Friday Farmers Market Report, August 21, 2009

The band at the Market today was a throw back, hep cat, "it's jazz man" trio. The Elder member of the trio (I don't know if I can call it a "band) was on the keyboard sporting a well-loved beret. Black, of course.

Flanking the Elder on either side was a long-haired upright bass and a ba-ba-licious conga drummer.

They smoothly moved through the standards. People ate their chickpea curry and vietnamese cabbage salad, surrounded by bags of nectarines and beets, and sang along to Girl in Kingston Town and All of Me.

Toward the end of the first set an older couple got up and, leaving their canes aside (not kidding) swung away to It Ain't Got a Thing. Everyone applauded.

By the time I picked up my weekly dose of vegetables, they were still at it. Neither had fallen. The Beret shouted, "Tell me when you get tired; we'll slow down!"

Despair ... and Redemption

Oh, I was in the depths of despair this evening. Sadness. Gloom.

I made the rounds of grocery stores today and couldn't find good peanut oil. Good peanut oil.

Planters? Nah.

Spectrum? Blech.

And then I remembered: Trader Joe's opens in Olympia tomorrow.

(*Homer Simpson drooling noise*)

Now, really. I make an effort to buy local stuff from local stores. My primary grocery store is the Olympia Food Co-op, followed by the Olympia Farmers' Market.

But Trader Joe's is my snack store. Our snack store. The People's snack store. Snooty Thurston County Peanut Oil Buyers' snack store. Affordable, laid back and organic-ish. Not only can I be sure of getting good peanut oil, but I can get naan, choooooocolate, Three Buck Chuck wine and explore international snack options.

Plus they are about the only folks who sell non-sweetened shredded coconut. But only around Christmas. Stock up while you can.

Friday Farmers Market Report, August 14, 2009

I split a half-share CSA with my sister-in-law. We thought it would be fun. You know, being challenged with new foods. Being obligated not to let anything go to waste — or compost, as the case may be.

I'm not doing so well with that. I haven't asked the SIL about things on her end.

What the heck does one do with mizuna greens?

Every green so far it's been, "Make a salad out of it!" "Braise it!"

I want a recipe that begins, "Hit it over the head with a pole ax and bleed out ..."

Friday Farmers Market Report, August 7, 2009

The stone fruits are in and so nummy. Nectarines, peaches, apricots.

The Boy and I picked up a cantaloupe that smells lovely. I have high hopes for this melon. It has a nice, resonant thump.

Speaking of melon, isn't this one scrumptious looking? If you closed your eyes and took a bite, you'd never know it was yellow.

We finally got some rain — after, what? 28? 29? days? — and it did, indeed, "fall like a blessing."

After so long and so much heat (104˚ — ick), the smell of the rain on the pavement was luscious. I could feel my pores opening and my skin relaxing.

After getting dampened at the market, The Boy and I headed uptown a couple blocks and the sidewalks were dry. Huh.

I liked it better in the rain.

Here's a great way to get around downtown. DASH runs a free shuttle every 10-15 minutes from the Capitol campus, down Capitol Way and to the Olympia Farmer's Market.

Did I mention it was free?

Music in the Park, August 5, 2009

Summer nights in downtown Olympia. We only get down to Music in the Park once or twice each year. More's the pity. It's pleasant. Kids can run around and jig to the tunes. Folks meet up with old friends. It's very small town-y.

Tonight it was The Starlings. They were awfully fun. I enjoy music where I can hear the instruments involved and understand the lyrics. And when there clearly is talent.

I know. I'm old.

And I like country-folk anyway, so I didn't need much convincing.

I have no idea what this fellow's name is. He is at almost every public music event. We call him the Fan Dancer.

Okay, tonight he was in his Gauzy Wing outfit, but he is always noteworthy.

But this man is the definition of why I love where I live. Here is a guy who wears vampire fang dentures and a skirt and does a flowing dance in public to unwind. He's not hurting anyone and isn't in anyone's way.

A couple weeks before at Music in the Park, the 204th Army Reserve Band blasted their way through a military music concert. Somebody that "weren't from around here" gave the Fan Dancer some lip. Two elderly ladies in their matching twin sets turned on the lip-giver and gave him grief for "judging."

I love this town.