I made strawberry jam

More fruit

My friend, Gladys, and I headed down the road yesterday to a small town that we’ve visited before. I have twitter and Facebook connections with some of the merchants in the small town of Reedley. They had reminded me, through those social media, that it had been many months since I had visited. Gladys and I thought Wednesday would be the perfect day because there is a farmer’s market in the late afternoon.

We first stopped at Mainstreet Cafe and had berry pie and caught up on our lives for the past few weeks. We walked through many of the shops, afterwards, waiting for the farmer’s market to start.

I had been sent a coupon for The Berry Lady so that was my destination. Gladys and I each bought nine pints of blackberries. Beautiful organic fruit.

I put four pints in the freezer, ate one pint, and made a pie with the other four containers.

This is just the best time of the year. Not only do we have all this wonderful fruit, but the light is so beautiful. Our temperatures are cooler than normal, but it is very dry. I’m thankful for each day.

Downtown Fresno Farmer’s Market is 140 years old and on the move

Recently the downtown farmer’s market was moved from it long-time location. The land is being cleared to build more loft apartments for downtown residents. This is a very young audience, and there seems to be a big demand for the units, which makes me happy. I was saddened, though, to learn of the possible demise of the farmer’s market which has been around downtown in some form for 140 years, getting its start in Courthouse Park when people could buy livestock as well as produce.

Fortunately, a deal was brokered to move it to a parking lot between two very old buildings, one of them being an artist’s cooperative. Murals appoint the walls, and other artwork can be found in the vicinity. This morning I met a friend there, very early, and we saw for ourselves how the new location is working.

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Good times at Justin Herman Plaza

Saturdays are always exciting around the Ferry Building and Justin Herman Plaza. Here was last week’s itinerary:

Lots of peppers at the farmer’s market

Some street art performers

The Jeremiah O’Brien, a Liberty ship that is now a floating museum, was taking passengers on a Bay cruise.

Our son-in-law and granddaughter joined us. Leeya likes ice almost as much as she likes fruit. Here, the apple vendor shares his ice with her.

A zip line has been set up so people can fly from one side to the other of Justin Herman Plaza, right over the heads of art shoppers:    

And Suze Orman was filming a segment for her television series.

The flowers are blooming down on the farm

I have been visiting farmer’s markets in the area, and finding there are more flowers than I remember from the past. Beautiful sunflowers:

 

And some assorted variety bouquets:

 

The weekend of the 4th

Although at the tiny apartment in San Francisco for the 4th of July weekend, we had a fairly mild time.  Saturday and Sunday were very warm for this neck of the woods.  We awoke to blazing sun both mornings:

But by Sunday evening, the marine layer had rolled in, and Monday dawned cool and overcast, must more typical of a San Francisco summer:

The farmer’s market at the Ferry Building on Saturday is a big treat for me when we are here on weekends.  I try to make it as early as possible before the crowd gets so thick one can hardly move between the hundreds of booths.  I was on a hunt for the makings of veggie sandwiches for us to have during the weekend:

Sandwich makings & black mission figs

When it’s hot (and it was this weekend in the city) and when the veggies are in season (and they definitely are), we love to have these for dinner:

Veggie sandwich

On Sunday we went to San Mateo for church and then visited with our daughter and grand daughter.  Delivered a young friend back to the bus depot in San Francisco so he could get home to Santa Rosa in time for fireworks and we headed back to the tiny apartment to enjoy the evening of celebration over the water.  No big displays right out our window, but we could watch “bombs bursting in air” across the bay in other communities, and there was quite a sparkler and bottle rocket show going on at a parking lot a block away.

A bit of my Tuesday

All the way across the country is a gal who has moved with her family to the big apple and she has a pretty terrific blog, sharing the adventures of Six in the City.

One of her weekly highlights is bits of my weekend where she visually shares what she has done the previous weekend.  It’s a concept that works for her blog because she is in such a big city and she really gets out there and does stuff. My weekends are usually too mundane to wax ecstatically about, just chores and errands; but right now I’m on Easter break so my days are being spent in the big city on the other side of the continent from Ms. Six–San Francisco. Thought you might like to see pictures of today’s adventure–the Farmer’s Market at Ferry Building.

Terry carries my produce

Here is what we got for $20

Food for the week

We also walked out to end of this pier that we see from our window.  I will later post some pictures I took from that location.

The view of the pier from our apartment