Joyeux 14 Juillet!

Happy July 14th! Today is the Independence Day celebrated in France. In short, this day marks the end of monarchism in France. Hurray for democratic zealots!

I'm a market zealot, myself. I have discovered that I really have a passion for going to the market, helping Ja-Ja sell her garden produce, and mingle with the people. I have made a lot of friends: a woman working in the local pharmacy, a woman my age with lots of pins on her purse, a Berlin couple with whom I try to speak my University-learned German, a British couple with two little dogs, and a French guy with dreadlocks who lives in the woods with his brothers. I like talking with all the other tourists, tryiing to make them feel welcome at Ja-Ja's stand. I hope I am bringing her business. The shy average Frenchman or Frenchwoman seems scared and unsure about how to respond with my outward friendliness. They usually smile and put on their sunglasses. Eep!

Saturday's market was extremely successful and busy. We ended up making nearly 1,000 Euros! We brought crates of green beans, potatoes, zucchinis, tomatoes, lettuce greens, and carrots. The beets, strawberries (our second harvest), raspberries, and onions sold fast. We had a new bean today: les haricots cocos. They look like large pea pods, but have a white and red pattern on the pod. This would be the giraffe of the bean world. My personal goal was to sell all of the eggplants. Ja-Ja grew a baby variety this year, so they are small and cute. Ja-Ja and Chérif are upset because they love the huge ones. Somebody has to love these miniature ones, so I will! We ended up selling them all. The basil and parsley were also easy sellers. The potatoes and tetragone (similar to baby spinach) didn't all sell, so then they were for our home. For dinner that night, Ja-Ja made a tart using the leftover tetragone, and seemed some leftover potatoes and pattypan squash. She made a garlic aioli to go with it. I tummy was singing and satisfied!

During the weekend, I have been relaxing more, so I don't have much to write about. I watched the Edith Piaf movie in French with the kids and other WWOOFers. I have also been trying to do some tanning and yoga in the gardens, walking around the roads, copying recipes onto my laptop, reading in the plaza in Lasalle, and sleeping. It is still incredibly green here and all of the flowers and trees seem to be holding up well. There are a lot of mold spots even on tree trunks. The blackberries are getting ripe now, so I picked some of a tree. They are very soft and sweet. The trees are tall, though, so I couldn't eat much.

The market this morning in Lasalle was packed! Tourists are here for the 14 Juillet events, I believe. Naoko and I had a coffee at the café. It's becoming part of our routine now to sit and talk for a long time there and then walk back to the house after Ja-Ja has already left in the car. We have become friends with one of the waiters, so we got some drinks on the house today! I ordered an Orangina! He put ice in the glass. I felt like a was having a taste of heaven: an ice cold soda on a summer day! It's these small things that we take for granted in the States, haha. I think soda is truly good for the soul. I was smiling a lot, and so was Naoko with her cold tomato-carrot juice! What a healthy lady!

Only 10 days left! I will be able to enjoy fireworks tonight for the holiday and hopefully some other special outings before I leave France. Have a good week everyone!