The woman at the next stall watched me squeeze every single butternut squash at the farmers’ market last October. She didn’t say anything at first, … Read more

My neighbor Carla wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to borrow a ladder on a Tuesday night, and the smell hit me before … Read more

I was standing in line at the hardware store—of all places—holding a new garden hose and a bag of lightbulbs, when the man behind me … Read more

I was standing in the community garden last October, staring at a squash that looked more like a weird orange spaceship than something edible. Mrs. … Read more

The fall harvest potluck was in two hours and I’d completely forgotten. Everyone else would be bringing those elaborate dishes—you know the ones, with hand-rolled … Read more

My cousin Leo asked why I couldn’t just throw everything in one pot and let it bubble until it looked right. I started to explain … Read more

I was standing in the middle of the produce aisle last October, staring at a bin of Honeycrisp apples, when the smell of a nearby … Read more

It was 10:47 PM on a random Wednesday, and I had a sudden, inexplicable craving for Thanksgiving dinner. Not the whole chaotic production—just that perfect … Read more

There used to be this tiny Italian place tucked between a laundromat and a dusty thrift store on the edge of town—the kind of spot … Read more

My daughter swore she hated squash for seven years. Seven. Years. That’s basically a lifetime when you’re talking about a kid who measures time in … Read more