"Kindness"..

...Yes, country people are so kind and caring and whenever we meet our Friend at the local Country Market - he grabs me and I'm in for a big bear hug, kisses as well - and the biggest welcoming smile and chat to see us...

... And ofcourse - he would NOT let us pay him for the following he'd loaded us up with - that's Kindness, and as you can see - what a happy man he is..and he's always the same and searches us out in the crowd every time..

He lost his wife of many years a couple of years ago, and selling fruit and vegetables and wooden dishes he carves himself from the timber of the Australian trees - is not his only interest - he's a gemologist, he grows all of this fruit/veg. shown here (he has the biggest avocado tree we've seen) and he travels hundreds of miles to dig for gold, etc..at certain times of the year..for months at a time and today I forgot to ask him about the old Spring Cart, as I think that belongs to him - he has several very interesting carts, including a trotting cart and a landau..

...An incredibly hardworking man of great knowledge, and background...

... Now this is what he kindly gave us today:
(I'll make something for him from one of BowBelle's or Beckett's recipes with some of those persimmons)....

(..Remember though good cooks - this is not a recipe!...although, putting all together with some vinegar and salt and sugar - in correct proportions, it would make a nice chutney....well, maybe we could just eat the avocado though..)

2 LARGE avocados,
1 big bag of tomatoes,
1 large cucumber,
1 " bag of blood plums,
1 very large bag of super sized onions,
1 bag of beautiful sweet capsicums,
1 large bag of Granny Smith apples,
1 HUGE butternut pumpkin - a new variety he told us..

That's Kindness, isn't it..and a Very Good Friend...