This past weekend was one of this areas most loved events, the annual Strawberry Festival in Owego, NY. Every year thousands of folks descend on this lovely town and experience one of the first fruits of summer, the strawberry, in all it's splendor. Anything and everything that can be made from strawberries is offered, along with lots of neat crafts, entertainment, and even a parade. I have to say that on my list of most-liked fruits, strawberries are right there at the top. This is one berry that finds its way into my morning smoothies more often than any other.
This year the word went out that, with all of the endless rain and cooler temperatures that we have been experiencing, and continue to experience, the strawberry crop this year was not the best and a bit on the short side. All the additional water carries a higher risk for disease, and the cold is no friend to the poor strawberry, either. Still, this did not deter the strawberry lovers from near and far who turned out in record droves ... even in the rain ... in support of their beloved fruit. The feeling is that if you don't have enough to make a big strawberry shortcake, cook them down and make strawberry jam! In other words, work with what you've got.
I've always been partial to a saying by the wise and witty Mike Dooley, creator of "Notes From The Universe:"
Do what you can, with what you have, from where you are.
We could all take a page from the strawberry folks Book Of Life and not let a little thing like weather, or anything else that is out of our control take the spirit out of our lives. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. When it hands you a tiny crop of strawberries, make jam, and when it doesn't hand you what you wanted, take what you got and make it into something as awesome as you are!
And so it is.
