Farmer's Market Finds & Garden Fun

So, I opted for slumber over Zumba this morning.

There's a tint of fall in the air so I opened some of the windows and it's delightful. However, Scotty growls and barks at every noise he hears in the mornings so I was up at 6:30am to take him for a walk which really turned into him trying to catch up to our neighbor and his dog. 

Not cool dude. 

So I fell back asleep and woke up at 9:36. I got up and headed to one of the local farmer's markets. I was hoping to get some nectarines and peaches but they had slim pickings. It's ok because I got all of this... 

...for $15. Score.

So. My plans are to make

-Lavender cupcakes with honey buttercream frosting

-Baked asparagus wrapped in prosciutto stuffed with rosemary goat cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar

-Peach, balsamic, mozzarella, basil pizza

-Grilled tomato, mozzarella, basil sandwiches

YUM!

Then I did some cleaning around the apartment. It was still feeling cool so I took Scotty for a nice long walk. I changed my outfit because it started to get hot (Bummer. I was wearing a light sweater and loving it. Soon enough!). 

Then I headed to Brookgreen Gardens.

I haven't been here yet and everyone and their mother has told me to go. So go I did!

It was pretty cool. It used to be a rice plantation. 

The grounds are BEAUTIFUL. Acres of gardens, trails to walk, sculptures, and a zoo. I didn't make it to the butterfly display today because the man who gave me my ticket said they hadn't been out all week due to the rain. The ticket is good for another week so I might pop in next Saturday after work. 

Anyway. I enjoyed myself. 

Visiting the gardens made me really excited to go home for Christmas. I am planning to visit the beloved Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I love art. I thank GP for that, and my humanities classes in college for my appreciation of, admiration of, and love for art.  

One of the four original rice plantations.

I LOVE these trees.

"Pegasus"

It's the biggest sculpture there and I can vouch, it's HUUUUUGE. It took 9 years to complete. It was also my favorite. The facial expression of the rider is one of pure bliss and hope. Rightly so. Did you know.... Pegasus is the ancient symbol of inspiration? Now you do. AND the sculptor (Laura Gardin Fraser) purposefully designed this to symbolize a person born with vision and imagination soars with Pegasus (aka inspiration). Clever, no? 

 

Also I liked the reflection caught in the pool. A lot of the sculptures were like that.

Then I walked to "The Visionaries" garden and passed this IN-credibly fragrant bush.

I don't know what flowers these are, but holy catscans!!!, they are scrumptious smelling. I may or may not have picked one. Mmm! 

 

Please note the GIANT tadpole (circled for you convenience)

The description of this said he was a handsome lion. I agree. 

Look at that tucked giant and posture. Also his mane. Just like mine!

I LOVED this one. 

Exiting through a canopy of trees. How lovely.  

Then I had to stop at Fresh Market to get prosciutto because I can't wrap my asparagus in prosciutto without...prosciutto. I found some! As I was waiting in line to check out I spotted this and almost jumped for joy in line. 

My all time favorite gelato flavor ever, ever, ever is gianduia (second is pineapple basil, followed by sea salt caramel, in case you're curious). 

AND THEY HAVE A CANDY BAR OF IT!!!!!!?????!?!?!?!

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!

Yes I bought it. The small one. They had a big one too, but I decided to exert some self-control. 

  Oh buddy it's yummy!

Now I might read for a bit and then Scotty and I are watching "How to Train a Dragon." 

Ciao!

"Looks Like You'll Be Here Awhile"

I got caught.

My insurance company caught me. 

My car insurance is for South Carolina but my car was registered in NH. Apparently that didn't fly so I got an e-mail that I could potentially be un-insurable.

Drats.

Stupid.

So I went and paid the tax, and then registered my car, and then got a new license. My hair was poofy and I was working on 3 hours of sleep. I am convinced I will never take a good license picture. Except, I liked my very first license picture. I was really happy and I got my license on Christmas Eve.

The lady who registered my car was blown away by how expensive it was in NH to register and then said, "no wonder your education is so much better." I almost laughed out loud.  

I may have begrudgingly and with a heavy heart, taken my NH plates off Jasper (my car) and then I may have glared at the SC plate and with disgust as I screwed it on. Apparently you only need a back plate in SC. I am trying to decided which Boston plate I will get to represent home for the front of my car. Red Sox (trading Gonz to the Dodgers?? For the love. The Sox have got to get their act together)? Pats? Celtics?  

Anyway. Two days later I was getting into my car and my neighbor was walking his dog and commented that I had changed my plates and then said, "looks like you'll be here awhile."

