Dusty Cupboards and Calico Britches

I like a lot of different places for a lot of different reasons. I love VEGAS. The lights are bright... the people are in droves so I can sit and people watch. There are free drinks as long as you gamble, yet I am not a gambler. Fremont Street is my favorite... the light shows and the dollar shrimp cocktails. The sun draws me in.

In Iowa I was able to visit many Amish communities and I love it. The simple life. The not worry about so much life. The farming life, and cooking, baking and canning... it is so me... minus the high heels, lip stick, many curling irons, and perfume... well, it is a part of me....

Chicago. I love the people... once again. The hustle and bustle. The always walking. The variety of stores. The lake... the life. I am adaptable obviously.

San Francisco! I could live there. I love it. I love the water. I love watching the sea lions. I love, people watching... again. I love the wharf. I love the older homes and the hills. I love the trolley cars. I love it.

Hawaii... ALOHA! I love the water! I love to sit by the water and just BE. I love the slower life style there. I love wearing my slippas as a casual thing, and with a dress, it simply doesn't matter. I love the food and the smells. I love he rain in the early mornings, while everyone sleeps. I love the swap meet. I just love it so much and would love to retire there... fat chance.

But, for the Pacific Northwest... I love, love, love SEATTLE. I really do. I think I am supposed to be near water. Truly I do. I am not sure why, but I feel the calmest near water. I needed to go to Seattle this past weekend. I wish that there was time to play, but there simply was not enough time. I was supposed to see my sister for a part of a day, yet, I simply couldn't. Lots on my mind... lots to accomplish, so our visit has been postponed.

I had a five hour gap of free time. FIVE HOURS. Not much time. Surely not enough time. We woke up early so I could get Carlie fed and get her ready. We were going to go on an adventure. We took a tram, or train like object into the city. We caught it in Tukwila. It was fun for her. Her doll enjoyed it as well... and we got to the stop we needed to exit on. I think it was University Station.

She was about to experience Farmer's Market, or Pike Street Market....



There were people playing music. She loved it. We love music. Music is usually on in some capacity in our home... so this was a treat for her to be able to listen to the live music.

For lunch we bought some sour dough bread, and we ripped it apart, and we dipped it in some silly little butter packets.... and it was still warm, and it was fresh and it was pure heaven. We ate it down by the water while we looked at a totem pole that is being carved. We sat on a log railing and we ate our bread and we talked, and then we were quiet... just taking it all in.

If only we were not staying in a hotel. These crab legs looked so very good. I wasn't about to carry around crab legs for a couple of hours... and then not have anything to open them with once we got to the hotel. But... they looked so, so, so good.



Carlie, the fisher girl she is, had to get the whole hands on experience while we were there. All I could say is.... look for some hand sanitizer please. Ewwwww... as much as she is like me, there is a part of her that is so much ... well... so far from anything I would do....

Anyone that knows me... knows I LOVE antiques... I love them so much and could browse for hours and hours. I love them. I often wonder where those items once were. I wonder who owned them. I wonder about the era they came from.

I am a farm girl at heart. I love to garden... although I am not lucky enough to have one of my own... this year that is. Next year, I will have a garden. I don't care if I have to rent a plot somewhere... but I will have a garden. I think that one of the things I like most about Farmer's Markets, other than the fruits and veggies, is... the colors. They appeal to me. I love color, and vibrant colors at that. So, when I am there, there is a calm... yet a part of me feels vibrant and alive with all the colors that surround me.

I wanted to buy so much and go home to cook, yet, there I was, no pots, no pans, no stove... so... I just had to window shop. It was killing me. Oh well...

Look at how perfect those peppers are. They are so very good. I think that this is the stand that Carlie got a fuji apple. If you could see it! It was so very big. It was at least twice the size of the fujis I have ever seen. She was in heaven....

Artichokes... perfect for any meal.... They had huge artichokes. They were wonderful.



The totem pole I told you about. It is amazing.

We listened to the story. It was a story of love... they are finishing this project.

There are many religious beliefs behind a totem pole. It was interesting to learn about the beliefs behind them from the people carving it.

I am glad I was able to share the totem pole learning moments with Carlie. It is something I don't think she will forget.

The flowers were gorgeous. They bouquets are HUGE... they are colorful and full. There is a large variety.

THEY WERE CHEAP!!!! They only cost $5.00 and $10.00 for the bouquets. I loved them and could have sat and looked at them all day.

To me, the above bouquet would be a perfect wedding bouquet... gorgeous... and it was $10! Can you imagine?

There was so much lavendar. Lavendar is a huge part of my life. It relaxes... so it is sprayed on my pillow each time I go to rest or sleep... There was a ton of lavendar there.

These are the five and ten dollar bouquets...

I loved the booths with bright colors... ps... I am not selling these photos... if you like them, you need to go to Pike Street Market and find the artist that sells them. Her employee scold me thinking I would be selling the photos... UHM... I don't have them, how could I sell them?

She was a great artist... so... if you get there, there is a large variety to purchase. Some great work... I could have browsed again for hours...

Another booth with art work... not as good as the first... but still cool...

More vibrant colors that call my name... so pretty....

Look at the peones! So pretty and delicate. I loved just strolling along and enjoying the farmer's market with one of my favorite gals...

It was almost a perfect gap in my life... the only thing that would have been better is to have had the whole day to be down there. I had to get the train back to the parking lot, and back to the hotel for a short nap... and then, I had to get back to real life.

Yes... Pike Street Market in Seattle is one of my favorite places to be for sure. I need to make a point of getting down to our own Saturday market next week. I will neglect sleep just to be able to see the bright colors and think of all the yummy dishes I can make with the veggies I will find.