Wow! I woke up at my regular 5-something this morning, but managed, very unusually, to fall back asleep — and when I woke again it was 7 o’clock! I’m going wild with the exclamation points because that so seldom happens, and wow! it feels pretty delicious. . . .
So I thought I’d share the joy — and convey the deliciousness — by filling the screen with photos I took at the West End Farmers Market Saturday morning. Saturday was a wet, grey day, but our current digs don’t encourage staying home, so I grabbed an umbrella, slung on my backpack and headed out.
Oh, you’re curious about what I wore for market shopping on a rainy summer day (I know, many of you are shaking your head with a big “No, Who cares?” but patience, please — I have statistical evidence that some of you come here to check out the sartorial action, such as it is ;-). Well, I was inspired bySue’s recent post on white jeans to pull mine on. I wear them fairly often as an easy way to brighten an outfit and to provide some variety from my near-uniform of jeans-and-top, jeans-and-top, jeans-and-top.
To complement my umbrella and backpack, I wore them with a pearl-grey merino sweatshirt-style T (J Crew, two years old), my super comfy new Sperry topsiders (I bought these for safer cycling after my Birkenstock flew off mid-pedal, but now I’m wearing them daily), a small cross-body bag my M0851 that I’ve appropriated from Pater who graduated long ago to a messenger-style bag, and my denim jacket (Gap, 4 or 5 years old). I haven’t found any credible method for taking WhatIWore selfies inside the apartment (poor light, limited space), and I’m not ready for Pater’s camera-wielding on the city streets, but I experimented in the apartment stairwell and I managed these shots. Artsy, no?
And yes they do. These jeans (by a company called One Teaspoon, they’re very lightly distressed, unbelievably comfortable thanks to stretch, and yet they’re not too clingy, nor are they at all transparent in areas where that could be awkward — i.e. if I’m wearing dark brown panties under them, you won’t be able to tell, and that seems important to me, somehow) do have zippers at the ankles. I debated whether that was a dealbreaker, but decided that I didn’t mind them, and I’ve ended up wearing the jeans happily many times now. Sometimes I close the zips, mostly I leave them alone, and sometimes I even roll the bottoms so the zippers don’t even show. Wild card!
Ahem. Okay, I’m dressed. Let’s get out there . . .
The market stalls get set up along a very pretty residential street a ten-minute walk from our place. Downtown towers loom
but a community garden and allotment plots line a pleasant park which includes a large enclosed areas for dogs to romp off-leash and a playground for kids to do the same. Opposite the street from the park is a long row of charming heritage houses (see an example in the top photo, behind the carrots) which have been restored and beautifully integrated with infill architecture.
I’m five minutes from downtown shopping, but there are hollyhocks to decorate my very fresh, organic vegetable shopping? Yes please! I’ll have a few kilograms of that happiness!
Small story prompts on offer as well. . .
Even found abstract art in graphic black, silver, and red. . .
I mentioned that it was grey and wet, right? Once or twice, the skies opened right up, and the space under the white and red tents got very congested. No one complained, though, even though our summer’s been on the cool-ish side. Instead, I heard numerous exchanges about how good the rain was for the vegetables. . .
And those vegetables were colourful enough to compensate for the pewter overhead. . .
No sun in the sky? Well, let’s see what we can rustle up down here. . .
I love the mix of cut flowers you find at a Farmers Market, often so old-fashioned — snapdragons, zinnias. . . florists’ shops are lovely but rarely run to these back-garden varieties. So nostalgic.
But as colourful as the flowers are, I’m not sure I could declare a winner in a showdown between them and the produce. Could you? I mean, look at that rhubarb chard!
especially against the kale’s rich purple and green (I want to call that purple “aubergine” but is it weird to describe one vegetable using another vegetable’s name for the colour? Hmmmmm, dilemmas. . . )
There were other activities this weekend as well — a long solo run along the beaches, birthday dinner with a daughter’s family, cycling to a park for a dinner picnic with my sweetheart, and some good lazy newspaper-reading chair-sitting. . . Meals were made from these colourful vegetables, and I got my paints out to try capturing the beets on paper. We quarreled, we made up, we laughed, we planned. So much that will never fit into these posts. But this Monday morning, after a luscious sleep-in — till 7 o’clock! astonishing! — I’m somehow deciding to show hundreds of readers from all around the world what I saw, what I felt, what I wore, for a couple of hours on Saturday morning. Isn’t blogging odd? and wonderful?
