Farmers' Market

I'll file this one away under "local secrets."
This morning I went to a Farmers' Market, right here in my neighborhood!

These bunches of fresh basil were HUGE! I stopped on the way to my fitness class and left the veggies in the car while I worked out. I got back to the car and *whoosh* a nice gust of fresh basil was there to meet us. I had a tomato & basil salad for lunch, perfect.

Sure, the local tomatoes aren't as pretty as the ones in the supermarket, but they taste a whole lot better...

I don't know how long into the fall the farmers market is open, but I'm going to try to go as often as I can. I've been interested in taking a more proactive approach to buying local and eating in season for a while now, but it's hard to put these ideals into practice when you're rushed for time and feeling tired all the time. Now that I know the farmers market is there, it just makes it that much easier to live in line with my values. Not being able to recycle for 5 weeks while we were in Athens was tough also. I got home and wanted to recycle every little bitsly I came across. I also wanted to save and reuse, to be more environmentally concious and frugal. Do you also feel that when you are placed in a situation where you don't have control you just find yourself making lists of what you'll do as soon as you have the chance? I feel like that after every trip I take. How can I make my life more satisfying? What have I been meaning to do for a long time but haven't gotten around to doing?

So since we've been back, I've been trying. "Blog more" was on the list of things to include in life, but honestly, it is such a challenge sometimes. It's so much easier just to read other people's blogs and get satisfaction (relaxation/inspiration) out of that (such as these two posts, which I thought about for a long time after reading..).

...

I was about to write that my free time is limited, but in truth, it's my mental focus that's limited. I have time to myself, like now for instance, when George is asleep. I can sew, blog, sleep, or do anything else. But I feel certain activities like blogging take more mental focus during the day. A post needs to be planned out, photos taken, uploaded, retaken if they didn't come out right. And then the body of the post-- I have just been recording what I'm living lately, not really thinking about it. Or, well, that's not true. Of course I think about it, I just haven't been blogging and sharing my thoughts with you.. My time to review my thoughts with myself is sometimes too short.

Now that the summer is winding down and fall (read: grad school) is looming, I just want to do what I can to feel more balanced with what is already in my life before adding new things (such as classes, friends, ideas). I want to get the house in order so Costas and I can both relax when we're here. I'd like to get a couple of quilts quilted and finished to have them around the house for when guests come over. Both Costas and I would like to eat healthier and get in better exercise routines. It's now (at the start of the school year) more than in January that I feel the need to make resolutions and set goals. Does anybody else feel that way?

So, slowly slowly, not wanting to feel overwhelmed and discouraged, I'll tackle my projects. It helps that George is getting bigger and can run errands more easily now. Once we get the baby gate up I might feel more comfortable leaving him in the family room as I cook or do laundry (I'll still be able to see him, he just won't be able to get to me). I'd really like to get a clothes line for the yard but I don't know where to look, Home Depot? any suggestions?

Ok, this post definetly has substance. And in writing it, I feel like I've got my thoughts in better order. Yeah, so I didn't do any sewing today. I can be hopeful that I'll get some done over the weekend though.