Necessities

Necessities from the market this morning

I have had company for some weeks, and wasn't able to find the time to write as I should have been doing.  Sue left yesterday, and I don't envy her that grueling trip across not just the Atlantic, but the continental US as well--hours and hours in an airplane, unable to sleep, cramped, overheated or too cold.  I remember when air travel was fun--an adventure.  We dressed up, not down.  We were on our best behavior, not whiny and cranky.  I am not sure exactly when it all changed, and what brought about such a demise in journeying manners. but now, it's just an ordeal to get through. 

The first purchases of the day

After so many guests in the past two months, it feels a bit odd to be going to the Saturday market alone, and planning and shopping for only myself.  I went out this morning for what I consider necessities--fruits, asparagus and fresh flowers.  Everything else is incidental--even the meat.  

I want to get as much asparagus into myself as possible while it is in season. The green and the white stalks will be gone soon enough, one of the realities of eating seasonally.   This spring the asparagus has been especially flavorful, and now the prices have fallen enough so that asparagus soup is inexpensive.  

Red tulips in my grandmother's vase

The oranges have also been sweet and full of juice.  Alas, the clementines weren't as good this winter as the year before and they have all but disappeared from the vendors' stalls.  But fear not, the first cherries of the season are arriving as is the first watermelon.  I bought some cherries at the Collioure market on Wednesday, and while they were not cheap, they were fully ripe and sweet and worth every centime.  I bought some today at our market, and they're half gone already.  (My lunchtime dessert)  

But my real necessity was fresh flowers.  I scored a bouquet of freesia and for only 3 49,  a bunch of 16 red tulips.  I couldn't walk away.  I think the need for flowers around us is a basic human urge.  Everywhere I look, people have planted flowers in their living spaces.  I see window boxes filled with geraniums, or petunias.  Jars and pots hold flowering shrubs--we need greenery and color and scent in our environments.  

Yes, we need bread (and I bought a little baguette) but we need roses, too.

Freesia with last week's two remaining peonies