Friday, September 23, 2011

To Market to Buy Some Fresh Flowers


Saturday morning is my favourite time of the week. We sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast and then head out to the local farmer's market, hot coffee in hand. With any luck, market day is warm and sunny, but not to hot.



I love everything about going to the farmer's market: the bustle of people, the piles of fresh picked fruits and vegetables, and the farm stands of late summer flowers. Everyone, it seems to me, is in a festive mood. It is a family time, with small children in strollers and the family pet on a leash. In the air there is the smell of chicken kabobs sizzling on an open grill, and fresh baked pies and pastries.



There are bargains to be found.


And free samples to try.


Even the shopping carts are much more creative than the ones you find at the grocery store.

It is not just the immediate sensory delights of market day that I enjoy. It is knowing the pleasure my purchases will provide throughout the coming week: the fresh herbs that will flavour our food, the green beans I will steam and the drizzle with butter, the ripe peaches that will make a delicious dessert and the bouquet of flowers that will grace the table. 

Is it any wonder that it is my favourite day when the most stressful part of the morning is deciding which flowers to choose?



Did you notice the interesting, phonetic spelling of the word 'bouquets'?


Did you ever play with snapdragon flowers when you were a kid?



Of all the flowers, it is the dahlias that wow me every time.







It is hard to choose just one bunch to bring home. Maybe I'll pick the pinks and purples this week.



Today, I will link to Fertilizer Friday at Tootsie Time. To see other great garden's please click the Tootsie Time link.

On Monday, I will link to Lisa Gordon's Creative Exchange. To see some beautiful photography, please click the Creative Exchange link. On Tuesday, I will link to Sweet Shot Tuesday at the blog My3boybarians.

41 comments:

  1. Fantastic pics - the flowers and fruit all look so fresh and delicious! :-)

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  2. Beautiful photos! It's always the dahlia's that wow me as well, just can't grow them here for some reason! Have a great weekend also!

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  3. What a wonderful way to spend Saturday mornings! It takes me back to when I was in my teens. We had a large auction market and a wonderful farmer's market and it was my favourite place to visit, too. So, on Saturday mornings, after I'd attended my private art class, I'd catch the bus to the market and buy the week's fresh fruit, veggies and flowers for my Mum. My Mum or Dad would collect me when I'd done. In those days, we had no mobiles (cellphones) of course and so it was at a pre- designated time and meeting place. I remember thinking the time to leave always arrived too quickly, since I used to enjoy ambling around viewing all the individual stalls before making my selected purchases.

    Your photographs, as ALWAYS, are outstanding works of art, Jennifer! Each one, so beautiful I spend ages gazing at them all!

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  4. I can't resist a dahlia myself. I just added an orange one similar to the one in your photo to my collection. So many shapes and colours to dazzle me. I had to re-read the sign before I realized they meant bouquet. At first I thought it meant they were a veggie for eating? perhaps someone was in a hurry.

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  5. It does look like a lot of fun! I like the cart and the dog is cute too. I wouldn't want to miss and event like this.

    Beautiful and colorful photos!

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  6. Beautiful shots! What a fantastic Saturday. We have a few farmers markets around town here but nothing like that. I love to go to them in other cities when out of town. San Francisco has a great one that we love to go to. I purchased some Lavender Salt that every time we use it reminds me of the trip. They had it with a smoked salmon sandwich there and it was incredible. I would have never put the two together. I love all the flowers - how do you pick!?!?!?!

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  7. The dahlias suck me in everytime too. What a great Saturday ritual. I guess they don't have spellcheck on their markers, lol. Original though.

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  8. Oh, the dahlias would be my pick, too! Just gorgeous. Love the sights of your farmer's market. Such bustle! Loved your observations, too.

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  9. Dahlias are just the best. And just soooooo beautiful. It´s great how they flower until it gets frosty outside.

    Åsa

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  10. Thanks for taking me along on the market visit. Those dahlias are gorgeous. I love the mini bokays!

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  11. Hallo, your photo's are beautiful and a great macro of the Dahlia's. It brings in the sunshine.
    Have a lovely weekend.
    Marijke

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  12. I just discovered your beautiful blog. Such gorgeous photos!! I'm your newest follower :)

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  13. I am glad you took your camera along with your coffee.

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  14. I was by earlier today to leave a comment and had it all typed out, then work got in the way. I wanted to say we must be thinking alike because I prepared a post yesterday for Sunday having so many of the same general things in photos. Different, but the same. Your photos are really colorful, fun and gorgeous. My produce and flowers were picked at the farm by me, but the farm grows them for the produce markets. It is one of my perks to pick whatever I want, which is so nice since I am there so often anyway. But, this really gets in the way of going to the markets because like your photos show, there is so much fun to be had at markets. Much more than going out in the fields to snip flowers and pick veggies.

