There are one thousand and one reasons why we love living here in the Happy Valley.
The following story is just one of those reasons:
On Tuesday we visited a relative in north Amherst. We drove over the bridge into Hadley, then moseyed north off Route 9 and onto Rocky Hill Road. It was either that or sit in the dust and construction on Route 9.
A few miles along Rocky Hill Road we took a left onto North Maple Street and proceeded moseying on up to north Amherst. (Being retired means having plenty of time to mosey. We highly recommend both. Being retired. Moseying).
We arrived in north Amherst without taking any divided highways.
The beautiful views on North Maple Street as one looks across to the University of Massachusetts campus always bring a smile to my face. As an alumni it makes me proud.
As we were driving home along the same route, my wife mentioned that it’s almost too easy to take our access to fresh local produce for granted. Just on this short trip, we had already passed four or five roadside stands.
We stopped at one that had “super sweet corn.” It turned out to be just that. We also got some fresh red potatoes that looked like they just had been dug up.
I maintain that one of life’s many pleasures is looking over the offerings at these farmstands while conversing with the vegetable stand operator in the broiling sun.
So, as we suffer through these dog days of summer, think about taking a drive and going green by way of your favorite vegetable stand.
And if you’re on North Maple Street I want you to smile at our state university.
—LOU
Wow, Lou I can’t believe you went over the “Bridge!”
As I said in my column last week, we are lucky to have such great, fresh produce so abundant in our area. Now in support of the farmers do a little rain dance.
— LUCY