Soggy 'Snips

In spite of the gray skies, I decided to venture forth and investigate the  'ol farmer's market today.  I normally wait until my school closes for the year and go on Wednesdays when the crowds are thinner. But, I have a brand new pressure canner and one needs produce if one is going to practice the canning of things.

Besides, I am still really mad at that shawl I flung into the knitting basket last week and have not worked up the will to start tinking back in search of those two stupid dropped stitches.  A trip to the farmer's market on a Saturday morning, even if the storm clouds are gathering, is a mighty fine way to avoid such distasteful tasks...

I know what you are thinking.  "Sheepie," you want to say, "it is early June.  You live in Maine.  There isn't going to be anything at the market for a while.  At least not anything at which you won't turn up your dear little button nose..."

I added the part about the button nose.  I know that no one would ever say that to me.  It is a little condescending and my honker is not exactly button-y on the best of days. I guess I just sort of like the idea of having such a sniffer.

More to the point, though, you would be mistaken about the market.  There may not be much there, but parsnips can be found.  I sort of don't hate parsnips.  In fact, as a child, I liked them.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't wake up in the dead of winter thinking how awesome it would be to get my hands on a nice, fresh parsnip.  Mostly, I don't think of vegetables at all.  But, I figured I'd rather make my canning mistakes early as opposed to when the "good" produce is out of the ground.  And I can live with parsnips.

So I went out in search parsnips.  I did this in spite of the fact that the cloudy skies opened up into an outright deluge before I was even halfway to the market and that the rain only got more vicious as I perused the stands.  I finally decided to simply visit my Summer  Vegetable Boyfriend and be done with it.  It couldn't hurt to see how well our relationship has fared over the forced winter separation and he had a big basket of parsnips right out front.

For the record, he is as chatty and funny as ever and I might have thought everything was fine if he didn't have his son (or grandson...who can say for sure) with him.  I may need to rethink this relationship.  I don't know if I am ready to introduce children into my life and I surely don't feel like the vegetables are enough to make it work.  Sure, this farm also runs a few lobster boats and that might ease the pain of having an instant Summer Vegetable Family.  Or perhaps not...

I might have stayed and pondered this save for the eyeball searing flash of lightening which followed my parsnip transaction.  Before I even got my sight back, the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard in my entire life exploded a foot or so over my head.  I took this as a sign from the Powers Of Produce that it might be a good idea to call it a day.  I went home, prepped my 'snips, canned them and nursed my minor steam burn.  Situational Summer Semi-Romances can be debated another day.

It was good practice with the pressure canner and got me excited about the weekly Visits With The Veggies that mark my summer vacation experience.  In spite of getting soaked, having to come to terms with my Summer Boyfriend's family situation and a near-death experience walking to my car, I believe it was worth the time and eight dollars spent.

Plus, I got to avoid that shawl so it's a win/win!

SA