....I have no comment. 

Tomorrow I'm going to my first zumba class. I thought I'd give it a try. I'm excited. Except I have NO idea what to expect. I hope it's fun. THEN I'm going to the farmer's market. I'm hoping to get some peaches and nectarines for cheeeeap because I want to make either a peach or nectarine balsamic pizza (thank you pinterest!). Also I'd like some tomatoes because I basically could eat tomato, mozzarella, basil anything (pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, mixed together with balsamic dressing) everyday. Then I'm finally going to Brookgreen Gardens for the afternoon to meander through several gardens, including a butterfly house!!!, and then I might run 6.5 miles; we'll see how I'm feeling after zumba.. I've been inconsistent with my running schedule. Life happens. But I'm going to be ready for my half in October. My longest run so far has been 10 miles so I'm doing well, at least that's what I've been told by some veteran marathon runners and hey!, I'll take that. 

Farmer's Market and A Baby Green Thumb

I went to a Farmer's Market today! 

I went to one last weekend when I was with my Aunt Leslie in Wilmington, NC and it was really neat. It had a ton of plants and not much produce but it was still really cool. I like farmer's markets. So, I went to one this morning in Georgetown, SC with my co-worker Anna and her friend Kelly. It was small, being that it's the beginning of the season, but awesome. I've heard it gets a lot bigger. I can't wait! There was a lot of produce and a few plants and flowers. 

I was hoping to get a basil plant. I really, really, really wanted one.

We got there and walked around, checking the prices and the produce and finally, after scoping everything out, I decided I have to get some tomatoes (3 for $1!) and some strawberries ($5 for 1/2 gallon). 

Then. 

I saw it! A basil plant! 

And I bought it!  

And I rubbed its leaves and inhaled its delicious smell.

Bliss I tell you. BLISS. 

On my way home, I bought some potting soil and a pretty pot and potted my very first plant. My baby green thumb's first potted plant!

 Then I became ridiculously productive. 

I cleaned the rust off of my beach cruiser. Well, some of it. I dumped a bunch of baking soda paste on some spots and I'll let it work its magic and clean it off later. I don't know if that will work but it seemed to be working. I did some laundry, vacuumed, took out the trash, cleaned my kitchen, and did some dishes. Then I had some honey Greek yogurt with fresh strawberries and almonds. Yum!

 Next, I added some potting soil to the plant in my living room and watered it. It was looking a little sad because the top part it so heavy that it had started to grow straight out horizontally. Poor thing. I couldn't have that. So I went out, got some sticks and created a make-shift "splint" for the poor dear. 

Looks much better.

 And yes that's the basil plant next to it. I read that when you transplant basil you should leave it indoors for a couple of days to let it recuperate from the trauma. I kind of laughed when I read that but I want it to survive through the summer so I'm not taking any chances.

Then I cleaned my aluminum bakeware and they look like new!!!! I was pretty excited about that because the cleaning solution (lemon juice and boiling water) didn't appear to be working but add in a little elbow grease and voila! It works! And now I am preparing to make some homemade whole wheat French bread (in 80 degree weather...I know, I'm borderline crazy but I like it better than store bought stuff) for grilled tomato, basil, mozzarella sandwiches. Yum! I can't wait! 

Oh! Oh! OH! AND!!!

Remember how I said I was reading "The Shoemaker's Wife"? Well. I got so caught up in zipping through and finishing "Sarah's Key" and doing a bajillion other things that I was happily taking my sweet time getting through "The Shoemaker's Wife." Sadly, I discovered last Sunday that I had to return the book Monday and I was only, maybe, a third of the way through. What's a girl to do?!? I could zip through it and pay the late fee but I didn't want to do that. That's like chowing down a gourmet meal; you wouldn't even get to enjoy it. So...I bought it. Yup. I did. I found a used (how used could it really be?? The book was just released!) copy on Amazon and bought it. So every day, sometimes 2-3 time per day, I would sign on to Amazon to see if the book had been shipped. It hadn't. So yesterday I e-mailed the sender and what do you know, within an hour of sending my e-mail I got a confirmation e-mail that it had been shipped!!! I don't know if it's because of my e-mail or coincidence but who the heck cares?!? MY BOOK IS COMING!!! And now I can read it as fast or as slowly as I want and then read it again. And again. And anytime I want. 

I can't wait.

Addendum: Whole wheat french bread right out of the oven + fresh basil from the new plant + fresh tomatoes from the farmer's market + fresh mozzarella + olive oil + cracked pepper = 

YUM.