From Smallville To Peaceful Villa...A Wicked Good Time

We have been the brunt of some sort of cosmic weather joke in and around Smallville lately. One day it will be just above 80 and gorgeous; leaves are changing, there's a slight breeze rustling soon-to-be bare tree branches, and you can smell Autumn in the air. At night we cool down to the fifties and it's just crisp, with a full moon that lights up the back yard.

Then..............we scarcely make it above 50 the next day and it dips into the low 30s at night. Fires need to be built and tended; soups are made and long sweaters are pulled from drawers closed for months.

And just as you get accustomed to the notion that winter is here, we head back into the high 70s once more. The sun is shining and it feels wonderful.

Until the next day, when it turns dark and rains and drops to near freezing.

Someone may be laughing, but it ain't me.

So, yesterday, after a long week of work with only one day off together, Carlos and I ate our usual Sunday morning pancakes and mapped out our day. Errands to run; books to read; relaxation to endure. Hey, God took Sunday off, so why can't I?
But then I found a flier on the desk. A place called Peaceful Villa Farm Outlet. It talked of fresh locally grown fruits and veggies; homemade artisan breads; hand-crafts. Could we go? I asked. Could we?

We loaded up the car with our reusable grocery bags, because we were going to the market after the farmer's market, and set off toward West Columbia. We put on sweaters and caps and double socks and jeans, stuffed coats into the back seat of the car, and drove west.

The sun was out, the temperature rose, and the heat in the car went off in favor of an open window and sunroof.

Mother Nature was laughing again.

Finally, we found the Peaceful Villa, and I was a bit dismayed. A couple of small tables and not a lot to see; plus, no one was there, though I soon realized it was Sunday and only heathens were out shopping before noon.

Still, we got out of the car and then began looking at the produce. There were small stacks of tomatoes and apples, potatoes and onions; oranges, eggplant, and peppers; plus some plants on a side rack. Then the door to the house behind the tables opened and a man came out.

Ed Abel. He and his wife own and run Peaceful Villa. So, we began to chat; the veggies are all grown by him, except for some oranges brought up from a brother in Florida. There are no chemicals or pesticides and the prices are roughly half what you'd pay at the Piggly Wiggly, Food Lion or Publix. Ed walked us through the selections and we loaded up bags of apples and peppers and onions, and then we were asked to come inside. Aaaah, inside.

Ed is a Middle Eastern man, Egypt, I think he said, because I wasn't paying attention. There were curries and olives and lentils, Middle Eastern coffees and teas, and focaccia breads to smell. Muffins and loaves of fresh baked goods. I was in heaven. I grabbed a packet of hot curry spices and a large package of red lentils. Soup. It was going to be cold again, I knew, and I wanted a good hearty chicken, apple, lentil, curry soup. And of course we needed bread; and coffee! Rich aromatic Turkish coffee. And focaccia for the soup!

It was paradise. It was a drive from Smallville to Peaceful Villa, but worth every mile.

We'll be back. And if you live in and around Columbia, stop in at the Peaceful Villa: 1532 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia. Or stop in at the state farmer's market near the USC stadium.
Tell Ed Bob and Carlos said Hello!

Soup is good.

And to cap off a wonderful relaxing day, Carlos made grilled pork chops with a delicious vegetable ragout of some of our Peaceful Villa pickings. Warm comfort food as the night chill slipped into town and dripped off the trees.

But the capper of all cappers for me, a musical theater queen, was a little Internet search. A quick glance at the Greenville Peace Center and the news that Wicked was coming to Greenville, and opening night is my birthday. Needless to say we plan a midweek escape the end of January for a trip to Greenville......and Oz.