Asparagus. It wasn't too expensive. It wasn't bruised. It wasn't the wrong color. It just was offered. Not one of the vendors had any asparagus for sale. The season for fresh asparagus in Northern California has come to an end.
Tomatoes. Although I had a discussion with the fellow at the Dirty Girl Produce stand about their wonderful dry farmed tomatoes, I didn't buy any. It wasn't that they were pricey, or green, or overripe, or too ugly, it isn't tomatoe season yet and there aren't any locally grown tomatoes to be had.
King Salmon. I didn't buy any of this, either. It has been very windy in the Bay Area this week and Larry at Shogun Fish said that none of the boats had gone out. Salmon has gone up in price because of the short season, but this week, fresh locally caught King Salmon is not available at any price.
The fact that I couldn't buy these items today didn't annoy me, it left me feeling content. I've see more than a half-century of springs and I am familiar with their rhythms. I am used to the progression of the seasons and of the years. Like all things alive, fresh food has a season. The fact that I didn't buy some things at the market this week is good, and is how it should be.
There is no season such delight can bring,
As summer, autumn, winter, and the spring
-William Browne
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