GARDEN DIARIES AND FARMERS' MARKETS

Remember last summer when I talked about getting up early on Saturday mornings and heading to the Farmers' Market ALL THE TIME? Every other entry was "Oh how I love thee, Farmers' Market". I don't know what happened this summer, but I just haven't been doing that this year. I've only been a handful of times. Instead, I've been doing this thing where I sleep in until 8:00 AM. I don't even know who I am any more. Those handful of visits to the market were pleasant and enjoyable and made me puppy sigh with a "yes...this...all the time...this". So I don't know why it hasn't been an every Saturday occurrence this summer. It could be that I tend to buy way too much food when I go. I just get carried away with all the beautiful produce and the people running their stands. Those Mennonite women are so dang pleasant to talk to. My usual routine is to stop by the ATM and get out $40 in cash before parking and heading into the market. I don't spend all of that money, but sometimes it sure comes close. This Saturday I only took out $20 even though the idea of it made my stomach clenchy. I always panic about not having enough (of everything, food, money, being enough....oh crazy brain). I had plenty. For $16 I got a mess of eggplants, cucumbers, kale, dill, onions, tomatoes, corn and a bell pepper.

Then I gave a dollar to this hillbilly band because I took their picture and they sounded nice.

I had kind of a plan for my meals this week. Most everything is centered around squash because that's what's coming out of the garden right now.

I've picked three about that size and I noticed another one this morning that is almost ready. Squash may be the new spinach this week. My meal plan got a rewrite once I got to the market. I'd forgotten about corn. I'd forgotten about sweet corn polenta and how I thought I could live off that dish all last summer. I dumped the idea of baked squash casserole for Sunday dinner and replaced it with sweet corn polenta and roasted eggplant, squash (well duh), tomatoes and onions. Summers just seem to have nicer Sunday dinners don't they?