Thursday's Two-fer

I've been a little slow to "produce" this week. Seems I've got too many things going on to stay focused. This morning I dropped off Gertie at the veterinarian to have her teeth cleaned. I always worry so much about having anything remotely surgical done to her, but I know having it done is better for her than not doing it.

Today I thought I'd do a "two-fer". The first is about a recent wine purchase and the second is about my visit to the Cedar Park Farmers Market last weekend.

I am not much of a wine connoisseur, but I do enjoy a glass of red wine a couple of times a week. Usually I buy a local (Hill Country) wine or something from Chile or Argentina, but the other day I was in a new-ish grocery store (chain) in Austin called "Sprouts" and decided to check out their wines. This time I decided to just go on the look of the label. I tried the two below just for fun.

Visiting the Wine Section of Sprouts Farmers Market
http://sprouts.com/home.php

Obviously the Drink & Eat Boire & Manger
with the cows on the label had to go home with me.
Gerald knew I would not be able to resist
buying these two even if they ended up
tasting like vinegar (which they did not).

My favorite is Broke Ass Red Wine from Argentina.
Don't you just love the band-aid on the "ass"?
The label says, "No Frills Great Table Wine".
Oh yeah, I'm buying it again!


Visiting the Cedar Park Farmers' Market

David Pitre & daughter Claire
My good friends David Pitre & Katie Kramer Pitre are owners of
Tecolote Farms ~ Certified Organic ~ Webberville, TX
Katie & I taught school together in the mid-1990's,
then we were neighbors just east of Austin,
and we were always friends.
David is a well-known organic farmer.
It is always nice to see them at the Farmers' Market;
they have wonderful produce.

Also, Happy Birthday Tecolote Farm... seventeen years old today!

Visit Tecolote Farm on FaceBook

"Oldest CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in the Austin area. Members pick up their shares at their doorsteps or neighborhood hubs currently. We deliver to the Central Austin area (roughly: north of 71, east of 360, south of 183, and most points east). Thank you for your interest in our produce, and we hope to meet you soon! Come see us at the farmers' markets in the meantime to pick out exactly what you want of the same great produce that we deliver in our CSA. We were chosen by the Austin Chronicle's Best of Austin awards in the Critics' Pick category for Food and Drink as the "Best Organic Veggie Delivery Service". Superb quality, freshness, and an amazing value~ all for just-picked tender and delicious viddles! A true CSA is a relationship between a household and a farmer- you experience what can be grown on one farm in one growing season, with all the wonderful surprises, weather hardships, and culinary delights that the farmer's household is also experiencing. This is the true farm to table experience, and we love bringing our produce right to the people who eat it!"

Fruit & Vegetable Vender

Olive Oil
Texas Hill Country Olive Company
Produced in Dripping Springs, TX
Wonderful flavors of olive oil & it's fresh!
www.texashillcountryoliveco.com

Tasty - Refreshing - Drinks

Texas Lavender!!
Grown in nearby Webberville
about 15 miles from Bastrop
I bought a lotion & spray.
Smells so good!
www.texaslavender.com

Jewelry for Sale
pretty typical jewelry products
for sale at a market

Hot Dog
poor pitiful puppy
It was pretty warm although there was a
nice breeze and not too hot as long
as one could find some shade.

I just could not bring Gertie with me this weekend.
The temperature is just too hot;
so she is staying at Best Friends Boarding Too.
She has her own little doggie condo
with a yard & there is even a
swimming pool in the shape of a dog bone.
Way cool!

Taos Farmer's Market on Saturday Morning

Between mid-May and the end of October
one can visit the wonderful Taos Farmer's Market.

It is best to get there early because it is very popular.

Beautiful flowers both fresh and dried are available.

Then there are vegetables & herbs of all description.

Hispanic, Indian, and Anglo vendors show their beautiful vegetables.

This visit the only fruit available are apricots.
The area had a late spring so it will be a while
before the local peaches are ready.

Plants for sale.

The local palm reader is here every week.
She is a lovely person.
Next year I may get my fortune told.

Radishes, beets, carrots... yum!

Fresh garlic.

The most tender squash that I have tasted.
I hope I'll be back before the end of October
but I may have to settle for coming back next summer.