Elk Grove Farmer's Market | Fall Edition

Such a perfect fall day...sunshine, a bit of chill in the air in the morning and evening but warm during the height of the day, blue sky, time to spend as we wished. So nice.

First stop, Elk Grove's Saturday morning Farmer's Market...every Saturday, rain or shine, all year. I haven't been in a while and it was fun to see how much the selection had changed with the season. Fall in full force...squash of every variety, bok choy, so-fresh-the-leaves-squeak lettuces and kales, plump little carrots, beets and radishes, walnuts, huge ruby red grapefruits, persimmons, deep red sliced open to show the seeds pomegranates, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro. And, sunflowers.

Plus, a new booth of organic, humane certified, cheese from Spring Hill Jersey Cheese. With samples. The State Fair Gold Ribbon Winning Sage Cheddar? The Firehouse Jack with its fabulous bite? Yes, please.

Such a nice start to the weekend.

Farmer's Market | Elk Grove

Our Elk Grove farmer's market is small, yes, but it is also lovely and a true "farmers only" affair. It's here, rain or shine, every Saturday, all year long. Love.

It's good to be home.

Some Lowbrow NYC Culture: Madame Tussauds

There are a slew of amazing museums in New York, but sometimes you just need a little mindless fun. Enter Madame Tussauds. Where else can you have photo ops with Pablo Picasso, Beyonce, and Ironman, all in one place?  Not to mention get scared half to death by zombies? Score.

The Obamas send their love. Bo rocks. Wish you were here:)

Midtown Walk | A little good thing

I have fallen out of the habit of writing here, and once that happens it is tough to jump back in.

Today, I am jumping. Without judgment, without too much thought, just a small reminder of what made me happy today. Along with many other things, a little lunch time walk through midtown, admiring the plants in bloom and the pretty bungalows, imagining my alternate life if I lived just a few minutes walk from the agency, what that would be like. A half an hour to myself, quiet and shady and warm.

A little thing, yes. And a good thing.

On Ladybugs

Sunday afternoon, sitting in my favorite spot in this whole wide world, on my shady sofa under our backyard gazebo. Teddy's hanging out with me quietly, worn out from his morning adventures. A pair of finches are here too, in the crepe myrtle over my shoulder, singing. But mostly, I'm noticing ladybugs.

Yep, ladybugs.

I've counted six of them, just looking around from my comfy spot. They are flying happily from rose bush to daisy tree to crepe myrtle leaf, kept company by a few drunken bees.

This makes me very happy.

Last year, I  gave up the chemical soup of fertilizer and systemic I always believed was a requirement of roses. Turns out it isn't. The roses grew fine, some aphids showed up, and soon after the ladybugs did too. Along with the ladybugs came some little brown birds I'd never seen in our yard before, who perched on the bushes and ate up and down the rose stems like little lawnmowers, vacuuming up the aphids.

This year I bought some organic fertilizer and managed to get the front yard roses done, but haven't made it to the back ones. Once again, the bushes are thriving despite my neglect. Until, a week ago, I noticed that the sweet new little buds were COVERED with a thick coating of aphids. I've seen what aphids do when unchecked...the buds literally shrivel up and fall off the plant and no blessing of roses follows. Given that I look forward to the first rose bloom all winter, this is not a scenario I relish.

Luckily, I was too busy with Teddy and everything else it takes to manage our lives to do anything about this bug situation and the aphids stayed.

And then, today, ladybugs triumph. There are barely a few little aphids left and the rosebuds are just fine and healthy.

No nasty chemicals, no work on my part, just mother nature doing her thing.

I get to chill and watch our resident fat squirrel and his tormenter blue jay arrive for their afternoon fun. The squirrel tries to get close to the bird feeder, the jay chases him away, loudly, before coming back for a tasty sunflower seed. Teddy gets to explore the bushes for palm tree bark pieces to shred. The ladybugs get to continue their feasting.

So happy I took a little break to enjoy this day. I'm pretty sure the chores will wait until I surface.

Ah, spring. I do love you.

A Little Headline Humor

One of my favorite ways to get a quick five minute laugh fix is to troll The Huffington Post for the most ridiculous headlines I can find. I literally give myself five minutes for this task, and the outcome never disappoints.

Today, I'm sharing a fast six gems with you...ready, set, five minutes...GO!

     Can Soap Ruin Your Life?

     Penis Size Study Shows Women Find Men With Big Genitals More Attractive.

Hmmm, tough choice...

     Why Is This Orthodox Jew Flying In A Huge Plastic Bag? 

Costco Gift Basket Mishap? 

     Roadside 'Sex' Caught On Google Street View (NSFW)

     Reality Star Struggles With Her Short Shorts

And, today's definite winner in the "We'll do anything for clicks" category...drum roll please...

     Victoria's Secret Model Goes Braless, Looks Cold

Rosie, Rosie, Rosie...

Right??

Really, I didn't even need five minutes, and I have no interest in actually reading the stories. I just like to collect the headlines.

And the laughs.

Hope you had a great week:)

                                                    This post inspired by Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writing Workshop.

The First Green Growth of Spring

This.

This is what I long for, what I wait for all through the long months of November, December, January, through the fog and the rain, through the grey. Today, here she is, softly calling my name with the warm sunshine through my window at work, whispering to me in the white blossoms suddenly burst forth on the trees. Singing through the baby yellow daffodil faces popping open. Spring.

This moment, this very first moment of the new season, when everything is potential, this is my absolute favorite time of the year. It all lies ahead, all the warm weather, the flowers, summertime. Just like the first day of vacation is the best day, so it is with spring. And the very beginning of spring, she is, simply, heaven.

Whatever may lie ahead of us, here she is, again. So thankful.

(This post's title? One of the meanings of Chloe.)