After a few whirlwind weekends (and weeks), I finally found myself at home today with a quiet Saturday morning full of possibilities. It feels like a gift, to be able to start a day with no agenda – nothing that needs to get done, no errands, no projects; nothing. What excited me most was being able to walk down to my town’s farmer’s market for the first time. Our new town is the cozy, quiet kind of town where everyone knows one another and is always there to lend a hand. Several times a week when I look out my living room window, two friends are traveling past together on horseback. It’s picturesque here, and I was so thrilled to be able to mosey over to the farmer’s market and mingle with the local farmers and my fellow neighbors, bonding over gooseberries and talking with the kids about what it is like to wake up every morning and feed the chickens and harvest eggs. Everything feels so organic there – and not the pesticide-free kind (though that is how most everything is grown) but in the sense that everything and everyone is real, natural, and so comfortable talking with a newcomer that you easily forget you haven’t lived here all your life. I’m in love with this town, and after this morning, the local farmers and market go-ers who made my first time there seem magical.

That’s probably a little much, huh? Describing a farmer’s market as magical might make it seem like I’m losing grip a bit, but I swear that it was. It was a great atmosphere where everyone was as passionate as I am about healthy, natural foods. Even the bakers there use only fresh berries they grew themselves to make their beautiful pies! I felt really connected to the foods I was trying, and the people that grew them.

So what did I walk away with? Blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, kale, heirloom tomatoes, beautiful handmade soap, vegetarian baked beans (OMG), local free range eggs (sold by kids who were farm more excited about eggs than I’ve ever seen anyone), homemade cinnamon bread, raspberry jam, and more.

And what am I going to do with all of this?

For the berries – no cooking, just enjoying!

The goosberries – what I don’t munch on, I’m tempted to make a gooseberry fool with local, raw cream!

Heirloom Tomatoes – I have a nice loaf of crusty parmesan and garlic bread. Add fresh basil and a slice of provolone – fresh tomato sandwich (it’s the simple things in life…)

Kale – I just got a juicer, and have been juicing everything in sight (more on that later!). Kale is getting thrown in my breakfast juice!

And the baked beans – It has been so long since I have had baked beans. They’re usually full of bacon and pork; no thank you. So when the couple that makes these asked me if I’d like to try, and I politely declined and added in that I’m a vegetarian, I was thrilled when he told me he is a lifelong vegetarian and these beans were a dream come true. Well, he was right. They’re unbelievable. And for all you out there ready to crack jokes about baked beans, get this: The name of their company is Breakwind Farms. Their slogan? “Fartootasty”

Here’s to a relaxing, dreamy weekend for all of you!

Plus, an afternoon lunch with a great friend isn’t a bad way to spend the rest of the day…