Summer time and the livin is fine....

Warmer weather has finally arrived! Flowers are blooming everywhere, tons of plants are for sale, and the Farmer's Market is open! For the past three Saturday's, Greg and I have started a routine of sorts. We get up, grab our bag, and walk down to the market down by the courthouse. The Albay market is not as big as the Corvallis market- but it is also WAY less crowded! There is definitely something to be said for that.

I just LOVE the farmer's market. Individuals and family's selling all of their home grown/ hand made goodies. Tables piled with fresh salad greens and broccoli. Stands of fresh baked bread and goodies. Yarn that is spun and died by hand from their own sheep (there is one particular stand that has the most BEAUTIFUL yarn! I can't wait until I can afford to purchase some.). As the summer progresses, we are going to see more and more fresh veggies! Harvest time is the best!

After the market, we are usually thirsty- and hungry! So we walk down to the coolest little coffee shop (not to mention- the ONLY coffee shop downtown) to get some refreshments. The place is called Rhythm & Brews. Every Friday night they have some kind of live music. Once we have some more energy- we either check out the shops downtown or just go home to put away our market purchases.

It is so fun live downtown right by the river. Evening walks become magic when all the cotton from the cottonwood trees fly around you. Seriously- it looks like you are walking in a snow globe! In some places it looks like it just snowed at first glance! The smell of the cottonwood, blooming flowers and the river come alive in the evening. Which reminds me- Thursday evenings in July and August they have free concerts in the park!

There are a few things I want to do this summer. Here is a list to get started:

• Make lots and lots of iced tea
• Start our herb garden
  
• Camping- must go camping
• Silver Falls hike.... (the last time we went with Janay and Brett, and it was SO FUN! We really need to get back- wish they could too)
• Homemade Popsicles (although we did just pick up some Otterpops- I feel the need to make my own!)
• Hand pick blueberries
• Visit Sauvie Island Organics Farm near Portland- which just happens to be owned by a second cousin I have yet to meet..........
• Picnic at least twice

Maybe I am overly ambitious, but there is still more that I want to do! We'll see how far I get with this list. :)