Tall Tales from Kansas

future farmers in training

This week at the market there were women balancing cute puppies and coffee and multiple bouquets while reaching for bags of asparagus.

There were snap dragons and gladiolas, people waiting for doughnuts, wonderful looking greens, and future farmers in training. 

There was carrot cake and pottery for sale.





I also noted youngsters in sunglasses eating their breakfast. Each in their own way. 





Best Farmers market outfits for the day went to this couple. 



Here is what I came home with...



and of course, this. A moist, dense, nutty, bit of cake to help us celebrate an anniversary. 

Isn't it a rule or something that you should have cake on such an occasion? 

a typical Kansas storm

These were the skies over Lawrence Kansas Sunday morning from 6:55 to 7:30 am, when I left the house, betting that I could get in a quick walk before the storms hit. 

They layers and patterns in the clouds were spectacular.









About 5 minutes after I walked back through the door, the storm hit. Lightning, thunder, blowing trees and grasses, an old metal chair skittered off the deck. In other words, a typical Kansas storm. 

indulge thine own self

Before I get new flowers at the market Saturday morning, indulge my need to share last weeks bouquet more fully. 

 Now go forth and indulge thine own self with some blossoms from your local market that will fill you with whatever you need this week. 

P.S. These tulips are from Cook's Market operated by Matthew and Amanda Cook in Baldwin City Kansas. They are at the Lawrence Farmers market on Saturdays. 

an unburdening

One might think that working part time instead of full time would translate to more not less blogging. What I am finding though, is that the extra time is going instead to sitting and thinking. Thinking about stuff like "No Mow May" which helps the bees.  

There is also the thinking and eating activities, as in how will I use the farmers market purchases. At this time of year it's pretty much just clean and eat. Strawberries with blueberries and yogurt, asparagus with greens and hard boiled eggs in a salad with a mustardy vinaigrette.  

Deciding if one piece of cake will make 3 desserts or only 2. This coconut/lime concoction may be my new favorite from the Chonky boys. Moist with a pop of lime in the frosting and the chew of the flaky coconut. 

The annual cleaning, filling, and plugging in of the fountain. 

Watching the rain on the hosta leaves. 



What I am actually finding is an unburdening. Letting go of the need to "do" without a reason. Especially some self-imposed rule that needs to be let go of. 

Chris and I are talking about a drive to Tulsa.  Who's been? On our agenda at this moment is The Philbrook Museum of Art, a botanic garden, and I just stumbled across Knit Stars which looks amazing. What else have you done there that we should investigate? Do tell. 

I passed up the doughnuts, knowing something else was waiting a few booths over

This line below was forming at 7:25 Saturday morning at the farmers market in Lawrence.

Here's why. Moon on the Meadow always has the first strawberries of the season. Small, sweet, red through and through. Worth getting to the market 5 minutes early for.

They had some amazing poppy bouquets too. 

As soon as I snagged my strawberries, I headed to my friends over at Pendletons for the first asparagus of the season. 

Bouquets were plentiful this weekend. Something for every mother. And every not-a-mother who loves flowers. Like me. 

Flowers are an essential element in my home and walking through this selection is like having the world spread out before you for the taking. Pure bliss.  

Mellowfield farms was back at the market this week. Cue the confetti and cheers. 

My favorite supplier of greens.

Right across from Mellowfields, is where Anthony has his table set up. Reliably excellent honey and his eggs are really pretty too. 

A shout-out this week to LCG farms for my favorite sign.  Their bok choy also looked tasty.

What could be more fun than being a kid at the market and knowing that at some point you were going to be able to pick your very own doughnut from a display case filled with the stuff that dreams are made of? 

Oh the deliberations.

But the very best part of this interaction was when I complimented the woman's wrap and her daughter told me "she made it herself!".  Followed by "my mom is a really good knitter!" Sweet x 1000. What a great Mother's Day present for that mom.  You will agree I am sure that the wrap is spectacular - pattern, colors, the whole deal. 

I passed up the doughnuts, knowing something else was waiting a few booths over. Something called the Coconut/Lime cake of the week from the Chonky boys. Seriously.  How pretty is that?

It's time to get to planting around these parts... and there was something for everyone for sale at the market. 

 

Just as I was leaving, I spotted this display of bagels... which I had not seen previously offered at the market.  An "everything" was selected and added to my basket. 

And that folks, is what was happening at the farmers market in Lawrence Kansas this week-end. 



