Unsettled skies and a box of wine

Our weather has been very spring-like lately. As in early spring. Like March. Chilly, blustery days with cold rain showers. We're wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts. This just one week from the summer solstice, the official start of summer. I'm not complaining, yet. The weather could turn dry and hot at any moment. It could also stay cold and wet all summer. We've experienced both.

At least there's a little blue.

I had a good trip to the market on Saturday morning. The day started out pretty with bright sun. I had to wear a sweatshirt, but didn't need a jacket. I parked down by the river and walked up and around Saint-Aignan's château to the market, which is now happening in the town's upper square (it has more room to spread out).  I found some radishes, a cucumber, a couple of heirloom tomatoes, and some strawberries. Oh, and a ten-liter box of local wine from a winery called "Domaine des Eléphants."

That's a kind-of-funny story. The Eléphants winery (located in the town of Monthou, across the river, named for two small elephant statues that sit atop its gate posts) has a booth at the Saint-Aignan market every other Saturday. Two weeks ago we needed some red wine, so I stopped to get some. The vendor only had bottles and five-liter boxes of white and rosé, no red. We chatted a little and he said he'd bring some for me the next time (two weeks later). When I went to the market yesterday, I had almost forgotten about that. So I walked over to the winery's booth and the guy lit up with a big smile. He pointed to the lone ten-liter box of red sitting on his table that he remembered to bring especially for me. I was convinced he wouldn't remember and I'll bet he was convinced I wouldn't show up. He told me that most shoppers don't buy the ten-liter boxes at the market because they're big and heavy (a ten-liter box is the equivalent of about 13 bottles, more than an American case). I thanked him profusely and lugged my box back to the car.