Sundays with Otto

I've been trying rather unsuccessfully to come up with a blog topic for this week (if you haven't noticed I've been trying to blog at least once a week). So, I decided to look no further than the title of my blog for inspiration. A day in the life. Sundays. Here ya go.

Seattle is awash in farmer's markets. Every year that goes by there are another 2 or 20 farmer's markets. I think there is one in every neighborhood. Well, except, of course, Beacon Hill, my fine neck of the woods. We have no farmer's market. However, in the winter, the market's are few and far between. So about 4 months ago when I decided I could ONLY buy meat from a happy farmer, I started heading out to Ballard every Sunday. Ballard probably has one of the oldest, most established markets. It happens every Sunday rain or shine, whether or not there is a single vegetable to be dragged from the ground. And so, every Sunday Otto and I head out, Otto pees and I buy meat at my favorite meat producer, The Skagit River Ranch. Occasionally a vegetable is purchased. Hippy candles, soaps, and other hand made knick knacks are never purchased.

Here's the skinny.

The very first thing we do is head to Cafe Fiore. Otto stands in the doorway looking forlorn, which usually gains him a treat or two and I buy a delicious green tea matcha latte. Yummy and very green. Not only tasty but WARM. For the last four months I think there has been one warm day at the market.

So, I got a little carried away taking pictures of flowers. The colors at the market were crazy this week. We actually had some sun for a day or two (yes temperature is a theme in my brain at the moment as it was nice every day as I sat at work and it's been freezing all weekend), so the flowers must have gone crazy. They were all amazingly bright and vibrant. The upper part of the bottom picture is some very cool garlic.

Oops, only one picture of veggies. This week was the first week I started to get excited about spring/summer vegetables. So far it's been just kale and beets, the hearty early spring/winter fair. But it's time to get ready for veggie heaven.

Mmmmm meat!

The Skagit River Ranch booth is really not very photogenic, but their meat is 100% grass fed and the bomb!

Veggie starts! This is where I got every thing from my garden that I didn't start myself - kale, cukes, squash, broccoli.

And now, what you've all been waiting for, the market from Otto's perspective. Two words, pee fest.

We spend most of the trip with Otto dragging me off to the side so he can make his presence known.

Really, the better two words are olfactory frenzy!

Occasionally some tasty food will be dropped (there are lot of kids). Mmmm ice cream! Mom, want some? (okay, I'm sure he was not thinking that last sentence)

At least he's not the only food obsessed hound at the market.