One of the advantages of being an octogenarian is that you appreciate what others may take for granted. When my husband I were children, any fruit for dessert came from jars stored in the basement.  Women didn’t work outside the home unless they had to.  However,  they did plenty of work at home.  Both of us remember our mothers sweating over a pressure cooker on hot summer days.  Most everyone drove to the farmer’s market, and bought peaches and pears  by the bushel.  Consequently , any self-respecting house wife did their share of “canning”–especially during World War II.   Fast forward to 2021.  Our frig is sight to behold—full of colorful  fresh fruits and vegetables.  We’re grateful for the truck drivers who deliver them,  and celebrate the miraculous raspberries available in the winter.  

The highlight of our days during this pandemic has been grocery shopping.  Especially during these dull winter days.  The produce section of any supermarket is bound to give you a lift.  Isn’t it amazing that we can still purchase so much fresh fruit?  Big,  juicy strawberries that come from California.  Pretty pink raspberries grown in Washington & California.     Pineapple from Hawaii.  They say we’re “at war,” with the virus.  But I can’t think of any modern  war zone where you could buy fresh fruits and vegetables from all over the world, any day of the week.

The covid-19 lockdown has been long, dreary and stressful. However, compared to other plagues that have occurred through the centuries, we are blessed here in the good old USA.  You can download e-books from the library.  Watch television.  Listen to the radio. Stream movies. . E-mail, text, and zoom your friends and family.  And yes, you can have a dessert of ice cream topped with fresh raspberries and whipped topping.

Let’s celebrate miraculous winter raspberries.