The Sunny Side of the Street

"Isn't it good just to be alive on a day like this? I pity the people who aren't born yet for missing it. They may have good days, of course, but they can never have this one." -Anne Shirley

I confess that I've picked up Anne of Green Gables for a repeat reading, despite the fact that I've yet to finish Death Comes to the Archbishop and I'm knee-deep in My Life in France, not to mention the pile of books on my nightstand, borrowed from the library and friends.

But Anne Shirley possesses unparalleled wisdom and so I come back to her time and again. She so perfectly describes my Saturday; there will never be another quite like it. It is lovely here in Greenville, 70 degrees and breezy, and I spent it accordingly.

I woke up early and hit the Sav-Mor sidewalk sale, an event that deserves its own post, with Alycia. A local grocery store gets all the near expiration and dented cans from the high-class, snooty organic shops around town and every other Saturday, they're gathered into rows and rows of boxes in the parking lot. Hundreds of people show up, empty boxes in hand, and line the perimeter of the lot. At 9am on the dot, a whistle is blown and the crowd rushes in, like vultures on a dead carcas. The whole ordeal lasts about 10 minutes, and at the end, you walk out with a banana box full of food for $6. Here's our haul today:














Afterward, we headed out to the local Farmer's market, where we picked up some great produce, and both bought a fresh herb plant- Cilantro for Alycia, Oregano for me. Now my basil plant, Gianni, will finally have some company out on the deck. The man who sold them to us said that they can stay outside year-round down here, which is wonderful. I can't wait to make tomato sauce!

I also picked up a pomegranate and a handful of muscadines, which according to the world wide web, are the 'Passion Fruit of the South'. They are one of the strangest fruits I've ever come across, and if you ever visit me in Greenville, be sure to give them a try.

Last night I held my first 'gathering' in Greenville. Several friends came over, and we spent the night playing Outburst, Taboo, and 'Free Writing', which is only fun if you're several beers into the night. To that end, we went through a 24 pack of Yuengling and my version of man-nachos. Billy Joel may or may not have gotten involved at some point, as evidenced below. God has been so good to bless me with the companionship I've found here.