Summer Love

Man oh man, do I love a warm breeze!  The hotter, the better.  I don't even care if it's humid.  Just a delicious hot breeze, and I'm transported.

That said, I love fall, winter, and spring, too, but right now, we are in the heart of summer.  I'm just delighted.

The shops in Gloucester and Salem are teeming with folks from all over the world.  It's so cool we have shops in such beautiful places.Those of us who live on the north shore are very fortunate people.
When winter was trying to turn into spring a couple of months ago, I got talking to one of our excellent long time Gloucester regulars.  He works at a farm part time, and was telling me how good it was to work with the soil, especially when the spring seems like it will never get here.  I asked him if the farm he works at grows celebrity tomatoes.  My husband really loves a good tomato, and I really only like one right off the vine.  In the past we've had a piece of dirt to grow a couple of plants in, and had luck with celebrities.  This summer?  Not so much. He said they sure do, so  I asked him to let me know when they were ready for planting.

At the start of June, he showed up at the shop with 6 gorgeous baby tomato plants.  Wouldn't take money for them.  Wouldn't even take chocolate! Just a really nice guy.

I planted those tomatoes, and I stuck 'em in my office window.  I get great sun there.  The plants took off like crazy.  I had to ask around about hand pollination, and do a little reading -- I've never grown tomatoes indoors.  The plants got so huge that I had to move them into the front of the store.  I do my crazy tomato lady thing, shaking and blowing on the flowers, midday, daily.  I've taught one of my coworkers how to do it on the days I'm off (I don't ask him to talk to them, though- there are certain things I just can't ask!).

Week after week, I do my thing.  I figure even if they don't bear fruit, they are incredibly optimistic crazy looking plants, and I just never get tired of smelling tomato vines, so it's all good.  Watching things grow is an exercise in positivity, as far as I'm concerned. But look.  LOOOK!!!

 I really can't tell you why this makes me so happy.  Like irrationally, stupidly, happy. I know it's a  candy store.  I know I'm supposed to be regaling you with tales of chocolate dreams and tasty new  recipes.  But really all I can talk about right now is green things, given as gifts, talked to, blown on,  gently shaken green things, who in return have decided they are going to flower, then fruit.There's a lot of things going on on this planet that are not so sweet and simple.  I'm grabbing the simple. By the end of the month, those tomatoes won't be green anymore, but I guarantee they will be sweet.

Happy summer, y'all!  I'll talk about chocolate next time.

Maybe. 

Ho ho ho!

Oh December, you wacky month of comfort and joy, sore muscles and tasty beverages, and gorgeous starry skies!

I love this month.  I always have.  My father hated the commercialism of Christmas, but my mother loved the whole thing.  When my brother and I were kids, she hardly ever wrapped a present before we fell asleep Christmas Eve, so it really was a wonder on Christmas morning.

Of course I see it a bit differently now that I'm in a business that is so crazy during December, but not too differently.  I love that people come in to buy secret Santa gifts.  I love that folks come in to buy candy filled dreidels, advent calendars, all that stuff.  I'm not a religious person, but I do love the bustle of it all.

After 16 years in business, one of the very coolest rewards is that we have become a tradition in some families.  The idea that Turtle Alley is a known, expected treat during the holidays makes me happier than I can express, actually.  It's hard to believe this all started with one machine and just me.

It's a whole different ball game now, lots of  apron-clad turtles gracing both stores, and lots of candy flying out the door. Chocolate on every surface, customers coming in and going out all day, so many turtles.  Soooo many turtles.

December is a month where attaining a work/life balance can be difficult, but every year it does get a bit better. One of the many added benefits to my job is that in December, it's also a lot of my social life -- I see everyone!  I'm also pretty lucky that my husband is Turtle Alley's shipping manager, otherwise I might not see him at all.....

candy cane pretzels!!

So this month's post is going to be a bit short.  I've got more of these to make:

FYI:  if you're in Cape Ann and watching cable on December 17th, tune in to John Ronan's TV show, "Writers Block".  You'll get to see little ole me chat about my book, candy, all sorts of things!

Until next time:  avoid the news at all costs, tell the people you love that you love them, smile at strangers, and by all means, do NOT make any chocolate related resolutions for the New Year!!

xxx.  Happy Holidays.