The best of spring in the Northeast came all at once today-----Most importantly being the return of the SUN! Oh, what a difference it makes to my aging retinas, to see the sun and everything under it lit and glowing in soft breezes!
What a happy day for the flowers, too, as trees who appeared reserved only yesterday, have decided to unfurl their pink and white crabapple blossoms for all to see.
This first weekend in May has also brought out neighborhood yard sales------------so fun to browse, and sometimes find a deal, like the lined basket suitcase I found one year that is art doll ballerina puppet Sabine's portable theatre,
and a tattered old picnic basket I got for FREE, which holds momentos from earlier days with my Sweetie.
And one of the very greatest presents that spring could bring is the outdoor farmers market brimming with fresh produce, beautiful eggs, locally-raised meats, perennials, flower bouquets, and handmade art! That's where I journeyed off to today.
It was wonderful to see so many dedicated vendor friends having returned from the hibernations of winter, like Carrie of Mont Eden Farm (whose splendid daffodils are pictured above), Stan of Mt. Mansfield Creamery (who had two new wonderful cheeses for me to taste today------a wonderful Romano-style grating cheese, and a very creamy and pungent Brie-style cheese with hints of honey), and Mark of Artesano, makers of delicious mead, who had a Mead Essence for me to try (so delicate-----Mark recommended serving it with fish and I can see that would be a happy marriage : ) Mark has been a beekeeper for a long time, and his self-taught mead making has come naturally out of his experience with the bees and their honey. His mead is now available in 50 shops, some of which can be located here on this map.
Most of the vendors at the market are very friendly, and the products outstanding. I came home and savored some organically-grown fresh-picked radishes, paired with some herbed goat chevre from Willow Moon Farm. This farm used to be a used furniture place and it's wonderful to see it being worked back as a farm by new owners. The farm has lovely flower gardens, too, here. Wouldn't it be marvelous if one day they decided to start serving tea there, too?!
Other treasures to be found were fresh rhubarb, greenhouse basil (basil in May!!!), salad greens, beautiful soaps, potted plants (Boots Wardinski of The Green Reaper always has marvelous-looking unusual plants, and in August, some of the best garlic I've ever cooked with!), and so many other yummies and art/craft items too numerous to name. If you'd like to find out more about the Capital City Farmers Market and its vendors, please visit here.
Enjoy the sun today if you've got it, and some tasty local farmers' treats. I'm off to the kitchen where some pesto basil awaits me! : )
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