be blogging and taking some photos at a slightly reduced level.
I’m hoping to sleep more as well.
I know I need to rest my eyes, and I am doing a better job of it. I’ve got some good books to read this weekend, and I will spend as much time reading as possible.
I went out for a few minutes to take some flower photos – I am resting more, but I couldn’t help it. Zip is my photography assistant. These
Days, when I show up with a camera on the porch, he curls up underneath and pops his head out periodically just to let me know he is there.
Zip is not one of those cats who sleep quietly and peacefully out of sight. When Maria and I are out, he always shows up to see what we are doing, and if he finds it dull, which he often does, he disappears.
He never seems to get bored when I am taking my photographs. I appreciate his company if he does take some weird positions, like lying under the wicker chair and popping his head out to startle me. “I know you here,” I said, and he often goes to sleep.
I’ve been seeing colors differently since my cataract surgery; I was at Bernards Farm down the road from us, saw this beautiful lineup of tomatoes, and took this photo. Maria and I lead lives of change and exploration; we are always eager to explore something new; it’s exciting. This isn’t a big city, so it’s a big deal when it happens. The red tomatoes stood out this morning.
Creativity is coming to food here.
Bernard Farms opened its new farm/food center this Spring, which has been a boon and has once again altered our lives and habits. There used to be a shabby and smelly farm stand there; the new farm and food store are clean, well designed, and the food is excellent. I always want to take a picture of the vegetables, which is new for me.
The bread from Covered Bridge Bread is the best I’ve ever had, and so are the vegetables that Kari Bernard grows. I’ve bought some beautiful flowers from the garden out back. We are just beginning to explore crackers, cheese, and other things.
I’m learning that artistry and creativity go along with the new ways we eat.
The food artists carefully arrange their bread, melons, apples, and even lettuce, almost like objects curated in a museum. And wow, are we eating better and healthier.
The other vegetable display, from Irwin and his family at the farmer’s market on Sunday, is as careful and beautiful as this one. I’ve taken some photos and posted them on the blog as well. It does matter how these foods look and are presented. Vegetables need care, just like people and dogs.
I am drawn to people who see food as art and treat it with care and creativity. We don’t get to use these expletives that often up here, but the younger people moving here from the big cities since the pandemic are changing how we eat. I’ve meant to take this picture for some time but couldn’t resist it today.
I love this habit Maria and I have. When something new comes, we can’t wait to see it; when we see it, our lives change a bit every time. In a small town like ours, this is good news. We grow with the people who make and sell us exceptional food. Aging can make people stale, but it seems to make me fresh. Maria will never be stale.
There is almost nothing that natural creativity and hard work can’t do.
Maria is deep into her newest creation, a quilt titled “We’re Not Going Back.” She does not argue politics or even like to talk about them much; she uses her art to show her feelings and support her causes.
I’m excited about this new quilt; it is just getting started. It is timely, to say the least.
It is always a gift to see how she ends up piecing so many different parts together. She’s experimented and put the pieces together, which seems like the parts of a jigsaw puzzle to me. You can follow her progress on her blog.
She’s creating a piece of artistic history. The two pieces here are currently being added to the quilt.
She also showed me two pieces yesterday.
Sarah has found a special Amazon offering that allows us to buy two of the healthiest and most popular vegetables for less than one dollar each. This is a golden opportunity to get these items for pennies and have enough to stock them for a while.
(Photo: Thanks for the salad dressings.)
This will only last for a while and is a beautiful chance to get some food – the food banks can’t offer either, and the pantry has none. I’m going to buy a bunch. I appreciate Sarah’s sincere and sometimes tricky efforts to get the best bargains on Amazon.
Amazon Fresh, Canned Mixed Vegetables, 15 Oz (Pack of 1) 99 cents.
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Many random things on the Wish List were unavailable at the Regional Food Bank this week; you can see them on the list. The list is updated throughout the day, and when Sarah sees enough of something she needs to sell, she takes it off the list and adds something else.
You can also access and browse the list anytime, day or night, by clicking on the green pantry button at the bottom of every blog post on my blog:
Your contribution can make a significant difference.
Sarah is eager to provide children with shampoo, an item some families have to sacrifice to afford food. Your support can help fill a shelf with these essential items. Every little bit counts, so I’m adding shampoo to today’s list if anyone wants to donate some. One pack can last families a long time.
We planned this to be a shampoo day, and Sarah found the vegetable prices. I will keep pushing for the shampoo, but I also understand and respect the Army of Goods’s financial limits.
