Honor SOCIETY

The thrill of the hunt was never truer for Rhode Island writer Elyse Major than when she embarked on a quest for self-service farm stands and serenity

- Elyse Major

It's a weekend afternoon. My plan is to stop for coffee, get cash from the ATM, and set the GPS to avoid highways. I turn on the radio and set out solo to roads mostly unknown and no farther than 90 minutes away. The goal: return with something unique, lovely, and fresh, purchased from a new-to-me honor system stand.

This routine (now referred to as an Elyse jaunt) traces to the earliest days of the pandemic, when any unnecessary activity outside the home seemed not only frivolous but frightening. Still, wanderlust set in, and I craved time alone and unplugged, so I took Sunday drives on country roads. Spotting the occasional random "Open" flag at a self-serve farm stand was like receiving a hug from humanity.