I hope your markets are filled with as many delights. 

but not just any old carrot soup

In between blissing out on the blooming dogwoods and admiring the spring window decorations, I have been finishing up a pillow sham with the leftover fabric from the spots and stripes quilt. A pillow sham is a good place to practice quilting and piecing ideas without getting all serious about it. I learn best from doing things... even if they don't turn out quite as planned, it helps me figure out the best way to make something. 

There was also time for a lunch out with friends, where I ordered the carrot soup to start. But it wasn't just any old carrot soup. It was a curried carrot soup with spiced peanuts, pepitas, cilantro and bits of curried mango chutney on top.

Can you say DELICIOUS? I forced everyone at the table to take up their spoons and try a bite. It wasn't difficult. I hope The Restaurant at 1900 keeps it on their lunch menu until I am able to get back there and have it again. Next week might be too soon, but not the week after that. 

she told me I would get down on my knees and thank her

Weekends have a new freshness to them, when every Monday is not a work day. There is time for piddling. Selecting flowers for the first mini flower arrangement of the season, sitting on the front porch after pulling weeds. There is soil to be turned and amended, mulch to be laid, all in good time. 

My mind turns to thoughts of road trips to see Brother and Dottie and Sister. How would it be to jump in the car and go. Would I decide halfway to Albuquerque that it was a bad idea? No way to know except to try...

These are the week-old tulips right before I tossed them.  Let me age like a tulip please.  

I was a few minutes late for my date with the sun this week. It started without me, which was fine.

The tree sparrows are nesting in all the houses at the Baker Wetlands.



Green grasses are pushing up. 

Trails beckon and the wild phlox is blooming.



Oat milk lattes are a new favorite. Very creamy with a nice mouth feel. 

My finds from the beaches of California are sitting on my table and I am moving them around on different surfaces. It's addictive making patterns with different combinations.



In entertainment news, which you know will be old because Chris and I are the last one's to see whatever the new thing is. We started Atlantic Crossing last night. Gripping is how I would describe it. It is based on some thread of truth - how much I don't know, but I am seriously down a rabbit hole of looking up what was happening in Norway in WWII. We are watching on Amazon prime. There is only one season, 8 episodes. 

I was telling sister about it until she reminded me that she told me about it eons ago. She also told me I would get down on my knees and thank her when I followed her advice and watched Last Tango in Halifax and Seaside Hotel when we are done with this current series we are watching.

the recipe for a perfect day

It's Tulip Time at Ted Ensley Gardens in Topeka. If you live in the area, you may want to go. But make it quick before the wind and the rain put an end to the celebration that this day was.

The thing is there are big trees, little trees, flowering trees, and interesting structures in addition to the tulips. 

I already mentioned the lake didn't I? 

The massed plantings are splendid. Up close and from a distance. The air is also perfumed with the smell from flowering shrubs. 

This year was the best display we have caught. Our timing was perfect. 

An essential element to the visit is bringing your lunch to sit and eat slowly as you take it all in. There are many tables and benches. Alternately, you can do what we did and get yourself a sandwich from Schlotsky's on SW 29th street. I like the original. Chris goes for the ham and cheese. Cold water, iced tea, a few chips. 

That's the recipe for a perfect day. A nap after you get home as an add-on to the itinerary is strongly suggested. 

this sense of opening up

Spring weather in the midwest can translate to glorious skies. Here is a perfect example from last week. 

Looking up the river and across to the other side, the reflections of the remnants of the storm on the water were wonderful. 

Just straight up was pretty good too. 

Especially as I turned for home and the sky got blue. This year we have had a wonderful bloom on the redbuds which are native to the area. 

Really marvelous. 

This has not a thing to do with clouds or storms or redbuds, but the birth of a leaf is pretty cool when you can catch it. 

On this morning walk I ran into quite a few birdwatchers. They told me the migration websites had indicated conditions were excellent for spotting warblers. It's nice to talk to someone who is just completely delighted with what they are doing and happy to answer questions. 



After the walk there was time for a latte and playing around with my new brush pens. One of the nicest things about working part time is this sense of opening up, slowing down, making time for just hanging out. 

long may you reign

Today apparently is tulip Tuesday, luckily I have lots of photos to commemorate the flower that is being celebrated.

This bunch is my bouquet of the week from the farmers market. They are a perfect compilation of colors and textures. 

I mean come on, who thought to take pinking shears to the edges of a tulip... and then figure out the whole hybridization thing? 

In other news, I just bought a pair of cantaloupe colored walking shoes. Seriously. I haven't photographed my feet in them yet, but you get the idea. I feel my fitness level getting boosted to whole new heights as I gaze upon them. 

P.S. Happy Birthday Nancy! Long may you reign.