Day at Farmer's Market

Here is the notice that you have arrived at the giant Boulder Farmer's market that is held every Saturday, June through September.

The whole block is chock full of various vendor booths on both sides of the street. It is necessary to have a game plan when you arrive--down one side and up the other.

The mode of transportation in this 'green' conscious city is bikes, bikes and more bikes!

Another sign of the 'green' ongoing are cans situated along the route. It's almost impossible to find just a regular trash can to throw away stuff!

How about some fresh greens?

Beef, eggs, cheese or maybe you would like to try some fresh sprouts--cut or plant!

Balasmic vinegars, jellies, jams or how about some popcorn?

Potted flowers or hanging baskets..........breads of all varieties

radishes......... . . . . . .. turnips

garlic scrapes or sweet spring onions pulled straight from the garden

Prepared foods right before your eyes--delicious eggs benedict, served with spinach/tomatoes and rice with hollandaise sauce. Try a large cinnamon roll

There is music entertainment in cuppy holes--this group was bluegrass. There is also face painting extraordinary. What a fine day--a place to shop, eat and enjoy the sites and sounds.

A Fella Gotta Eat!

Disclaimer: These places were not all done in one day!

The Old Stone Church http://www.oscrestaurant.com/

One of Castle Rock, CO little secret food places--we found it! Located in the downtown area of CR, this old church was built in 1888 and served the St. Francis of Assisi congregation for many years before members built a larger church outside of the town. What an interesting idea for a restaurant--the choir loft was remodeled and enlarged, stain glass adorn the windows, the pulpit now contains a table for two, original altar decorates the front section. The menu is varied and unique.
Shrimp Enchilada with goat cheese and chipotle cream,
Pork Tenderloin Carnitas marinated in orange juice and brandy and served fajita style
Rainbow Trout pan seared with lump crab, brie cheese, fresh basil and a champagne butter

Just three of the menu items.

A day spent out in the shopping arena sure makes one hungry and close by was one of our favorite places to submit our taste buds to--Wahoo's--fish tacos! Yumm, so good. This is a chain out of California but welcome in Colorado. Sitting on the patio with a view of the front range is not half bad lunch.

Recently we were offered the opportunity to purchase case of wine from Chateau Ste. Michelle Vineyards and Wineries out of Washington state--Orphelin or orphan, red wine blended with Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Souzao, Touriga, Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre; aged in American and French oak. The wine was reasonably price at $144 a case. It was certainly marked down price from the original price. And everyone just loves a bargain! This would make a great Tuesday night or pizza/Wii bowling night wine. Since we didn't eat at home Tuesday night, we decided on a pizza/Wii bowling night Wednesday for the chance to uncork a bottle of this wine for taste. At first sip, we are thinking this wine needs to be decanted and set to air for awhile since there was a bite of acidity. Like DH says "after three or four sips, the taste is better". We think the wine maker just decided to pour all the leftovers into the barrels and see what became of the taste. We are definitely right--this is a Tuesday night or pizza wine!

Heading out to breakfast is one of our favorite things to do but it's hard to find an interesting and different place to obtain this first meal of the day. Usually, you can find the regular chain places--IHOP or 'sticky tables' as we call it, LePeep, Broken Egg, The Egg & I, etc. Thumbing through an eatery magazine, we came across restaurant in Cherry Creek North that sounded interesting so off we go. Oh, shucks, the restaurant is in a hotel! Bummer! We don't do hotel food unless absolutely necessary! Okay, we settle for a coffee shop and a breakfast bagel, which was quite tasty. And the coffee was fantastic!

Okay, is your mouth watering yet?

Oh, yes, on our return to the house after breakfast, we found that our 'lawn service' was on the job!

Roving Art

This past April Taos Sunflower offered their roving art selection. This was a three month project that would send each month for three months 4 0z. of fiber that would be dyed using colors from paintings. What a great idea! A chance to add fiber to the stash and learn about artists and their work. How could anyone pass up this? Taos Sunflower was only offering this to the first 20 people who signed up. Immediately the hands typed in the web address and checked off fiber selection of blue face leicester sheep.

(The Bluefaced Leicester is of the English Longwool type and originated near Hexham in the county of Northumberland, England during the early 1900's. The breed was originally developed to use in the production of high quality crossbred ewes which were pastures in the neighboring hills of the region. They originated from individuals selected for the blue face (white hairs on black skin) and finer fleeces. They are found primarily in Northern England, Scotland and Wales. )http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/bluefacedleicester/index.htm

Upon our arrival at Colorado summer home, there were two packages waiting from Taos Sunflower: one for April and one for May. What anticipation! Get the car unpacked and get to those packages to see what lovely fiber was sent.

