The joys of a productive weekend....

Well, it didn't really start out productive, but kinda it turned out that way.

Farmer's Market!
I did get to the Farmer's Market this morning. Unlike the farmer's market in Urbana, this one is almost entirely produce. The exceptions are the dairy stand and the meat/fish/poultry stand. Oh, and the tamale guy--3 tamales for $1.25 and they're made while you wait! Urbana had lots of arts/crafts stuff. My purchases included: tomatoes, red bell peppers, banana peppers, green beans and peaches. Then I stopped off at the produce market on Hollywood Dr and picked up some bing cherries (which I promptly ate en route to Lowe's). The produce market has a nice variety of fresh produce, including honey and jams. Prices seemed comparable to the farmer's market and the grocery store, though the produce is not necessarily of local origin. On the other hand, it's close to work and I can stop there at lunch or after work to pick up goodies for dinner.

One of the things I noticed at the farmer's market and produce shop were fresh shelled field peas or purple peas. I don't think I've ever eaten such things. I'm going to have to give them a try. I also would like to try preparing greens. I've had kale and chard, which I like. I don't think I've ever had collard, mustard, turnip or beet greens. My garden plot neighbor in Urbana always planted collard greens, but I never did get a chance to ask him how to cook them. I know they're very good for you, presuming you don't cook them with a bunch of pork fat.

Other productivity:
I did get the stuff returned to Lowe's (finally) and picked up some mouse bait, which I'll set in the attic tomorrow morning. Hit the grocery store and dropped almost $90 on food. I thought that was quite a lot, but then I thought about it and I don't think I've gone grocery shopping in the past week or two, other than for odds and ends. Plus I bought an over-the-door shelving unit for the pantry and some cleaning products, so it wasn't *all* food.

Got home and discovered that the mail I was going to drop off at the post office was still sitting on my front seat. Fortunately the letter carrier hadn't stopped by yet and the bills got picked up today. Remembering to drop mail off at the post office is just one of those things I have *never* been able to remember to do. I just drive the letters around for a day or two. I'm just as bad at dropping off dry cleaning.

Then I hit the wall and didn't do much for most of the afternoon. I had a headache and I was absolutely exhausted. Watched a bunch of episodes of Workout on Bravo. Jackie *finally* broke up with Mimi. The show has gotten me thinking I need to get back into regularly working out. I think I'll leave a pair of walking shoes at work and go for a walk at lunch at least 3 times a week. I've also got my Power90 DVDs sitting out and the calendar posted on the wall. Time to push *play*!

Just now I vacuumed out my car and I'm about to go weed whack my lawn (having fed more line to the whacker). I don't feel much like mowing right now, but I'll at least get the trimming of the edges done today. I'll mow it all tomorrow.

Ok, whackitating is done. Mostly done, that is. The sun had the nerve to set before I got finished. But the fence on the inside of the backyard is done. I really need to get the push mower into the dog run because the grass in there is about 3 feet tall. Or I need to get a sheep, one of the two. I also got the weeds cut around 7 of the 8 trees in the back yard, around half of the pool and around most of the garden. I also got along three sides of the house. Still need to finish off the garden shed, the last tree, the ditch, the trees in the front, around the mailbox and along the front side of the fence. In the morning I'll take pictures of how nice it all looks.

The Great Outdoors:
The weather today was glorious. It didn't quite get to 80 degrees out with mostly cloudy skies. I wish I'd felt better because it would have been a great day for getting lots of yardwork done. With any luck tomorrow will also be a good weather day too. The flower beds aren't completely weeded yet and I have discovered that the driveway is about 6 inches narrower than it should be due to the grass growing over it.

Food food food:
I think I'll make a peach cobbler this weekend. With the wonderfully fragrant, fuzzy, juicy peaches I bought today. Actually the reason I bought them is that I could smell them as I walked past the table they were sitting on. I think I'll go eat one of them right now as an evening snack.

My eating habits have really been poor lately. Far too much eating out. Far too few vegetables. I bought salad stuff today and have promised myself to actually eat vegetables every day. Not just have turkey and cheese samiches for dinner. Heck, I'm not even managing to get my vitamins taken every day. I think part of the problem is travel, but I've been very good about eating a healthy breakfast when traveling and not doing too bad at dinner. It's the regular days at work where I just don't bother with making something nourishing for dinner. I think it's time to hit my favorite recipe sites, esp the vegetarian ones and get back into the habit of cooking regularly. And I really need to find my Pyrex mixing bowls. They're perfect for mixing up pancake batter and are presently AWOL. I haven't had pancakes since I moved and it's time to fix that. :o)

But for now, it's time to wash off the grass/weed clippings and to go hang out on the couch. Pale Rider is on TV tonight and the preacher is about to explain a few things to some unpleasant folks. *heh*

Comments

C. H. Green said…
Glad you found the Farmers Market. I wish my Granny were still alive to tell you how to fix the greens. I believe it involves washing them and putting them in a large pot with some water and bacon grease, salt and pepper. Purple hull peas are divine, and I wish I had them right now. You boil them down with a bit of fat back in them and eat them with a big hunk of cornbread. All my folks are from the Jackson/Humboldt area. Any questions you have, just let me know. Would be glad to help. Sounds like you're settling in great.
Ruby Louise said…
Cool! I'll have to give the purple peas a shot then. Thanks! Definitely looking forward to lots of cornbread in my future.

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