What would you pick, if you were to put together a post about something you did or saw or felt or wore or read or — well, your choice — this weekend. The post could be as long as you want but perhaps you’d better stick to a paragraph or less in the comments. . . Go to! I’m curious about what we’ll collect here as a snapshot. Oh, speaking of, if you had taken a photo to accompany your imaginary post, what would it show?
Wow, for once am I first to comment rather than last?? Love the outfit – very together but not matchy-matchy. And the abundance of produce at the market is astounding. I've never seen rhubarb quite so pink. The more colours there are in a serving of vegetables, the more nutritious – you have such a choice there.
What would I pick for a post from this past weekend? The novelty of doing something non-dutiful on an errand in town – husband happily falling in with my suggestion to visit an exhibition by one of my favourite painters. The photo would have been the shot I posted on Instagram of the wood engraving I bought – at husband's suggestion. Tho I am also fighting very hard against the gloom of Brexit, and I suppose the other thing I might pick is how very heartened I've been over the past week and weekend to discover a British Instagram community also feeling physically ill as a result of the vote, and similarly trying to pick up and go forward with the positives.
Ta-da! You are indeed first here Linda! Sadly, I've misdirected you on the "rhubarb" which accounts for the unparalleled shade of pink (it's actually chard)
I saw that engraving — beautiful! and the outing in which you found it sounds ideal as well. As for the Brexit, yes, I'm sure it's been hard to shift that shadow, but finding a community of similarly minded, forward-looking folk might help. . . good luck. . .
I suppose our walks, along a levee of the San Francisco Bay, on a hill above Palo Alto. But as for what I wore? Depends. How much do you like to see women on the verge of 60 in running shorts AND a floppy hiking hat? ;). It is nice to hear you so light. Sleep warms me, it seems to lift you. <3
Sounds like a perfect OOTD for a perfect activity — so glad you got out for some rejuvenating movement, an expansive view beyond the day-to-day worries about your mother. And yes, sleep, Nature's Nurse, as a friend of mine used to call it. . .
Your colourful post on a very wet day has really cheered me up. Love the jeans by the way. Let's think….a snap shot showing this weekend would have a group of the family wandering around my favourite Samares manor gardens on a gloriously hot summers day. We enjoyed shady willow walks and wandering around their enormous vegetable patch. Even bumping into the seigneur himself, who was checking out his marrows! B x
That's a lovely snapshot to add to our weekend album, B. Thanks! Do you think the seigneur might autograph it for us? đ
Gosh we spent a long time in the garden and I made a bouquet and a boutonniere for our daughter and future son in law as they elope on a Gulf Island…
I love the look of white jeans with a denim jacket…have some myself and I usually add a silk Hermes scarf at the neck…I am hopeless with selfies of my OOTD and must really try harder! Great looking Farmers Market and so wonderful that it is close to your home!
Your photo of the lovely bouquet and boutonniere you fashioned — and the very special celebration they marked — would have to have pride of place in our album, L.
I love your pics , fabulous vegetables looking even more dramatic in the rain . My Sunday was family lunch at a country hotel with sisters , brothers in law & a number of their adult kids who still honour us with their presence – Much appreciated . Photos would be of the puds , all very decorative , or else perhaps later in our sunroom my youngest( physio ) sister giving the ladies a little keep fit class to compensate for the puds & prosecco . The men were in the sitting room cheering on Murray at Wimbledon . Very different day to yours but good .
Wendy in York
What a great way to get the family together — do you do that often? or regularly, at least? I love this idea, and the snapshots of the puds sound, erm, delicious! And guilt-free, sounds like, if you've done your keep-fit (a bonus to have a physio sister — every family should! đ
Hello from very warm So. California! I love the look of your outfit and your environs! Love that you ask about my weekend…I and my sister took our 89 year mother to attend a historic Open House at the WWII Japanese-American internment camp that she lived in from 1942-1945. She was 15 when she and her parents were interned. "Poignant" does not begin to describe our three-day experience. I posted much on my FB page. :).
Charlene H.
Oh, Charlene. That's so moving. Surely that outing will be with you for some time, although I suppose the internment has always been part of the landscape for you. Our Canadian experience of similarly racist treatment of Japanese-Canadians were movingly represented in Joy Kogawa's novel Obasan, which I've read and taught many times. No, I can imagine the word "poignant" is the tip of a very complex iceberg. How is your mother after the weekend?
Mater…you are sweet to ask. She is fine, taking extra naps, and taking her time at unpacking. "Are you glad that you went, Mom? Did it make you sad?" "Well…it did bring back memories that I hadn't thought of in a while." đ She is busy planning to meet with other camp internees her age next week for lunch to give them a recap. So thankful for her busy, involved life! I think she was courageous to go and, perhaps, had some closure. It was an amazing three days for my sister and I.
