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Paul Wittenberger's avatar

My stroll through our local Farmers Market won’t be like anything you describe, Wes—a tour-de-force of delicious sights!

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Weston Parker's avatar

thanks Paul.

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Carol Ann Anyan's avatar

Laurie's exquisite photos set your words to a special kind of music for us the readers. Thanks to both…a talented pair!

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Weston Parker's avatar

Thanks Carol. Laurie will be tickled pink!

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Armand Beede's avatar

Weston Parker: Laurie Easton Parker takes wonderful photos of, and you write powerful poetry for an area of France that in 1940 was a refuge for my 19-year-old Mom and her own grandparents and parents from Charleroi, a relief from the coming, horrid Third-Reich occupation, a place in the Mediterranean and in the Sun where they spoke with charming Southern French dialect, played boule, and had laid-back Southern, Mediterranean ways that were amusing and endearing to the Belgiques.

Particularly an idyllic memory, in that they returned to Charleroi -- her Grandpa worried about their property -- to where the Belgiques suffered long years of occupation under the Third Reich.

My Mom always remembered the area you picture and describe as centering in the very happiest, if short, times of her life!

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Weston Parker's avatar

That really is a wonderful memory to hear about Armand. We had dinner last last with a French family and the father and I, the same age at 65, were remembering aspects of life, a lot of which touched on the war years and the occupation. We both had tears in our eyes recalling these things. Thanks for reading.

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Stanley Wotring's avatar

Wow! Beautiful photos to whet your appetite and a lovely poem to finish the feast!

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Weston Parker's avatar

thanks Stan

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House of Neglected Poetry's avatar

At this point you could easily do a poetic travel book accompanied by your fantastic photography. Seriously good, Weston!

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Weston Parker's avatar

Thank you and that photography book would be a fun idea to do with my wife Laurie, the one with the camera and the eye.

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House of Neglected Poetry's avatar

Well, aren't you two are quite the pair!

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Weston Parker's avatar

Ha!

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Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

Enthralled with the excellent photos. I screenshot the green beans one, the three front boxes front right caught my eye.

Having hitchhiked in W Europe in spring of '72 I loved the markets.

Upon flying back to Boston I was struck by how weedy and wild the US landscape looked.

You both be well.

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Weston Parker's avatar

Thanks Malcolm. It is lovely here and I'm making an effort to try to capture it, especially with all this legal/political horseshit going on all around us.

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David Donoghue's avatar

Wonderful! Reminds me of the markets in Paris. Thanks for sharing the photos and poem.

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Weston Parker's avatar

thanks David

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Dian Parker's avatar

Ah glory be, the bounty. Feast! ♥️

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Weston Parker's avatar

Tonight we had such a meal.

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An K.'s avatar

I miss that!! One thing the US needs to improve.. the love for real good, fresh food and the importance of a homemade meal.

Thank you for writing.

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Weston Parker's avatar

I agree. It really is true that this exact same market began in the 1490's. I've asked a few of the vendors if their ancestors ran the stalls and almost everyone said so, at least going back to their great grandparents.

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An K.'s avatar

I believe it! So much histroy! I'm more familiar with Italy, I learned that someone can only call themselfves a real Roman if they have lived in Rome for 7 generations or more

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May 9, 2024
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Weston Parker's avatar

Thank you Nadia. I cannot tell a lie about the lifespan of that hunk of nougat. It was short but damn it was good.

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May 9, 2024
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Weston Parker's avatar

Nadia, what has caused you to go on such a bender of reading?

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Apr 28, 2024
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Weston Parker's avatar

It really is swoonable, just so much color and food preparation skill and integrity. Some of these stalls were operated by their great grandparents. I saw one of the sausage guys, the olive guy and the nougat guys all having a beer together after the market wrapped up. I'd bet they've known each other a long time.

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Apr 28, 2024
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Weston Parker's avatar

Oh my God, I can't believe that happened. I am a little mortified. I just edited it. Thank you.

On the market topic, this one is literally twenty steps from our apartment and doing our shopping in it, once on Sunday and again on Thursdays, is just plain a joy.

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Patris's avatar

Just as promised - so beautiful- Laurie’s photos and your words.

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Weston Parker's avatar

thanks Patris

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Apr 28, 2024
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Weston Parker's avatar

You are welcome Bethel and thanks for reading. Laurie will be very happy that you enjoyed her photos.

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