The place God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.
-Buechner

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Mama's Time Out

I hit the Sidney Market opening night on Thursday with a great friend. It was awesome. I love markets - I especially love what the mean, how they smell and sound, who they represent.

To me it screams the turning of a (seasonal) page. It marks the start of something new. It's the reminder of long days, flip flops, the smell of sunscreen, (and street meat if you had been a fly on a wall in Sidney,) and home grown, fair trade, down to earth, ground roots goodness.

The shrieks of small children playing on the (closed) main street, the street musicians, the smell (oh! the smell) of cotton candy, kettle corn, roasted nuts, hot dogs, donuts, handmade soaps, homegrown flowers and produce, handmade jams and jellies and chutneys and pestos. (It was one of those times food intolerances proved helpful...I could have walked away hundreds of dollars poorer and dozens of pounds heavier. I mean really, who in their right mind can resist kettle corn or freshly made donuts?!)

Local farmers, residents, shop owners alike, come together and work to bring together community and share in the luxury of being outdoors in community.

I held back at all the stalls (shocker, I'm sure - I was gifted with a few yummy items though!) with the exception of one that returned that lump to my throat and tear to my eye. Freeset was there. I'd never heard of them but now that I know them I am in love and in awe. I can't do better unless I know better and these guys are certainly doing their part to help.

And my bag is pretty darn cool, too.


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