. . . to buy ... well ... everything!

Ever since we lived in France and literally ate our way through the wonderful open-air markets that alternated between towns every week, we’ve been addicted to farmer’s markets. Can you honestly think of anything better than eating fresh, locally grown vegetables as they are meant to be eaten—in season—or enjoying artisan cheeses and breads?

We are lucky enough to have a great farmer’s market close by in Warwick, New York. Although not as extensive as the one in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (Provence), it has its own merits. From May through October local produce, cheeses, breads, jams, baked goods, and meat are available on a seasonal basis. Even the cheeses change according to the grass that the cows have been eating.

It’s become a tradition for us to visit the Sunday market and buy the makings of our lunch plus a few meals for the week. What follows are some photos of the various vendors. I found the way they present their wares to be a visual feast for the eyes. I hope you think so too.

We came home with both carrots and these lovely purple beets. The carrots were tender and bursting with sweetness. We roasted the beets and tossed them with olive oil, red wine vinegar, pepper, and salt. Delicious!

The Bobolink Dairy offers artisan cheeses from their own cow herd. She also has crusty bread made from whole grains baked in a wood-fired oven. Her crusty wheat bread filled with chunks of melty garlic is wonderful!

The peas were finally out this week and we couldn’t resist a bagful for Tortellini with Cream, Ham, and Peas. We only eat it once per year when the peas are fresh, so it will be a real treat. The strawberries were just picked and the smell at their stall was overwhelming.

Another favorite vendor is BuddhaPesto. THE best pesto I believe I’ve ever tasted. All the other vendors thought I was a bit crazy for taking photos of their wares, but this vendor actually thanked me and was flattered I was taking a photo!

Finally, burgeoning with bags and sacks containing carrots, beets, lettuces, spring onions, a sirloin tip roast, bread, strawberries, parsley plants, quiche, pesto, homemade blue cheese dressing, and a few more things we finally made our way home—to eat.

Today was a pool day for certain. Clear blue skies, no threat of rain, sunny, low 80s.  I sit writing this entry poolside about mid-afternoon. A nice breeze blows by once in a while and a few minutes ago the breeze lifted the umbrella up and the table I am typing on as well. wheeeeeeeeeee…......

We went to the Farmer’s Market in Warwick this morning and had a great time. I took lots of photos and my blog post is coming, probably tomorrow. We had a lovely lunch from our purchases at the market. But more of that to come in a later post.

Anyway, the afternoon has passed by with a combination of swimming laps and lounging on the floats. I took a few funny videos and we’ll see how they turn out. I also was trying to take a photo of my swimsuit and the pool by looking down at myself because the colors matched, and realized I was taking photos of my reflection in the pool [while in the pool], so I hammed my postures up a bit. Fun. See what you think below. I think my new camera is causing me to act a bit weird. I keep thinking of new things to entertain on my blog! I’m not sure if you are entertained or not as a reader, but I certainly keep myself entertained. And, I suppose that’s all that really matters. If you think I’m strange; so be it.

On a more serious note, I had some more amphibious reflections and made Rick bring his laptop poolside so I could type while soaking in the not-quite-summer-yet temperatures.

Swimming along doing the side stroke I see and notice the following things.
Sounds:First of all I hear the water gurgling and glugging beneath my ear. Leaves rustle companionably in the strong breeze and various birds lend their song to the air.
Sights: Looking up I see our big oak trees swaying in that same strong breeze, their large limbs flung wide. Clouds, far and few between scud by quickly out of my line of vision.  And for now, dear readers, yes, I am fully clothed in bathing suit. Rule #1: no skinny-dipping in daytime hours. Period. I make no promises for night time swims, however.

Since I’ve been sitting here, a chipmunk has come to peer at me, wondering what I am doing out here, and just now a hummingbird hovered near me. Good thing I don’t have on my neon pink suit today or he would have thought I was a flower! Butterflies flit in and out of the flowers in the bed next to the pool. We seem to have an abundance of white butterflies lately. They are beautiful, but skittish. I’ve tried numerous times to capture their images, but they are too camera shy.

So, with that I’ll sign off for today. Enjoy the vid. More to follow on the market tomorrow. Right now I need a nice chilled glass of white wine ...

Grillin’ in the rain,
just grillin’ in the rain,
what a glorious feelin’
I’m happy again

Finally one of those scattered thunderstorms went right over us and we got a little much needed rain. However, it’s timing could have been a bit earlier or a bit later than it was. But, I’m not going to complain!

