I
have not thought about strawberries for a while even though they are one of my
favorites. I used to have lip balm that
was strawberry-flavored which I used for many years. My favorite scented candle is still Yankee
Candle's Sweet Strawberry, even though it is getting more and more difficult to
obtain. Strawberry is such a refreshing,
uplifting scent. It always makes me feel
better when I inhale its fragrance.
Strawberries
are only available for a short time every year, so when you can find them fresh
you need to seize the opportunity, which brings me to my post for today. I stopped by the local market on the way home
tonight to pick up a gallon of milk and a few other items. As I was looking for the green peppers, I
happen to see a plastic container full of ripe red strawberries sitting on the
shelf in the cooler. Immediately I
reached for it thinking I would buy it.
I could already imagine the delicious, sweet strawberries with a little
sugar sprinkled on them sliced in a bowl with a little whipped cream over some
shortbread. Immediately my mouth started
watering. I lifted the container closer
to my nose and got a whiff of the sweet smell of the strawberries. What a wonderful aroma!!
I
started turning the container over checking each strawberry for bad spots or
mold. So many times in the past there
always seems to be one strawberry in the middle that is bad or the side NOT
facing out is rotten. First container
had a strike out -- fuzzy spot on the side of one strawberry. One container down, three more to go. Next container had several strawberries that
were partially green -- no go. Next
container had a big fuzzy one in the center of the container. My hopes are beginning to deflate. What started out as a hopeful adventure is
quickly becoming a depressing state!! By
the time I get to the final container, I have to accept the fact that I will
not be having strawberries for an after-dinner delight tonight. The final container had several strawberries
with black spots on them. Dang!! I place the contained back in the cooler and
push my cart on down the aisle feeling sorry for myself.
As
I pass by the frozen food section, I see a pint-size container of frozen
strawberry topping. For a split second,
I almost reached for it. At least there
would not be a fuzzy strawberry in it, but somehow it is just not the same. I kept pushing my cart on to the
checkout. The only strawberries I will
have tonight will be in my dreams!!