A Season of Change...

The Bounty from the last Farmer's Market, October 2010

There is something about this transition from summer to autumn that really affects me. I envision the long months ahead, and the cold, dark days and feel a bit bereft. On Saturday, I went to the last Farmer's Market of the season in my neighborhood. Over the past few months, I have taken great delight in these markets. Whether right down the road from me, or in another town, these are not just places to buy locally grown food. These markets are community centers; a place to socialize with old friends or make new ones. I have had wonderful, fulfilling conversations about food, families and the world at large. I have shared recipes and laughed about life. In a world that is moving faster than I can often keep up with, this is a place to slow down and get my feet on the ground; it is like a walking meditation for me. I feel connected here, to the earth and to people.

Saturday was a beautiful day. Blue sky, wispy clouds and a crispness in the air. There was coffee and the most delicious cinnamon/sugar donuts available from the Springs General Store. A different energy was in the air. I sensed a hushed frenzy of buying. People were lamenting the fact that this was it, the end of the market season. I heard one woman tell her kids that "Mom is going on a cooking tear today", her arms laden with produce. I bought Granny Smith apples, new potatoes, radishes, green beans (which I am freezing), a rag tag collection of tomatoes, zucchini, tiny eggplants, gorgeous carrots, spicy arugula, the cutest little cauliflowers (which the farmer dubbed "Pocket Cauliflowers") that I have ever seen and a jar of the crispest, sweetest homemade Bread and Butter Pickles I have had in a long time. A lot of food for us. I realize of course, that I was trying to stay connected by buying so much; trying to stay connected to the earth, to these people, to this day.

The trick will be actually eating it all. I made a soup in the crock pot yesterday with the following ingredients: lentils, onions, garlic, zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli and tomatoes with cumin, salt and pepper. It was a perfect supper with Spanish Rice and homemade bread. It was fulfilling at the end of a long day; real soul food for me.

Slowly but surely, we are moving toward the holidays. It is apparent in the cooler air, I see it on the calendar, and Kmart has Christmas stuff an aisle over from the Halloween costumes. If you are looking for the perfect small gift for a friend, a teacher, your sister or anyone else on your list, please visit my Storefront. I have a number of images available as greeting cards or small prints. I will say Thank You for supporting one of your local artists!

Expect good things....

A Mighty Maple Takes a Fall....

Jim in Bridgehampton, NY   October, 2010

Take a look @ this tree. It came down on the front yard of a property in Bridgehampton.

The tree stood like a sentinel for more decades than anyone can remember.  With an enormous canopy that dominated nearly every other tree on the street, it was one of only two Silver Maple trees that are known to be in Bridgehampton. This tree was on the spit of land between the sidewalk and the street in Mrs. Di Petris' front yard. She is very familiar with this tree, having spent many decades on the same property together. She happened to be home on Thursday and was in her sun room in the front of the house, when she heard a strange crackling sound.

Upon peering out the window, she actually saw this mighty tree uproot itself and fall slowly to the ground. There wasn't a storm and no high winds going on @ the time. The tree just fell over. It pulled down wires and crushed everything in its path on the way down, which was mostly just other small trees. The gigantic canopy filled the entire roadway. It is nothing short of a miracle that no one was walking or driving by @ the precise moment that this majestic tree decided to give up. It is any body's guess as to how old the tree is.

I hope before they cut it up and cart it away, that someone will determine the age of it. It gave me great pause to stop for a moment, and think about all that had happened in the world since this tree first took root. It has to be well over a hundred years old. It must have survived the 1938 hurricane, not to mention countless snow and ice storms, disease, etc. What a mighty strength it had to have survived all of these years.

Here is Jim, who stands @ 6'1", in the crook of the tree.

Expect good things.... 

Heartbreaking....

Sagg Pond Corn, November 2008

It was with overwhelming sadness that I read about the suicide of Tyler Clementi. The bleakness of this story leaves me nearly, heartbreakingly speechless. I feel frightened when I think that this young college student was literally bullied to death for being himself. I feel frightened because it could happen to anyone we know. We are very fragile beings and don't know how much anyone but ourselves can tolerate.

When I hear about any type of bullying, I become enraged. I have experienced my share of bullying in this life. It is terrifying to be bullied, or to have someone you love be bullied. It can be a situation that leaves you feeling panicked, full of anxiety, extremely unnerved and with whatever you have left in you, you will certainly also feel enraged. However, sometimes the fear is so great that you can't do anything to protect or defend yourself. Bullies are smart, manipulative, mean, sneaky people. So sometimes, even when you ask for help, you often don't get it.

All I can think to say is that we must all of us work extremely hard not to let this type of behavior go on. If you are a parent talk to your children about bullying; go to your school and demand to know what they are doing to teach tolerance. If you are a teacher, go to your school and demand to know what they are going to do to continue to teach tolerance. If you are a citizen of a community that you care about, find out what you can do to help teach tolerance. One of the best organizations that I know of for teaching tolerance is the Southern Poverty Law Center. They have a program for schools; you can get a copy of their latest Teaching Tolerance film for free. Did you hear me say for free?

In light of this posting, I find it difficult to sign off in my usual manner.
But with great honor and love for Mr. Clementi, his family, and all others who have suffered from bullying, I will leave you with a sense of hope for a more tolerable, loving world, and will still sign off with:

Expect good things....