BLOG-Turning Corners
- Published: July 7, 2012
This winter, my family met with a pivotal choice: to leave military service or leave Yellow Springs. On the very day that my husband received notice of a new assignment in Fort Meade, Maryland, he was offered an interview for a position at a local university. The hope to secure a settled life here in Ohio bubbled up suddenly and strong, and we took a leap of faith on the promise of that hope.
As many of our friends and neighbors have experienced in recent years, the process of securing a position is long and complicated. Interviewing work like dating. You find yourself waiting by the phone for days, even weeks, wondering why the object of your desire doesn’t call. Still, Jeremy’s call came and a second interview, then a third, and then, just in the last two weeks, the offer letter arrived. The greater part of extreme happiness is relief, and we are happy indeed.
Among the strongest temptations to stay local were the blessings of Yellow Springs itself. My husband and I both grew up among corn fields and dairy farms, and we love the idea of settling in a town where we can hear cows moo from our front porch. Another blessing is the easy access to the Dollar General, just around the block at 1485 Xenia Avenue. Lately, we’ve been stocking up on swim toys: floaties, dive gems, and a bright green snorkel set for our oldest. After our latest adventure at Gaunt Pool, I’ve decided to go back to buy the dark blue snorkel for myself…if someone doesn’t beat me to it.
This week found me lingering in the Dollar General parking lot twice. The first occasion was Wednesday, the 4th of July. We stocked up on beverages before the supermarket closed at 9pm and set up our lawn chairs by the front door to take in the fireworks launched at Gaunt Park. Our oldest enjoys the “boom, boom, loud” but at a distance. We usually watch from the south lawn of the high school or the parking lot of the Dollar General. This year’s show had extra excitement. A storm approached from the north east bringing a welcome cool breeze and a lightning show that thankfully kept an appropriate distance.
On Thursday, I returned for the weekly farmers market that the Dollar General hosts in its parking lot. Running in the afternoon from 2-6pm for the months of May through October, the Thursday Farmers Market features the fresh fruits and vegetables of our area farms. I walked the two short blocks from home and happily found favorites—Jackson’s Farm and Patchwork Gardens—in attendance.
Thursday was a hot day with the Wesbanco Bank clock reading over 100 degrees, but the vendor tents provided shade and splendor in the form of tomatoes, sweet corn, and cantaloupe. Patchwork Garden’s tomatoes were especially festive, vibrant in their bright green tub and warm from the sun. I ate mine like apples catching the taste of summer full on the tongue.
July is an especially bountiful month. New offerings are popping up every week. I’m looking forward to snacking on Patchwork’s string beans, cutting into the early season melons from Jackson’s farm, and caramelizing their corn cobs on the grill. I also look forward to riding bikes with my five year old to market. She has just gained this new skill, and the accomplishment feels like a turning point in itself. As her confidence expands, so will her explorations of her hometown, a hometown we are now as secure in as we are settled.
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