Sweet Home Belfast Farmer's Market

At the Belfast Farmer's Market, as summer begins greeting autumn.

I arrived early & while watching vendors set up 

a woman near me said she arrives early each week

 in order to get in line to buy her elderly dad 

his favorite loaf of bread, before it runs out,

from Plymouth Pond Farm & Bakery. 

Eventually I also joined the line & while waiting

I started the above sketch.

I hung out at the market for about 4 hours. 

In between sketches I chatted 

with various friends & acquaintances 

at "my" centrally located picnic table.

Toward noon there were very few baked goods left 

at Plymouth Pond Bakery (sketch above).

Belfast Farmer's Market:

Less 

movement,

less quantity, 

less variety, 

less stimulation,
less noise 

fewer crowds

than at my old 

Portland Farmer's Market.

More 

conversations, 

more greetings,
more space,

more tranquility.

Same 

colorful, homegrown

produce & products
& vendors who smile as they
talk about their process & products
& as they exchange money
with people like me who also smile
& fill straw & cloth bags.

There was a time when I lived here 

but longed to be there.

But recently I have come Home 

to my small Belfast town,

including its Farmer's Market.

To market, to market, 

(not buying a pig)

Home again, home again

Jiggedy Jig.