When being fresh is an asset.

Yesterday was one of those day and night long holiday celebrations (which, actually, I never attend but did this year), and this one was at my Aunt and Uncle's house in I'm not quite sure where, but it was an hour and a half drive to what I always consider to be upstate New York (the city dweller in me thinking that anything outside of Manhattan proper is upstate or too far to be bothered with).  Whether it is upstate is still up to question, but as my last visit was over a decade ago, I needn't concern myself much with its actual location.

As a quick aside, I do have to say that I find the idea of being in a car for any period of time longer than five or ten minutes (sometimes, a taxi ride from the upper west side to downtown takes that long) is quite intolerable. Fortunately, the driver was an experienced one and not the kind of ranting and raving cursing madman who darts in and out of lanes for who knows what reason that one finds too often these days.

Right then- back to the story.  I was quite glad to make a visit, as I have been getting an increasing number of home grown food from my Aunt's garden in the past two years.  And, I have to say that everything she has given us is far better than what we get at the best farmer's market here (well, except for this one tomato, I think, which I have to say is worth every penny of the 4 dollar a pound, although recently the crop has gotten weaker in taste). So, it was a pleasure to go see her little (well, not so little but little) garden which had a whole assortment of beauties just waiting to be enjoyed.

We came away with some handfuls of sparkling mint (which we are brewing mint tea with at this very moment, the scent intoxicating the air), a very fun beet and greens, and a few other little things- and this was among other things a brilliant start to what seems really a long weekend.

a garden from which all manners of goodness appear in due time