Sunday, August 11, 2013

A Morning at the Market

For the second Saturday in a row I spent the morning selling books at the Kingston Farmer's Market. For anyone that hasn't been there it is a happening place.A wide variety of vendors offer many culinary delights , fresh produce , meat and a varied selection of crafted items. For two weeks I have set up my table beside the Cape Breton Oatcake guy. He is very keen to talk up his oatcakes and does very well selling them . I have developed a fondness for the Skor Toffee ones and highly recommend them. I did very well both weeks and was happy with my sales. It is rewarding to see that I usually sell all three books pretty equally. I was asked yesterday which book was my favourite. That is like asking which child is my favourite. I love them all for different reasons and could talk at great length about the qualities of each one but also see the flaws and shortcomings but usually choose not to dwell on that.Each time I let a book go to a new reader I feel such joy as my story connects with theirs. We all carry such a range of story as we live our lives with it's challenges ,joys and sorrows.I love those brief moments when the buyer lets me see a bit of their story while they accept a bit of mine.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

August

The first day of August used to give me a feeling of panic as I knew that before the month was done I would be back at school and the glorious freedom of summer would be gone for another year. Now after four years of retirement August holds a much different emotion for me. I still hate to part with July and the special summerness of it's days. Early mornings and late evenings are now holding a trace of fall and the days are getting shorter. The water of the lake feels slightly cooler and we are getting closer to our last swim. My garden has gone from the early stages of growth to large plants some like the peas and beans that demand daily picking which takes time away from weeding. I am obsessed with weeding and hoeing the rows of vegetables and take such pride in a clean weed free garden. If Burton had his way he would cover the entire garden with the rolls of fabric that miraculously keep the weeds away.Not me, I am all about the weeding and hoeing It is like the revising of a piece of writing. It is paying attention and removing what doesn't belong and taking pleasure in what remains and grows each time you look at it.So in this month I will enjoy three more weeks of gardening and swimming. I will go to Meg's to get Emma toward the end of the month and then greet September as I begin the harvest and get back to my writing. Oh the joys of the seasons!(and the gift of being able to ignore those annoying back to school commercials!)