Monday, August 1, 2011

Farmer’s Market

I brake, you brake, we all brake…for Rainier Cherries!—a journalist friend both acclaimed and inspired.

If you’ve ever had Rainier Cherries picked fresh and presented right under the very tree from which they came, you’d know what I mean. Yum! That goes for any type of crop, really. I’m a nut for produce. Fruit, vegetables—it doesn’t matter. I’d sink my teeth into it all.

Raised in a seaside village, surrounded by a fertile valley where farmers worked the fields, going to the farmer’s market was like venturing into a candy shop as a child. Deep purples and ruby reds compelled, bright oranges and summery yellows winked, the occasional blues inspired, whilst deep shades of green promised health and verve.

I thought about that…how much pleasure visiting a farmer’s market can promise—for someone who loves that kind of thing, anyway. Now that I live in Tennessee, the roadside stands and markets vary a bit in what’s offered because the environment differs, but overall one can find similar delectable treats to take home and devour.

There’s another kind of market that I relish as much if not more than the farmer’s market, and that is the book market. Perusing through a bookstore is much like eyeing all of those crunchy/juicy morsels of nature. Which do I choose this time? I can’t possibly take home a literary sample of every selection! Oh, but I wish I could.

On the way out of a book haven, with my arms nearly full, a captivating cover catches my eye and I skid to a stop—much to the dismay of the individual following who about rams into me unintentionally—to look, study, sigh, and daydream. Yes, daydream of a day when I could have picked up one more—yes, just one more title—back when the economy hailed a better prognosis. Ah, but I appreciate what I do have and what I can do.

I love books, a regular collector. All types, all genres. I’ve had to slim back quite a bit, which has made me more selective, I guess. Like my latest visit to the farmer’s market that left me stumped. I couldn’t possibly take home everything available. A cash-only marketplace, I only had so many bills with which to make a purchase, so my variety had to count for the week in cooking for, and feeding, my family.

While pondering this quandary and comparing it to my bookworm antics, a recurring notion popped into mind. What if heaven’s mansions included a most spectacular library? And we had all of eternity to peruse and pick and enjoy an endless collection penned by all the storytelling saints of the centuries. What a lovely impression!—for someone who loves that kind of thing, anyway.

I’m a produce fanatic and book enthusiast—yes, I am. I’d insert the word “hopeless” in there, except, for heaven’s sake, I’m rather hopeful.

Tessa Stockton is the author of The Unforgivable (Risen Books, 4/1/11), her first novel. http://www.tessastockton.com/

7 comments:

  1. Yes! I'd love to find a library like that in heaven's mansions- it would definitely qualify as the cherry on top!

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  2. Ooh, "cherry on top!" Nice tie-in, Ruth Ann. Thank you for your comment. :)

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  3. That photo reminded me of the lavish library in the film, "The Librarian", a fun film for book lovers. I'm sure heaven's library will be full of all those wonderful, out-of-print collector's items that are hard to find down here.

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  4. In this instance, I think we can be forgiven a little gluttony. Fresh produce and books. What riches!

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  5. I'll have to look into that film, Paula. It sounds neat. The photo I used is of the library in Versailles, France, by the way. And Judith, thank goodness for absolution! ;)

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  6. I've already told the Lord I want my room in heaven to be a paneled library (maybe like the one in My Fair Lady), with French windows opening onto the terrace with a view of the garden. There is also a fireplace and a tea pot to enjoy while I read.

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  7. LeAnne, it sounds lovely. May the Lord answer that prayer one day...

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