Have you ever been to a place that felt happy? I don't mean that YOU necessarily felt happy. I mean that the place simply radiates happiness. If you've ever been to the Market Square Farmers Market, I guarantee you've experienced this. No where on earth is like it. They say that Disneyworld is the happiest place on earth, but I have my doubts. The Farmers Market is where it's at.
Today was the perfect day for strolling through the Square. The weather was amazing, the sky is becoming that beautiful shade of October blue, and people were relaxed. I walked into the market just to look around and was truly inspired by everything I experienced.
Let's start with the sights of the market. Tables upon tables of fresh produce line rows of the market. One man in particular sells the most beautiful peppers you've ever seen. They colors are vibrant and the man who grows them is passionate about what he sells. I love that old man. Just past that table there is an okra table, a pastry table, and a man playing the fiddle (I'll come back to that...). You walk past more rows of produce and dairy before coming to the rows of crafts. There's a guy who sells recycled bottle vases. He struck me as particularly interesting, so I stopped to check out his wares. Needless to say, I bought a vase today. Perhaps my favorite sight in the market is that of little old couples on benches enjoying their mornings together. I love to see this happy couples enjoying each other's company. I hope that I'm lucky enough to have something like that someday.
The sounds of the market are like the symphony of Knoxville. No, I'm not talking about KSO. I'm talking about what Knoxville REALLY sounds like. Let's go back to the man with the fiddle. This man was sitting on a suitcase (which he used for percussion), playing a fiddle, and using his feet to keep rythm on a tambourine. His music combined with the rising and falling of voices made for the steady beat of the city. Add in the laughter of children, the cries of babies, and the chimes on the doors of stores and you have one of the most beautiful melodies you'll ever hear.
Oftentimes it's hard to say that an urban center smells good, but on Farmer's Market days, Downtown smells amazing. The combination of fresh biscuits, pastries, produce, and neighboring restaurants create an intoxicating fragrance that could lull even the fullest stomach into making a purchase. I managed to avoid the temptation in the market, but was drawn into the French Market for a cinnamon crepe. Simply delicious.
My absolute favorite part of the farmer's market is the camaraderie. I love the friendly faces, but I love the actual people behind the faces even more. This adorable little old man in an elbow-patched jacket struck up the most amazing conversation with me. As I was walking away from some lovely ladies I was chatting with he caught me by the arm and told me I reminded him of his wife 40 years ago. I found that endearing, albeit odd and decided to continue the conversation. He then proceeded to tell me about her laugh, her Christian walk, and her love for homespun yarns. As I listened to him I realized that everyone I encounter has an amazing story, but I'm often too busy to hear it. At the farmers market, life is different. You walk slower, smile continuously, and listen more.
So if you're ever looking for me in Knoxville on a Saturday morning, you may as well come on down to Market Square. I'll be there listening to life stories, buying ecclectic items, and loving how happy it feels at the market.
No comments:
Post a Comment