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  15. Love the photos of the flowers and you know I can not remember the last time I went to a market.

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  16. As good as it gets, my heart is with you ... so love visiting local Farmer's markets and your pics are grand!

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  17. Jennifer, beats a visit to the supermarket, and it gave you an opportunity to take some terrific pictures. Now that is what I call a shopping trolley. On my site I have a page named Your gardens, I am about to add a picture of your garden with a link to your blog. If you would like me to remove it please let me know.

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  18. This is a lovely trip to the market. I'd go even if there are only flowers for sale. The rest would be a bonus for me.
    Good shots.
    Rosie

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  19. great photos! love the colors. I must say....FRAME THEM!!!! Especially the first one...stunning.

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  20. I wanna go!!!! There are lots of markets around us but the closest ones are lacking. I've also been to markets full of produce that wasn't grown locally. Grr...!! My dahlias are just getting to bloom in the next week or two. I really hope they're as pretty as the ones in your pictures!
    Guess what?? I'm putting in a new bed and ripping up a bunch of grass!!! Happiness and joy!!! I'm so excited!!

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  21. What gorgeous photos, Jennifer! I feel as though I've just strolled through the market with you. It certainly looks like a sensory delight!

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  22. Playing with Snapdragons...so fun!!! I hope that you take time to frame some of your images for your home because they are sensational!

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  23. That sounds like a wonderful morning routine! Those dahlias are so delightful!

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  24. The market looks and sounds like a beautiful carnival. So many lovely flowers but the dahlias are my favorite. Especially the white edged with purple.

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  25. Great photo series .... so many great flowers, the dahlias are dreamlike ...
    LG: Karin

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  26. Hey Jennifer,
    thanks for leaving a comment. I am very greatful for you link to the google translator. It toke a while but now it is fixed.
    Warm wishes and i wish you a lovely day.
    Marijke from Holland.

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  27. What a great time you must have at those markets - thanks for taking me through a part of it. Loved your first shot. And then I wanted to purchase all the plums and nectarines in those baskets, as your photo made them so inviting. Really liked your shot of the orange flowers in the black bucket.

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  28. What beautiful photographs these are Jennifer! We have a farmer's market here every Tuesday and Thursday, and like you, I enjoy every moment of them.

    Thank you so much for sharing with us at The Creative Exchange today.

    Have a wonderful evening!

    lisa.

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  29. Jennifer,
    I must head out to the farmers' market this Friday. Your photos of fruit and flowers are fabulous!
    -Karen

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  30. Thanks for your comments everyone. I always enjoy reading your thoughts.

    Alistair, What a nice idea it was to add a page to your blog that showcases the gardens of all your blogging friends. I am honoured that you considered adding my garden to this new page.

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  31. Oh, how I love dahlia's. Sadly they don't grow where I live. Thank you for sharing all the wonderful dahlia's and the farmers Market.

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  32. Beautiful post, lovely photos. Your farmers' market looks delightful.

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  33. What a pretty collection of photos. I really love that first one. Your farmer's market looks wonderful. Ours is just a little itty bitty thing :)

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  34. What glorious Dahlias. But I have to admit m eye goes right after the food. LOL! The plums and watermelon are favorite fruits of mine for summer next to strawberries. What a great market. It would be so nice to have one close by.

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  35. Oh wow those Dahlia's are gorgeous. You took some fabulous photo's. We have a local Farmer's Market and you know for some unknown reason I've never been to it. Maybe next year that will have to change.

    http://wishesdreamsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2011/09/sweet-shot-tuesday.html

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  36. We have a farmers market nearby at the mall, and yet I rarely go to it. Perhaps it is time to visit and check out what cut flowers they have for sale. Thanks for the reminder.

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  37. Luscious-looking produce and gorgeous flowers!

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  38. Wow, what a great testament to Dahlias. Ours are rarely so big and beautiful. And the market looks like a great one - I couldn't help but wonder where it was. I was born in Guelph and I know my aunt still takes flowers and veggies to the Guelph Market.

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  39. Thanks everyone so much for your comments.

    John,
    You were wondering about the location of this Farmer's Market. I haven't been to the Guelph Farmer's Market in a few years but enjoyed it when we were there.
    We live in Huttonville, which is in between Georgetown and Brampton. Both places have great markets every Saturday. I prefer the Brampton market however, because of the Butt's Berry and Flower Farm stall. Butt's farm grows the most amazing delphinium and dahlias. $6 will get you a lovely bouquet. See my post on the flower farm here: http://threedogsinagarden.blogspot.com/2010/08/dahlias-from-butts-berry-and-flower.html
    Kingston Ontario is another city with a great Framer's Market. We visited The market last summer.

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  40. Beautiful, beautiful (beautiful) photos!

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