Glory In The Out Of Doors

Thought I would share photos from the Farmer's Market yesterday. What an amazingly beautiful day and what a great day to be outside. Are you getting out there every day and for some extended periods each week? I hope so. It sure does a mind and body good.

The last time I took my big girl camera, it was the end of Winter with just the earliest signs of Spring. I got some amazing shots. Now it looks like late summer due to our recent heat wave. The grasses along the sides of the path are dead, the flowers are in full bloom.

We were so excited to see it's cherry season in California again. I always forget this because where I grew up cherry season is around the Fourth of July. So, if I'm not careful I can completely miss cherry season. Then peach season happens in July, which I'm so used to having in September. Such confusion.

We  passed on the cherries because they weren't yet a deep rich purple in color. I grew up in a valley full of fruit orchards, so I have my standards. Ha-ha. Instead we couldn't pass up the red raspberries and on the way home stopped and picked up a carton of vanilla frozen yogurt to enjoy them with later.

There was such an abundance of beautiful fruits and vegetables. It makes me grateful for all those who farm and provide our food. We are so helpless today without our own garden or space to grow food. That makes me very nervous when I think about how quickly we could run out of food in emergency situations.

And how about these crazy, gigantic cabbages. I have never seen anything like them in my life. Can you imagine that a plant stem was sturdy enough to support these beauties? Amazing what God has created to sustain us here upon the earth.

There were lots of new parrots at the parrot refuge. If you've never been to a parrot refuge you should know that it's incredibly LOUD. These babies can squawk and in a group it can be ear piercing. We enjoyed dancing with Bobbi, a poor little bird missing half it's feathers who will bob up and down if you "dance" with her. No one was too talkative unfortunately. My favorites are the Cockatoo who says, "Hi Sweetheart" and the parrot who says, "Come back" when you walk away from it's cage.

And here is a view of my favorite of all of God's creations I saw out in nature yesterday. What a jewel she is, even when she talks a mile a minute and can't keep a shirt clean to save her life. Just looking at this shot makes me want to gobble her up. She insisted on wearing the dinosaur clogs and yesterday for the first time she asked to have her hair in a bun...a low bun. Had to be low, was very specific.

Have a wonderful Friday. Make sure to take some time for yourself this weekend, for quiet solitude and to be with those you love. Forget the To Do list for a while and really relax. No one can take better care of you than you. Happy Weekend!

images by kalanicut