In Which We Visit The Farmer's Market

We took advantage of the gorgeous day to take a trip down to the Olympia Farmer's Market.  It was one of those absolutely perfect crisp-but-sunny fall days, and since the Olympia Art Walk was due to go on that evening, the streets were filled with art exhibits and musicians. 

If there's one thing Connor appreciates, it's good music, and that was to be had in abundance.  The folk band at the market place included a bass and a set of bongos-- both of which are on Connor's list of Favorite Instruments Ever.  We sat down and listened to the last ten minutes or so of their final set.  He was very disappointed when they finished their last song, and couldn't figure out why asking for more music wasn't immediately making said music happen.  Oh well.

Fig season is apparently over because I couldn't find any more at the market, which was very sad, but I did pick up some tiny seckle pears, which are as sweet as candy and nearly as good as the figs.  Washington, while more famously known for its apples, actually produces about half the nation's pears and so the farmer's markets are absolutely chock full of the winter varieties right now.  It's time for the second strawberry crop of the season too, so of course I had to pick some of those up.  They didn't last the ride home.

Finally I bought an enormous slicing tomato to eat all by itself with just a little bit of salt.  Huge sun-ripe tomatoes were one of the things I took completely for granted when I lived in Texas, and now they're one of the few things I miss about living there besides my family and friends.  The season is so short here that they're a luxury, and I have to eat as many as I can before the rain starts up again.

Connor now has a little prism to hand in his room from a booth he was completely fascinated by.  He ended up with something else too; on the way home we stopped at Best Buy and picked up a copy of the 25th anniversary edition of Phantom Of The Opera.  It's another one of those not-a-kid's-movie-but-I-know-Connor-will-love-it sort of things, and sure enough he was riveted through the whole thing.  It's a great way to keep his mind off his knee extensions and/or his stander, which is what he's usually doing while he's watching television.  I just covered his eyes at a couple of strategic points and we were good. 

And of course Colm Wilkinson sang as a special guest at the end of the program, which made me extremely happy.  I swear it's a good thing that man is almost forty years older than me, happily married with four children and living in another country, or Jer would have competition.  The man could sing an accounting textbook and make it sound amazing.

Anyway, so it was a good day!

~Jess