the company you keep

my dear friend sheila came to spend part of labour day with me as she did one time before. sheila arrived friday after picking up k in the evening. we decided to have a late evening dinner on the porch, freshly picked tomatoes roasted in garlic thrown over pasta, with a tapas of olives, rosemary bread, harissa olive oil and a salad. it was a nice evening the candles flickered at the moon that was the colour of deep apricots.saturday morning we lingered at the breakfast table catching up and sharing thoughts. late morning it was time to head the bennington Garlic festival, we parked far on a farmers field, the ground still recovering from the hurricane,  the hems of our pants muddy and wet. the garlic festival was filled with booths with garlic's as far the eyes can see, we sampled, drooled and shopped before we found a table and settled down for a garlicky lunch while the bands played, we shared our table with a few people from brooklyn and virgina and before we knew it they were dipping into our feast and sharing stories. after sheila tasted the garlic ice cream that left much to be desired not to mention a bad taste, we hopped in the car to williamstown to find a cafe and cleanse our palate. 

when we got back to the hill i called my friend debbie and asked if we could come pick some berries, apples plums. on our way to debbie's house i drove past my neighbours house Lulie, there she was sitting on the porch underneath the afternoon sun. as a photographer, a dreamer i have to tell you this scene was so perfect i could not even disrupt it with the click of my camera. Lulie is my neighbour she in in her late eighties, i am completely smitten with her. she is tiny, with beautiful white hair, the most piercing blue eyes i have ever scene and her southern accent makes me giddy. I invited her to join us and she said yes, both sheila and i knew how lucky this time with her would make us feel.as we arrived at my friends house and opened the gate to the orchard trees bursting with fruit greeted us, we quickly grabbed apples to eat immediately as we made our way to  the blueberry and blackberry bushes. as we picked, we asked lulie questions and listened with great delight, she is wise, funny and sharp as a whistle. this was followed by a walk to the plums trees, the most beautiful trees filled with colour like i have never scene before, not quite ready but we each managed to find a few to nibble on as debbie joined us and help us pick more apples. 

the night ended as we joined debbie and her husband larry at new local pizza place on main street, the  the small town feeling of the day was perfect. spending time with people who make you feel lucky to be in their company was one i will never forget.

* i have more of my time with sheila to share soon