As it is Tuesday, I was back at the market.

Due to the heat, I was glad I arrived early,
as had most everyone else.

Most of the ladies heads were donning straw hats.
{Good I am behind the camera as I was wearing a golf visor
that I felt shouted, "Visitor!"
As I do not speak in the native tongue of the South,
I am asked at most booths my origin.
I giggle inside,
as I think that is so funny because when one travels abroad
it is a question one expects and answers,
"The United States."
I don't think they would find the humor
in that answer so I simply state my state.}
Last week, shopping amongst the heirloom tomatoes,
I did rub shoulders, literally, and met the chef/part owner of
one of our girls favorite restaurants,
where we hosted one of J's graduation dinners.
Today, as he was doing his shopping for the restaurant,
he looked at me and said, "Visiting from Ohio!"I told him I purchased a few of the
tomatoes he had nicely suggested and that they were delicious.
So fun to mingle!
That is one of the goals of the market--
for folks to meet and greet one another.
For the city dwelling family to meet the farmer and his family
and better understand how and where the food
they are consuming is grown and/or caught.
On the flip side, the market is an opportunity not only to sell their produce but also for the farmers to meet and understand the consumers of their goods and their culinary ingredient desires.

The usual findings--

if these crustaceans were missing it would be as strange
as not finding potatoes at an Idaho food market.

Gorgeous eggplant.

Along with, as the tag states,
"Old-Time Louisiana Eggplant (almost extinct)"
What was new this week?
Miss Taylor had these beautiful string beans!And a new booth, at least for me, was one where this 

sweetest lady was selling her pies.
She baked all these pies along with all the ones in her van.
Mercy, I did not want all her hard work to be in vain;
I am not a lover of pie,
but I did spy with my eye
her fritters she makes from the pie dough scraps.
Did you imagine you heard my voice saying,
"Yes, please, one of your delicious fritters, mam!"?
{I told my dearest ones I had two treats...
what was the other...hmmm?}
This darling pie baker said she would be back next week,
two weeks in a row, to sell her special Fourth of July pie.
I told her I hope she has a wonderful week and that
I will definitely stop by for look at her prize pie in seven days.

Peaches...peaches from 'Bama.
One of J's favorites.

And then home to make my beloved oatmeal...
sliced peaches and the blueberries we had picked.