This olive and pickle woman was getting warm and she took off her shirt right before this photo was taken. There’s one more layer for later.  Paul Goldfinger. Re-post from Jan 8, 2020. Ft. Myers, Fla ©

Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger foreign correspondent in Fla.

The weather is always a topic of conversation in southwest Florida.  This morning, at the Lakes Park Farmers Market, it was cool, and some were wearing jackets and sweaters as they explored the market.

“It’s like a July day in Wisconsin,” said a man hanging out of a food truck window and laughing.

This Savannah honey was dressed for winter, including pocket warmers. Paul Goldfinger photo. 1/8/20 ©

The temperature was  60 degrees when we arrived at 9 am, but within the hour, it heated up to 67.  It would be 80 by noon, and the market closes at 1 pm.   Many people who come to this part of Fla are from the mid-west.  Jersey plates are a rare sighting.

One woman approached me as I was getting out of my car to tell me that she also was from New Jersey. She did not complain about the “cold” weather.

In the parking lot we met this character. He did not bark; only stared. Do you think he knew that I was Jewish?

Farmers from Immokalee brought freshly picked produce at bargain prices.  Eileen bought a huge bunch of beautiful radishes for $1.00 and a large red pepper for $1.00 and 3 Japanese eggplants for $1.00.  The American dollar is strong in Florida.

There were vendors selling Argentinean food fresh cooked in a truck, mushrooms, olives, muffins, honey, spices, French pastries and breads, “New York” bagels and bialys, Madagascar crocheted straw hats,  Italian olive oil and balsamic vinegar, Vermont maple syrup, French fries cooked for you, Wisconsin cheese, and flowers.  Someone else was selling a certain kind of hot pepper that could cure prostate cancer.

MICHAEL GIACCHINO:    The”Main Theme” from the film Ratatouille.