It’s a farmer’s market

/ Shane / 3 Comments

So today was the first day of the 61st and Dorchester Farmers’ Market, which we have been looking forward to for some time.  The weather was beautiful and there seemed to be a pretty good turnout.  I have to say, I was a little bit underwhelmed.  I realize in retrospect that my expectations were perhaps artificially high.  After all, as Sara pointed out, what vegetables would they even have to sell at this point in the summer?  Still, we got there at about 10:30 and as far as I could tell there was only one stand selling vegetables and they were already sold out.  The market is supposed to go to 2:00, so I guess they underestimated a little bit.

Don’t get me wrong, what they did have was nice.  There were flowers (but no fresh cut flowers, only to be potted), a lamb stand, a cheese stand, a homemade salsa stand (I didn’t try any because the proprietor was being interviewed by NPR and I didn’t want to get involved) and a nice bakery stand.  The bakery was more of a sweets kind of place and we weren’t able to get any bread, which was one of my main targets for today.  We did eat a delicious goat cheese and basil croissant though and there were many muffins and scones I intend to try in the future.

So I’m really not complaining, it was okay for what it was.  I’m just saying, we came with a bag intending to fill it and we went home with it empty.  This was the opening weekend, their first chance to make a big splash.  If I came today and left with nothing (and I didn’t live one block away) I don’t know if I would be inclined to come back again.

As it is, I was able to tend to the garden a little bit and get rid of some weeds.  I’ll be back to tend the garden regardless, so I will definitely be back to the farmer’s market.  Of course I will give it another chance (and a few more after that) and especially report back after the growing season really gets cranked up.  But for all this talk about Woodlawn being a “food desert“, I’m not sure this is what the doctor ordered, and I’m not sure any of the people I saw would have trouble making it to a “food oasis” as it were.

If I had only one tooth, I’d use it to eat bacon

/ Shane / 2 Comments

Evie finally got a second tooth!  Even though it has been more than 2 months since her first one came in. 

And frankly it is just in time, because there are big things afoot in the culinary world.  I recieved an email today from InteractiveReader that made me weep with joy.  Two words: bacon salt.  It is a seasoning salt (or magical pixie dust) that makes anything it touches taste like bacon.  There is even a blog with links to other bacon related blogs.  This is a gold mine.  So, if you are looking for an early Christmas present for me, look no further.

But, to be fair, she really only wrote the email to remind me her new post is up at Foreward Magazine.  But obviously bacon is the quickest way to my heart.

Ah!  I just found a blog that combines bacon and pirate skulls!

Baconpalooza

/ Shane / Leave a comment

After an off-handed remark* by my brother that he should make a blog, I’ve been pestering him mercilessly to do so.  I don’t know that I’ve told so many stories of him on here, but he has plenty to tell.  There’s the mall fountain incident, the heated-swimming-pool-in-the-apartment incident, all of the school pictures (Dr. Evil, Spiderman Suspenders), the “I smell” school ID, and many more stories that could probably be described as “incidents” that I don’t even know about.

*All of his remarks are off-handed…he’s a lefty

So anyway, now that he has his blog finally up and running, maybe he can share some of these stories with you.  I must say, as a man devoted to bacon (9 posts now, counting this one), I did not center my entire blog around it.  I also must say, as a man devoted to fighting zombies, I did not devote an entire page to my apocalypse survival plan.  (In fact, though I’ve given it much thought, I haven’t come up with a current working plan since I moved from Philly; my current condo being much less defensible and no Tony Vegas to be my own personal Andy.)

I just hope he realizes what an honor it is to have a link from my blog.  The fact is, blogging is hard work.  Blogs have even been described as the Vampires of the Internet for their ability to suck the time (and life!) out of you.  I have known many people who have tried to start a blog only to quickly lose interest.  Therefore, there is little sense in linking to a blog until you are sure they mean it.  So I am giving him the benefit of the doubt here, but I’m sure you all will go over and convince him to keep it up.

P.S.  Friday is Oprah’s favorite things episode and you might want to watch it…I heard a rumor that one of our favorite people might make a guest appearance…

Party Tricks : A List

/ Shane / Leave a comment

For some reason in the past week or so, Evie has learned an amazing number of new things that we can use to entertain guests.  Some of the things she will do fairly consistently (and I’ve talked about here before) and some are only 50/50.

Fairly Reliable

  • How big is Evie? Soooo big! [arms raised]
  • Can you clap your hands? [although she confuses this with “more” sometimes]
  • Say bye bye [wave]
  • No [violent head shaking]
  • Can you give daddy five? [about 5 or 6 hand slaps]
  • Can you give mommy a hug? [sometimes a nice hug, sometimes more of a head butt, but super adorable]
  • Do you want more puffs? [sign language for “more”]

Somewhat Reliable

  • Can you point to the light?
  • Where is Nala?
  • Where is da da?
  • Where is ma ma?

She is much better at locating the light (the first one she learned) and Nala than mommy or daddy.  Also she points with two fingers, like an outstretched peace sign, rather than with one.  It’s just amazing that she’s essentially learned all of that in a week or two!

If you’re not doing anything…

/ Shane / 1 Comment

And I know you’re not, because you are here!

Friend and fellow blogger InteractiveReader has made the leap to the big time, writing a couple of posts for ForeWord Magazine this month.  So do her (and me) a favor and check our her pieces, make some comments, and generally support her and let ForeWord Magazine know that they have not made a mistake by choosing her!

Oh yeah and enjoy the posts and stuff too.