the market from a fresh pair of eyes

You have heard the old adage that to look at something through the eyes of a child is like looking at it for the first time…or something like that. I think you can be a child at any age and to see something for hte first time and get so excited about it, can make anyone pause and enjoy the ride. My friend Lynette gets as excited as i do!

I had to link to my friend Lynette’s blog because we went to the farmer’s Market yesterday and it was her first visit. her pictures are beautiful. I swear the tomatoes look like they are made of glass or wax, they cant be real!

Anyway Enjoy!

Lynette’s Blog

Spring Flowers

it may be cold outside but the market is open and i couldnt resist these gorgeous tulips! arent they beautiful?!

Power Tools and Figs

This last weekend really felt like Spring! Actually it felt downright summery outside. I spent an average of 8 hours inside and that was to sleep. I went a little crazy in the yard as you could note from my previous posting and it just kept going. i was like an energizer bunny and now my batteries are dead and i need to rest up.

The last couple of months i have been trying to figure out where to put some fruit trees. the shade factor in my yard is very precarious so i had to really think about it. I finally decided to lop down a HUGE Camellia bush in the back corner of my yard and WOW, i feel like my yard grew exponentially. now i have to hire someone to pull everything out and haul it away but i have the perfect spot for my Linden tree!

I also found at least 11 figs on my fig tree! last year i had a whopping 2 and they fell off when i poked at them too much (yes, just like hte lemon tree) i cant believe how a tiny little twig can produce so much fruit! i need to get her in the ground.

I am also in awe of my tulips this year. The winds picked up last night I thought the sun was going to disappear yesterday so i took a picture to remember them by

boxes, beds and sunshine

today is Saturday and i have been busy since sun-up.

I started my day with the farmer’s market. the traffic down to the market was awful and i was in a hurry so i was kind of grumpy when i got there. But when i turned the corner and walked into the market i had to stop for a second! it is the perfect place. The smells and sounds and happy people buying happy produce was just total sensory overload. As i mentioned earlier i was in a hurry so i only got a quick run-around and had to flee to the lumber yard but i will be back next week!!

next stop was the lumber yard where i met my 2 garden box builders Leland and Lamont, and we( read they) loaded up our wood and headed home. In very short order i had 2 beautiful garden boxes and now need to get some dirt! Arent they beautiful?! i was ready to help but in reality i was much more helpful staying out of their way.  it gave me the perfect excuse to clean up the chicken coop and start weeding. i have a lonnnggggg ways to go!

My green house is looking great andmy starts are almost ready to replant. The boxes are going to be used for things that like more sunshine like tomatoes, basil, zuchini and i maybe cucumbers

last night just before the sun set  i found my critters living in symbiosis. nothing makes me smile more, honestly and i am pretty sure Kudra was just trying to catch the last rays of afternoon sunshine and NOT waiting to catch dinner.

of course as soon as i took this picture i went back into the house to find this…HA!

Bon Appetite!

May 2nd I am hosting my French Dinner for my cooking girls. I am SO EXCITED! i have hired a French Chef to come cook with me. Because of time constraints, i get to make the first course myself. Pate!  Last week i went to Powells to finally purchase my Julia Child Mastering the Art of French Cooking and found the pair of them! They are so beautiful. wish me luck.

Becuase i cant wait any longer, here is my menu! stay tuned.

 

 

Pate - Pâté de Campagne

Velvet carrot soup with ginger, cardamom or cumin – Soupe aux carrottes avec crème cumin

Rabbit with mustard sauce - Lapin à la moutarde

Lemon pasta with favas and peas – Pâtes au citron avec petites pois et haricots de fava.

Cheese course – Fromage

Profiteroles with lavender honey ice cream – Profiteroles avec glace aux lavande et miel

The Palm Springs of Washington

This weekend i went to Yakima to visit my brother and sister in law and attend Drew’s big #3 and Reid’s Baptism…phew! We left early Saturday morning and the drive was gorgeous! There are so few times that the Dalles is surrounded by green hills. They look like soft velvet pillows. When we were climbing up the Washington side of the gorge we got over the ridge and a baffling mystery for me was solved! I cant tell you how many times i have driven by a huge flatbed semi with an ENORMOUS white propeller on the back. i thought, largest plane prop in the world? NO! they are for  Wind Energy . These huge silent windmills all spinning in slow motion crossed the span of the hills as far as i could see in every direction. They are so beautiful and it was really exciting to think of all the energy they are creating without doing any damage to anything! Freen Energy from something the gorge provides best…too much wind!

 

Yakima was so warm and sunny. I loved visiting my family and reading my current obsession series (TWILIGHT) in the sunshine. i was so engrossed in the book that i went to bed last night with a wee burn on the nose which i got to enjoy until 130 when i finally forced myself to close the book and flip off the light. sigh.