Let's open April first.Mother and Child (1908) by Mary Cassatt, born in Pittsburgh in 1844; attended art school before arriving in Paris in 1866. This painting was done during artist's 64th year. http://www.marycassatt.org/

What wonderful colors and so representative of the painting!

Taking several moments to relish the April Roving Art painting and fiber, it was onto the May package

Orchids #64 by Martin Johnson Heade, born in 1819 in Pennsylvania. He was a student of folk artist Edward Hicks. His earliest works were potraits but later years he began painting still life. http://www.artchive.com/artchive/H/heade.html

There are subtle colors in the painting but some artistic license was taken by the dyer to deepen the dyes so the pastels would not spin out. Lovely colors and lovely fiber!

When can this fiber be spun? Or as my dear friend in Baton Rouge says "fiber needs to age"--is it necessary for these goregous fibers to wait in the wings while 'older' rovings are spun? No indeed--it's off to sit up the spinning wheel and begin. But, what should be spun first--April or May? Soon June's Roving Art fiber will be arriving and then there will be real decisions to be made.

Happy treadling to all you spinners!!

Destination Ahoy!

Time to check this golf course off the list of ones to play. Did he have a pleasant experience? Not to hear him speak of his five hours roaming through the canyons of southern Colorado. Why not a glowing report? The company he kept or should we say the partners assigned to him. A complainer, whiner, curser, rude, obnoxious--why go on with the descriptions? But, lunch was a pleasant experience sitting on the back patio overlooking canyons once haunted by cougars. There is said to be cougars still living in the smaller canyons; alas, their homeland is being invaded by humans.

Not such a wonderful photo; forgot to take the camera so this is shot from magazine ad.

Finally, we made our destination--our summer home. And much to our satisfaction, the weather is superb! Just a little wind along with cloudy conditions kept the temperatures in mid 70's. A few drops of rain fell during the late evening as we unpacked the car. It took some time to unwind from the drive up from Trinidad. AHHHH, sleeping in one's own bed is the greatest!

Are We There Yet?

We are on a road trip, heading north to cooler temperatures. We are looking for snow capped mountains, babbling brooks with clear winter runoff, rainbow trout, wandering elk herds, and greener pastures! We are doing the tourist thing at some sites. Taking the back roads brings us through several small towns with empty main streets and deteriorating buildings. The way of life that used to be is now gone forever! Every town that hosts a county seat will have a mighty courthouse like the one in Hillsboro, TX.We found a small non chain restaurant across from the lonely courthouse--Frenkie's Italian. We are known as soon as we walk through the door--out of towners--but a warm welcome and comforting smile accompanied our menus.

Passing by fields of milo, sorghum, feed corn and hay we have come across true cattle country. Storage areas are left to the wide open spaces, most are covered with large white tarps and weighed down with used tires. But, when we came upon this one, we just have to stop and take a photo--it was artistic in its recycling.
On ward and upward along the black lined roads, heading to the panhandle of Texas and we do the real tourist thing-- we stop for lunch Everyone who has tranversed these by-ways know The Big Texan--home of the 72 oz. steak. Dare you to eat it all, along with all the fixings within one hour, the price is free! No takers on this day though! The most interesting site in the Panhandle is Cadillac Ranch! The wonderful folk art is located west of Armarillo and a must see again and again! Eight vintage Cadillacs are buried hood down in the dirt as their elegant tailfins signal the daylight.

New rest stops dot the landscape in the most remote areas along the highways. And true to the Texas legend, there is always a posting of warning:

Even if the days are long and hot the roadsides are sporting lovely wildflowers. Nature brings us a show of wonder.

No, we aren't 'there' yet! We have not reached our final destination. An overnight in Trinidad, CO where DH can play a round of golf at Cougar Canyon Course--high on his list of courses to play as we travel.

Managed CHAOS

Some say the way you arrange your supplies in your studio is a sure give away as to your lifestyle. Well, let's say there is some 'managed' chaos in my studio. Everything is in it's proper place and location on any given day so hands can easily reach out and touch. Until, the day 'somebody' moved a piece of fabric, pattern or yarn! That dreaded Somebody! How did they get in the studio to do their dastardly deed? Could it be little gremlins that come out only at night or when the studio door is closed? Now, where is that redwork pattern? And where is that lovely cone of yarn? And once you begin to hunt--it takes precious time away from the loom, sewing machine or spinning wheel. Whatever you are working with that day.'Somebody' thinks there is no rhyme or reason to this 'managed' chaos but it works! There are results in the proof!

When that 'somebody' tells you that you can not do something! You just laugh at 'somebody' and just go on your merry way! Besides, it's your 'managed' Chaos!