Just what is a krenshaw??

I had to stop and sample a bite of this strange-looking fruit! It was rather pleasant, but I admit that I didn't buy one!

One of the additional "perks" for residents and retired "snow birds" in southwest Florida is the weekly farmer's markets which spring up in several urban locations throughout the state.

I recently dropped in on the Naples Green Market, which is set up in the Coconut Point Shopping Mall parking lot in Estero every Thursday.

The weather was perfect for this event, with brilliant sunshine, and temperatures hovering in the upper 70's.

At the first fruit stand, visitors sampled a piece of the large yellow-skinned fruit called a "krenshaw." This delicacy, which is relatively unknown to southeast Missouri, tasted very much like a mellow watermelon.

Shorts-clad residents wander through the market, sampling the food, trying on hats, and enjoying the warm breezes.

Amid the stands selling jewelry, straw hats, tomatoes, Amish cheese, painted furniture, and fresh bread, one creative addition was a stall with beautiful handmade woven sea grass pots in many colors.

This pleasant open-air market is just another example of what civic groups can do to improve the quality of life for their communities.