This is not a joke, nor is it some story that I made up! This story has been on-going in our little local newspaper. I thought my readers would enjoy it. Here is last week’s installment, typed word for word from the article in the West Milford Messenger.

WEST MILFORD-The cow that won’t go home is still on the run in the woods of West Milford. As of 10:00 a.m. Thursday, the escaped bovine is still free and roaming the dense forested areas evading the best attempts to locate and apprehend her.

Bodacious Bovine, as she is now called, is starting to make quite a name for herself as growing numbers of searches are made to recapture her.

On May 6 two dozen cows were brought down from Monticello, N.Y., to West Milford Equestrian Center to participate in a roping event. Twenty-three of those animals went back home happy, but one must have liked the look of the town because she leapt a fence. Ella Mae Battipaglia, co-owner of the equestrian center said. “We just can’t catch her.”

There have been numerous sightings of the cow near Union Valley, Gould, and Echo Lake Roads with suggestions that the animal is gaining weight in its free and meandering walk in the woods. It also appears to be adopting nocturnal instincts. “She’s only coming out at night,” said Battipaglia, “Even though we’ve had many sightings of the cow, she is too deep into the forest for us to get to her.”

She is blackish-brown with a large number zero around her neck.

With no apparent wish to be reunited with its owner on the cow’s part, a team of riders and cattle dogs were called in on Tuesday. Jay Rubin, of the Monticello farm the cow formerly called home, organized the search party but so far they have been unable to pin her down.

A new approach might be in the works. “We might have to set up more of a capture plan,” said Battipaglia, “Maybe using containment rather than actually catching her.”

Further rescue attempts were planned for Thursday afternoon and Battipaglia said, “She is starting to appear closer to the equestrian center so that is a good sign.” Moosic to the ears of those pursuing her.

And, in yesterday’s paper the headline reads:

ELUSIVE COW EVADES CAPTURE: Hot on the Trail
Sightings of the elusive cow roaming around West Milford roll in like reports of Bigfoot, but so far she remains on the loose.

The black cow that escaped from a pen during a May 6 event at the West Milford Equestrian Center has drawn the attention of media outlets and county authorities.

The heifer, which the Equestrian Center rented from a New York livestock supplier, was to be used in an equestrian penning competition. Not wanting to be told where to go, she escaped into spring air and has been roaming free and feasting on greenery for over a month.

Mounted on horses, employees of Echo Lake Stables led by a mounted deputy from the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department led a search on the afternoon of Thursday, May 31, until daylight gave the cow ample cover and the search was called off. The cow was not spotted.

“Just after we loaded the last horse in, she popped out,” Echo Lake Stables co-owner Kathy Leaver said. “And we covered quite a bit of territory (on May 31).”

Stable employees and volunteers who board their horses at the facility have been joining in the search two or three times a week, Leaver said, whenever police alert John Macellaro, the mounted deputy and stable’s other owner, to a sighting.

The cow was seen on Friday morning, drawing workers at the Equestrian Center out on foot armed with a tranquilizer gun that would make her drowsy enough to get her tied up.

NBC’s New York affiliate Channel 4 was also interested and joined the searchers last week.

“She’s tough,” Frank Battipaglia, owner of the equestrian center said last week. “But we’re trying to catch her.” Battipaglia said the bovine was also spotted on Union Valley Road on Memorial Day and then the next day, but no one was able to get close enough to restrain it.

Despite rumors circulating around the township that the cow’s journey had come to a tragic ending, as of Monday, June 11, the cow was still alive and had not been caught, as far as police and staff at the equestrian center knew.

As a matter of fact, she might have made a friend, Ella Mae Battipaglia, owner, said. Police called the equestrian center on Friday, June 8 to let staffers know that there had been another spotting. When Frank Battipaglia, owner, saw the cow, he spotted it running with a bear, Ella Mae said, and neither was chasing the other. When the two were aware that they had been spotted, they diverted and disappeared, she said. “It’s weird.”

Anyone who spots the black cow is asked to contact the West Milford Equestrian Center.

—End of newspaper article.—

Oh dear. Can cows mate with bears? Bruno, you bad boy! Are you leading this poor cow astray??

Sam and eBay take a snooze in the sun room.
Thanks to husband Rick for the title of this photo.