Slowly orbiting the market looking for a streetside parking spot. Activating
’s parking karma. Orbiting. Orbiting. A parking spot opens. We pull in behind a young family unloading their SUV with a stroller, child, and associated gear. We gently glide towards them so as not to startle. Mom smiles at us and moves her accoutrement to the sidewalk allowing us to park. Parking brake set, Linda enters the Parking Kitty code into her phone app and sets it for one hour. We gather our shopping bags, warm coffee and head for the Portland Farmers Market at PSU (Portland State University).The young family is still unloading and situating their gear and child. We exchange smiles as we start the three-block walk to the market. The day is overcast yet warm. Arriving at the entrance, we find an elderly man with a suitcase opened holding offerings of cash and coin. He's a one-man-band chatting with everyone walking by. I want to take his photo, so I open my billfold, retrieve some cash, and place it in his suitcase. He thanks us and offers to play a sing a song for us, just name it. I choose "Happy Days Are Here Again". He obliges and starts playing. We smile together enjoying his music, tapping our feet.
The young family we parked behind arrives at the musician. The mom says to the venerable musician "Hi, Daddy!, How's it going?" We are surprised to find out she is the musicians daughter! She offers to take photos of us next to him while he plays. I hand over my phone and she snaps six photos of us together.
What a wonderful way to start the morning at the farmers market: genuine connection with others!
Here are a few photos from today's meander through the market.
He’s so cool and friendly. Kids are drawn to him too. So wonderful!
Those peonies! That musician! ❤️