Going to The Farmer's Market brings me Joy but also makes my Heart twinge...

Walking amongst the farm stand tents at a local Farmer's Market is to me almost a heavenly experience. The smell of freshly picked fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs and other homemade creations is interesting, enticing and sometimes entertaining when you see unusual plants and variations that cause you to pause and ask questions of the grower/seller. 

'Ruby Sunshine' from NOLA bringing a little Jazz to the Market

Knoxville Market long time vendor VG's Bakery 

so many interesting venues happen on the square

Alley Painter's hard at work early in the morning

Myrtle's Chicken UT Flags a flying in the wind

This past week I made myself take a trip down memory lane by going to Market Square on Wednesday to look at the small Farmer's Market, and watch the vendors set up to get ready for Market at 10:00, and I also wanted to try out the new 'Ruby Sunshine' restaurant on the corner of Market Square across from the TVA Towers, while I was down there. I have gone twice on Saturday to the Market, since Curt's passing in 2009, but it was a challenge that was difficult for me. Today I went to Oak Ridge to their Saturday Market and took some photos got some delicious harvested vegetables to bring home. It was a pleasurable experience.

lovely flowers and plants

The vendor's name is so appropriate

Fresh peaches

Memommie's market harvest
German Girl Tomatoes, 'Incredible' sweet corn, lavender cookies, Strawberry jam, coffee cake from V.G.'s Bakery

My husband Curt and I, after his retirement from TVA, made road trips all over the USA and we loved to get off the Interstate system and take the roads less traveled down two lane state roads through small towns on Saturdays and stop at their Farmer's Market's. It was always a delight to meet and greet the vendors, the patrons and see the huge varieties of dogs on leashes that were leading their masters through the market.
We usually ended up with our arms laden with homemade tasty treats for the road and unique gifts to bring home to family and friends.

Once we were in a small town in Kansas, while looking for the road out of town and inadvertently got caught in a parade line that was driving down Main Street. (At that time we had Curt's favorite Honda of all time 'The Honda Element', which was black and was unusual to see when they first came on the market, ours was the first in Knoxville, and it always drew attention. I do believe we sold many just by letting folks look at it and telling them about all of it's cool features.) Back to the parade, here we are in small town USA driving down the street in a parade, so Curt rolled down our window's and started nodding his head, waving and saying hello, folks were waving and pointing at our car and "saying wow what is that, a baby Hummer?" We had the best time just rolling with the flow, taking our time and stopping to talk to the interesting characters we met along the way. Those were some of our off road adventures together and the stories and experiences are priceless.

When Curt retired from his second job at Home Depot he decided to make his God given talent of woodworking his full time profession. He had an ETSY on line business but he really wanted to display his many wooden creations in a public arena so he could get hands on feedback. He got Juried and chosen by The Knoxville Tourist Bureau to show and sell his Dulcimer's, cutting boards, and spoons. He then was asked by The Knoxville Market Square Farmer's market to become apart of their Saturday Market. It was a wonderful, motivating and somewhat challenging experience for us both as we learned the ins and outs of displaying his work in the best and most positive way. Farmer's and Crafter's are unique in their own way and make for interesting neighbor's that eventually become good friends. Such was our years at the market and I treasure those last years of sharing those moments together with joy! 

Big Daddy Lane and some of his wood crafts...

Curt n Linda at the market 2009

Big Daddy and his beautiful Dulcimers

Big Daddy doing what he loved playing his hand crafted Dulcimer at the Market on Market Square

Being married to such a creative, gifted and talented person such as Curt was a little overwhelming at times because his aura was like a bright and shinning star, which was the way God made him, but when his Aura was suddenly taken away it was like the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars had lost their luster. It was a loss so immense to me, and our family, and friends that we all have had a hard time getting our hearts around it. Joy and sorrow goes hand in hand, and learning to take those daily steps forward has been a slow process, but when your daily walk is surrounded by the Holy Spirit you soon find that God gives us all gifts, talents and a purpose, some of us have to look a little harder to find what that purpose is but if we stop, look and listen it will be revealed to us. 

Always supporting uur Tennessee Vols and our #2 grandson #78 Big O'

Sharing what is on your heart is part of healing. This blog has been my outlet for doing so. Thanks dear readers for sharing my journey, because of you I go ever forward. God bless...and He has...and He does...and He will...LSJL

"A talent is something that you are instinctually born with that which gives you unique skills and abilities. Talent is set apart from knowledge in that it is not a learned behavior, although it can be strengthened and practiced. The Bible tells us that we are all born with distinct talents and gifts that set us apart from each other. When you discover the talents that God has given you and you use them to glorify Him, you will experience a full life! Our loving Lord wants us to feel whole and complete, and it is through talents that we can find our unique calling in life! Use these Bible verses about talents to encourage yourself and others who are seeking God's plan for their life."

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."Matthew 5:14-16