Charlene H.
p/s thank you for the book recommendation. I could not finish Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson, because of the intense racial prejudice portrayed. I knew my grandparents and parents lived through all of that. It was just too much.
charlene h.
Your white jeans look great with the grey sweater/tee, Frances…almost mono-chromatic, and then the darker grey shoes. Perfect. Love the colourful veggies. All that green and red goes so well with your white jeans.
Let's see Sunday… homemade buttermilk and blueberry pancakes for brunch helped mollify Stu's disappointment over Wimbledon (sure hope Wendy's spelled that right…b/c I just copied her rendering:)) … then a long bike ride to deal with some of the pancake and maple syrup calories. Then home for roast chicken dinner with new potatoes, fresh peas and beets from our garden. Then popcorn and white wine with the Tour de France… Pvr'd that morning…You should watch the antics when the sports news comes on and we haven't watched that day's race yet. Talk about lunging for the remote!
I love Sundays now that I'm retired. Mostly because I can't tell them from any other day of the week, now. It's always Sunday.
Oh sorry Sue – forgot you would be cheering on the other side over there !
Wendy
Thanks! I do like the outfit — really like that it's just an easy Pull-the-pieces-out-of-the-drawer-and-throw-them-on kind of look. . .
Hope Stu wasn't cheering for France later in the weekend. . . although since you've indicated he's the main cook at your place, his needing to be mollified works out rather well for you . . . đ
And maybe we could get a shot of the arm-wrestling over your remote as our representative photo. . .
Like you, I'm rather liking the non-weekend weekend. . .
I leave the white jeans to my niece (who is only 7 years younger than us) The weekend is a beach walk on a perfect winter day – sun sparkling on the sea beneath a deep blue sky – picture coming on Wednesday's blog post.
I miss the farmer's markets in Switzerland. Somehow don't make the effort to get to market here. But we do have an organic veg shop in the next suburb along the Bay.
They're not for everyone, the white jean. A few years ago, I wouldn't even have considered them.
I'll watch for that photo — and thanks for the reminder that you are midwinter now. Astonishing, really, that we're so easily ad instantly linked here, isn't it?!
There's no question it's more of an effort to market-shop, especially as many of ours are only once a week. . .one of the pleasures of retirement that I can do this now.
An open air market around the corner is a wonderful thing, isn't it? There is one every saturday morning on a square quite close to my home and shopping there for certain things (free range eggs!)is part of my weekend routine. I've never tried to take any photos but your beautiful pictures have inspired me.
Through your invitation you have already stimulated a lovely collection of "snapshots". Here is my modest contribution: On sunday I had my foresheetman for coffee (coffee on a sunday afternoon – a very German affair!), but before we tucked into cake and strawberries, we rigged the boat and went for a sail on the lake. So my photo would have been of my little dinghy with flapping sails.
It is wonderful! And it's still a relatively recent phenomenon here, but, happily seems to be a growing one.
Oh, that's a glorious snapshot you offer — in fact, I've grabbed three to hold on to — the cake and strawberries, you and your foresheetman (a term I didn't know, but see that it's nautical) rigging the boat on shore, and then of your dinghy bobbing across the lack jauntily, sails flapping against the sky. Thank you!!
To tell the truth it took me over half an hour to find that term (in English). Wikipedia can be so frustrating! On the other hand: another word I am not going to forget, just like chard, fireweed and cats' tails. This blog in doing wonders for my vocabulary đ
Isn't that rhubarb or ruby chard or a mix of both? So pretty … I would never dare wear white jeans to my farmers markets up the road – I just know I'd get something on them – but I love your outfit.
I am sure that it is chard; I but this variety all the time and freeze the red stems to use in my son's smoothies. Rhubarb stalks are much longer and I never see them with the leaves. I think they are cut off because they're poisonous.
Sorry for the tangent. The vegetables are so vibrant and it's good to "hear" you so enthusiastic, Frances.
Absolutely, chard! What was I thinking?
So pleased to hear from you, Tiffany! I hope all is well. Of course you're right to question me on the rhubarb i.d.
I've been pretty lucky with white jeans so far, although I'd certainly never spend a fortune on them. Tried a pair from The Gap on sale a couple of summers ago — super cheap and they worked out surprisingly well, so I went a little more spendy on these ones, but still very reasonable. So far, I find that as long as I quickly spot-treat any spills, they clean up well. . . . fingers crossed. . .
