the peach stand

It all started when Nancy chose to stay at a guest house or b and b rather than a hotel. In 

the charming, antiqued-filled guest room where she stayed, there was a trading book shelf. 

"Help yourself to a book and leave one of yours for someone else." 

A particular book caught Nancy's fancy, connecting with her southern roots. Though 

she had no book to leave in its place, she asked her gracious hostess 

if she could just have the book, a book called Clover, written by Dori Sanders. 

Already in Nancy's mind an idea was spinning. Maybe her book club could read the book 

and visit the very peach stand the book centers on.

And that is just what we did. Clover is a young girl of ten, being raised by a single dad. 

The day he marries a white woman, he is tragically killed in a car "wreck" 

(as they say in the south) and the white lady becomes Clover's stepmother. 

And then we learn about the adjustment that young Clover goes through, 

along with other rich tidbits about life.

So on a hot summer morning we had a "field trip" kind of book club meeting, and drove

 south an hour to a town also called Clover. Just outside the town, the author works the 

fruit stand on her farm. We hung out with Dori, bought her peaches, and then settled down to talk in 

assorted chairs she had gathered from around the farm. We marveled as she chatted 

about her life as an author and told stories, all while greeting customers who came 

by as if they were old friends (which they probably were.) 

The author has also written two other books, one being a southern cook book. Nancy treated us to a peach muffin recipe from the book, along with southern tea.

After our time with Dori, we drove into Clover and enjoyed lunch at the "local."

An unusual but memorable book club meeting!

peach photo by N.