the incredible, edible....everything!!

California is an agricultural mecca. Everywhere I drive, every turn on and off a coastal road or major highway, I find signs pointing me towards fresh cherries, hand picked strawberries, just off the tree avocados and the beautiful, intimidating, locally grown artichokes. It's really like nothing I've ever seen. It's heaven. I believe I had the best cherries of my life from the randomly chosen roadside stand where I took some of these photos. They were sweet, crisp, fresh...I wish I'd bought the whole bag instead of asking for half. The strawberries were also ah-may-zing. And the artichokes - let's just say if I knew what to do with an artichoke I would have bought a whole box. But since I don't (I mean, I have some clue, but it seems like a lot of work) I was content just to photograph them. But I have a new appreciation for where our food comes from. From farm to table. And though it's no surprise to me, I am amazed at the difference between a cherry that probably came off the tree a day ago versus one that was shipped across the country in a chilled environment only to find it's way to my grocer's shelf at twice the price. Hooray for fresh produce and local farmers!