Wednesday, July 16, 2014

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.

15 comments:

  1. I should say so--memorable, indeed! To be able to meet the author, eat the peach muffins from her recipe book (and peaches from her stand??), brought all the senses into play for your book club--sight, taste, hearing, touch, smell.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is an ideal gathering of a book club! And those peaches look delicious.

    Best,
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a wonderful way to have your book club meeting! The book sounds really interesting and the whole atmosphere of the peach stand in a small rural town is enticing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That sounds like one special book club meeting! I like to imagine all you gals in the south enjoying peaches these days. =D

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is so neat! What a special time you had!

    Deanna

    ReplyDelete
  6. Absolutely loved this post! what a wonderful day and what a blessing to meet the author, and to top it off with a peach muffin, I am so jealous, (in a good way).
    Thanks for sharing.
    Blessings,
    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  7. That sounds absolutely fabulous! And what a woman Dori is. Some people are just so capable like that and accomplish so much, while remaining down home comfortable and personable. Lovely post!

    ReplyDelete
  8. A book come to life in a most memorable way. Wonderful experience! Delicious peaches.

    ReplyDelete
  9. A lovely outing for your book club, it may inspire other creative gatherings.

    ReplyDelete
  10. there are lots of fun peach stands between me and my sister and I love the summer when they all have fruit to sell along the way to her house

    ReplyDelete
  11. That seems like the perfect (and delicious) way to discuss that particular book!! Great idea!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous12:52 AM

    What fun! Perfect summertime book club activity. I just remembered being at my daughter's in the East one summer and the delicious peaches at roadside stands....

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love a good field trip. And I just finished a delicious peach as I sit here blogging.

    Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh what a fun way to enjoy a good book and some peaches! Killing two birds with one stone can be fun sometimes!

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a great idea for your book club to be able to visit the peach stand!

    ReplyDelete

I enjoy the conversations that come with comments!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...