Asparagus Love, Q. Cassetti, 2012, Adobe Illustrator CS5“In those vernal seasons of the year, when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against Nature not to go out and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and earth.”
John Milton,(1608-1674)
Tracate of Education
It is the time while the sun shines, the grass greens, and the little buds are pushing their way towards the heat and rain, to be hopeful. It is this holiday celebrating for some, the aspect of sudden death being passed over —the community saved and protected by their God. For others, it is an aspect of death being overcome by life through the belief of a forgiving God. For me, it is the time to be hopeful, joyful and anticipatory of all things new once again. The cycle of our lives continue in this season of blossoms and green, of renewal and knowledge of what is next…from what blooms in our gardens to the projects we do, to the growth and change of the people we love. It is that spirit of continual growth and change yet the solid understanding that life springs once again from the sleeping frozen world to that buzzing with bees laden with nectar from the new plants growing and stretching.
“Spring in the world!
And all things are made new!”
Richard Hovey. (1864–1900)
It is also a season of creative renewal for me. Does this happen for you? Are you affected by the change in seasons, the glorious shift of light and color that happens with those shoulder times? it does for me…just the light and color ramps up my internal happy meter—and with that comes wonderful ideas to think on, to try to evolve and to change. This is the seasonal push that happens most seasons which I always forget about and am delighted that yes, this is happening again. There is more to sink into and to touch on in the dark night…when anything pleasant and happy can take you back to sleep with ideas that will spin and evolve unconsciously.
We dropped Alex off in Ithaca yesterday morning to see the rowers racing in their shells. He has a friend who rows for one of the big schools, so it was extra fun to really see the rowing community at work from the ground up. We met him at the Ithaca Farmers Market which was open (day one!). I was blown away as if I had never been there before..looking with new eyes, new Tburg Eyes to see what there was to learn, to understand, to see…and did I mention the food which was curated beautifully. The farmers had tons of greens, little plants, lots of new cheese producers, and many selling CSAs. There were bouquets of spring flowers (along with black pussy willow!), flowering branches, and anenome with their rich black stamen, dumping black pollen onto the brilliant purple, red or fuscia petals. Some notes (to myself):
- Lots of new cheese producers.
- Lots of local meat with many of the producers having lamb, beef, and chicken at good prices
- If we start loading up with the craft folks, we will need to be more careful and /or juried. It seems overwhelming that the proportion of food and Ag seems lower than those of the apron and mug makers.
- We can post our fliers at the Ithaca Market next to the office. Same at Red Feet Wines.
- Having an office for the manager/team is important. Creates a “place” that indicates the market it not random and is run by someone.
-The need for our Saturday market to have a good breakfast offering—and stuff to offer the tourists to buy. (Read, Q. may be selling some stuff)
- We need to get our rack cards into all the local bed and breakfasts as something to do.
We also bought some wine at Red Feet before attending the market. The owner of the market is a very astute, tuned in, and cool person who had some very interesting observations on our little Tburg Market, what could change, what she liked about the market and how she views it. She likes the Wednesday slot as she can make an evening of it with her young son and buy the groceries she needs for the entertaining she does during the week and in anticipation of the weekend. Kind of a stock up and roll into entertaining thing. She also feels that this appeal of something fun to do with a younger child really works (read, we need to get onto some of the mom network/ playgroup emails which she volunteered to send along). She was also very positive about the Saturday market idea. Her observations of the tourists in town on Saturday a.m. is that they are looking for a place to have breakfast and buy stuff to take home with them. Thus the jugs of honey and maple syrup, boxes of peaches and hand made stuff might really fit the bill. She also felt that if there was a good breakfast offering (smoothies, coffee etc). it would be the temptation that she would bring her child for another stop and stock up for the weekend. So snacks and dining are the hooks to get the consumers to the market .Then we need to have the food/produce to get then to buy again. I think if we are clever, we can have a market two days a week with some tweaks to make one different from the other. We will just need to anticipate a few things.
As you can see from above, Melissa Madden and Garrett Miller are throwing Asparaganza, an event to celebrate asparagus. Should be fun. Pencil it in!
We are off on Tuesday to Amherst and then to Hempstead to do the review of Alex’s top two schools to see where it is we will be taking him next September. So, hopefully, we will have the college search complete. Then, we will just have to monitor his progress to make sure he is doing the right thing, and if the fit is there.
On to get checks for the bank tomorrow and act like a grown up. We will be at the lake this p.m. getting things ready for weekends overlooking Cayuga.
Tulip Riot, Q. Cassetti, 2012, Adobe Illustrator CS5Farmers Market meeting was good yesterday. We are planning on a monthly community dish to pass “Community Potluck Picnic in the Pavillion” on the first Tuesday of every month…at least through the summer so we are talking 3-4 events. That will need a poster, but I am good with that. Should be a nice illo…picnic illo. Maybe I can even try to make it pretty. Imagine!