Yes, I'm sort of back … I was working full-time at a job I abhorred and now I've quit and am teaching and copywriting again, so I am in a much better frame of mind. I don't tend to comment when I'm finding life a little too challenging, but I have been following all the news of your move, etc. As for the white jeans, I have been wearing mine lots recently and you're absolutely right about spot-treating. I've had a Paige pair for a couple of years now and they're still great. Thinking I might need another pair …
I'm so glad you're happier now — I know it must be tough to juggle together piecework jobs (sorry for the mixed metaphors!) but so much better than having your soul destroyed in exchange for security of full-time. Especially when your family is at the stage yours is.
I've heard that Paige make the best white jeans — might try those for my next pair (I could do without the zips on mine) , although they're a bit spendy for ever getting catsup on!
Hi Mater, sorry I didn't get around to writing on the other post about friendship.
On Saturday it was very cool – perfect for a run with husband. I am almost at the end of my Learn to Run course, which I am re-doing, and will start the 5k one soon. After that we went sofa-hunting – a return visit to a furniture showroom, thoughts about ordering for arrival after we get back from the UK in September. Then we decided to stay out for dinner, a great burger place that we had heard about from friends. By the way, I love the greys with the white.
Good for you — you must have worked through that injury, then, if you're working back up to a 5K program. It must feel quite rewarding to be able to head out on a run with your husband. Sounds like a good weekend overall — we've been thinking about furniture as well, trying to do some looking long ahead of the need to buy…
I love white jeans but I seem to get them dirty so quickly! The vegetables were gorgeous especially against the gray sky.
I fell at the gym Friday and ended up with a badly sprained ankle in a boot and a cracked rib so not the best weekend. Younger son visited on Sunday, and our daughter-on-law was in town for a brief visit so I got lots of sympathy, but not much done. We have to move some furniture next Saturday which may be interesting….
Lynn, I'm so sorry about your fall — that's a double whammy, an ankle sprain and a cracked rib. I hope you're getting reinforcements for the furniture-moving and giving up any notion of lending a hand. Also hope you've got an ample supply of painkillers on hand. . . Ouch!
The vegetables are so beautiful! I'm growing hollyhocks in the parking lot median
Monsieur and I went to buy Russian sage to add to our parking lot garden. Dinner in Ladner with the neighbours and a quiet evening walk on Sunday. We are growing community.
So you're one of the gardening angels whose work I so admire all over town! Thank you! And so nice to hear of community being built. . .
First of all, WOW, with regard to the epic sleep-in. I share your amazement! Second, your photos are gorgeous and really gave a sense of that wonderful light/colour on offer at a market on a rainy summer afternoon.
What would I choose from the weekend? A woman of a certain age sitting on the beach watching two little boys run and climb on the sand and the rocks. The picture would be of the boys against the blue, blue sky. It was a perfect Sunday afternoon.
Sadly, it doesn't seem to have initiated a new pattern, but even just the once. . . Zzzzzz Mmmmmm. . .
And that photo — perfection! (as long as there was time later for you to sneak up to that lovely little room upstairs for some quiet time, maybe a nap
. . . Two little boys + Woman of a certain age =Exhaustion (in my experience, at least. . . đ
Lovely colours,vegetables look so healthy,fresh and yummy!
I adore open markets
Combination of grey and white jeans is so nice,like it very much
Dottoressa
Thanks, Dottoressa. I'm with you on the open markets – just love them!
My weekend photograph would be of the birthday breakfast I made for my husband; everything looked fresh and inviting, and smelled delicious. The table was set (very unusual for breakfast time in this house!) and my husband's place was marked by a little jug of roses from the garden. Fresh juices and smoothies, tea and coffee flowed. Smoked salmon amd scrambled eggs and fat brown sausages for the meat eaters. Toast and homemade marmalade and yet more tea, then some time sitting with our elnows on the table chatting and laughing with the boys. We will remember the breakfast long after the gifts (lovely as they were) are forgotten X
Delightful, Penny! Breakfast as a celebratory meal is richly, richly intimate, isn't it, more so than dinner somehow, and there's that wonderful sense of possibility with the rest of the day still stretching ahead. You paint a wonderful image of the scene. Belated Happy Birthday to your husband.
The weekend already feels so long ago, but what sticks out in my mind (aside from the wedding I'll post about tomorrow) was my Team's run up a mountain road. It's a brutal training workout, but it's bearable when in the company of running friends.
You are so chic in your white jeans! Those produce photos are gorgeous. I'm really looking forward to fresher and cheaper fruits and vegetables in just a couple of days in Madrid.
That's a great vignette to add to our album, Raquelita! So impressive, really, what you've achieved this year in your training.
Bon voyage, as you must be ready to fly very soon — what a change of environment from Alaska to Madrid!