Hello FLASHERS!

Just another surprise mini issue.  (So much for publishing every other week.)  There are a few time sensitive posts below that served as an impetus to publish this week.  I hope your summer days have gifted you some free time to enjoy the things you treasure most. 

I just returned from our farm in Boston, Ga. What a great week! There is just nothing like the community of a small farming town. My husband wakes up and heads down to the local cafe every morning where all the men gather and the tables are buzzin' with chatter. They still refer to him as 'Mr. Miami' when he walks in and I get a chuckle out of that. At the week's onset, the farmers were crowin' about the need for rain. By week's end we had storms that would rival any in Florida. What was said about those storms? "Oh boy...That will sure make that grass jump." ...translation...'That will sure make that grass grow.' They just have a unique and colorful way of describing every aspect of life. 

Before I arrived, my husband purchased bags and bags of wildflower seed and sowed it along our property line. He so wanted a wild display of floral beauty. Unfortunately that investment didn't really produce the desired outcome. However, the sunflowers that line the fields were doing alright and I enjoyed the field rides at different times of the day that revealed their little floral faces at attention in different directions as the sun chose a new position in the sky. 

Farmers arrived at our 'back' door on a regular basis...unannounced of course. We were showered with fresh sweet corn that had just been picked, tomatoes of the same freshness, dozens of eggs from a friend's coop, okra, squash...the bounty of the fields were shared. It reminded me of the tradition and ritual that food has played in creating community. There is no doubt that the reality of life away from the farm is quite different; you know...the demands of work, deadlines, phone calls, meetings etc., but the slower summer pace is sort of like life on the farm. More family time, firefly catching, get-togethers, BBQ's, picnics, game nights, pot luck dinners. It's nice. Isn't it?

So, cheers to you, to summer, to great friends, fantastic food, colorful conversations and to the traditions that celebrate the sharing of ourselves and our food with those who mean so much to us. 

Happy summer, FLASHERS! 

Valerie Watkins

Publisher 

  TRAVEL PACKING TIP 

A great tip for all lady FLASHERS. We all know it can be a real 

nuisance packing up jewelry for travel. This handy tip will make the task easier and will keep your necklaces tangle-free. Thread the chain through a plastic straw and then clasp it closed.  Voila! Tangle-Free travel!

Oh the things you learn in FLASH. 

  RECIPE OF THE WEEK

& Lime Cilantro Dressing