Tag: Farmer’s Market

North East – More Than a Direction

There is a town in Pennsylvania called North East. Yes, that’s the name of the town, not just a direction. About 150 miles north of Pittsburgh, near Erie, it turns out it’s the northernmost town in PA.

My friend Roberta went to the North East Farmer’s Market and saw a vendor with yarn! There were chairs behind the display table and knitters sitting and knitting. She told them about her friend the knitter (me) and that I’d even been on a knitting cruise to Norway with Arne and Carlos . (If you’re unfamiliar with this creative duo who live in a Norway, you can click their name to learn about their creative designs.)

Sunday night Roberta came over to my front porch to celebrate my birthday. We shared Taiwanese takeout she had brought with her, Blackberries on vanilla ice cream and pizzelles were dessert.

Then I opened a surprise birthday gift she brought. It’s so cool she chose such lovely yarn for me and although she’s not a knitter, she knows I have a passion for it.

Yes, she knew I’d love the yarn from the Three Tulips Yarn Company “…dream up magical colorways in tiny, individual batches so that your project will be truly unique. We love yarn and believe that each stitch should be a joy to create.”

You can meet the team at Three Tulips Yarn Company here

Here is what she gave me

Colorful and feels so squishy and a teacup on the birthday card!

Hand-dyed Micro Batch Yarn by Three Tulips Yarn Company I think to make a Hat on the left /Socks on the right.

by Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , 15 Comments

Wildflour Bakery Anchorage, Alaska- Guest Blog

My wish is you get to Anchorage Alaska and taste Wildflour Bakery pies. Although I am back in the lower 48 today I have some more Alaska posts.

When visiting friends in Homer Alaska, we met some very nice people in their interesting home that our host had helped build.

The first thing they did was offer us pie and coffee.  Who could resist?

Three types of apple pie.  As we sampled a sliver of each type, we talked about the excellent flavor and crust (one gluten- free) and then I learned about the pie creator, Wildflour Bakery Owner Olivia Allen of Anchorage.  Although I took a few photos of the pie (see below) I wanted to know more.

Meet bakery owner Olivia Allen- photograph by Julia Bevins, I  asked Julia if she would like to be guest blogger! What a great photo.

Then I called Olivia. She returned my call just as we were entering our departing flight but emailed me more photos and information about Wildflour Bakery.  Here is her blog link Look into the World  See Olivia’s watercolor illustrations and follow her on Instagram Wildflour Bakery Handcrafted pies and galettes made with foraged wild berries, organic ingredients and lots of love 🌸

Olivia writes-

Wildflour Bakery uses locally sourced and foraged wild berries, herbs, flowers and backyard honey to craft beautiful and sweet treats with creative flair.

Each pie or galette is handcrafted with the intention of highlighting the Alaskan spirit of our wild spaces, near and far.

imageBeautifully photographed by Julia Bevins.

Gallery of photos below , sent to me by Olivia

Here are my pie photos so you see why I needed Olivia to send me some more.

And here is her artwork. I love the part about “serve generous slices.”  Yes!!

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We fairly well decimated the pies! You can see why I needed more photos to create this blog post as you look at my three photos I took at the kitchen table.

A few years ago I featured friend and pie judge Rob Bard.on National Pie Day.   I know he would have enjoyed the pies.

by Categories: Baking, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 10 Comments

My Grandmother Grew Cosmos

At the Farmer’s Market,  I saw bunches of Cosmos and my grandmother Hendricks came to mind.

She used to grow them. I bought a bouquet and put them in a vase.

They just look “old fashioned” to me.

Cosmos Bouquet

This is the grandmother who taught me to knit. My father’s mother.

When I was at Laura and James house,  I took this photo of the tag on the afghan they have in their living room.

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Her name was Mary Alta but she went by Alta.  I have never met anyone else named Alta.

My appreciation for all things handmade  and knit was passed down.

Recently I was led to open the back of her Book of Common Prayer and found this list in her hand.

Here is a list of 26 afghans she knit for others when she was in the Nursing Home in Taylorville Illinois.

I’m Ruthie, Mark is my son and Marian is my Mother and “Roy’s Mary” is my sister.

My sister-in-law Bobbie, sent this afghan below (one my grandmother made) to Laura and James. An heirloom gift

The blue one is the one she made for me.  Her knitting is just beautiful.

afghan (1)

afghan

afghan list

by Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , 16 Comments

Green-Tipped Straightneck- Organic Baby Squash

Bought from the Farmer’s Market in East Liberty Monday afternoon.  In haste.  It started to pour.  Will get the name of the vendor next week!

Green-tipped straightneck squash and a few baby zucchini. I liked the green-tips which looked as if the squash ends were dipped in green paint.

by Categories: Cooking and EatingTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 8 Comments

Fresh Baked Pies on Handmade Ceramic Pie Stands at the Farmer’s Market

(I am posting this with our dear friend Rob in mind . You might remember he guest blogged for National Pie Day when he was a pie judge) 

Okay, I posted the donut for National Donut Day and then yesterday’s baked goods upgrade of the elegant French macarons.

Today it is the fresh baked pies. Fresh Baked Pies from Annie Oakley’s Kitchen that is!

Meet Annie the owner of Annie Oakley’s Kitchen and her sister-in-law Christa, who is a pie apprentice.  They were sporting company shirts and aprons and selling delicious looking pies at the South Side Farmer’s Market on Carson Street.

I loved that they had a box of forks so you could dig right in after purchase.

Annie the pie maker on the left and Christa (sister-in-law) the pie apprentice on the right.

And Mom, Bryna, is the ceramicist who created the pie/cake stands for the display.  She also makes ceramic pie plates for sale.

What a fun booth they had set up in the Farmer’s Market on Carson Street.  They are at the Whitehall Farmer’s Market on Mondays.

I sampled the apple butter which she sells on ETSY  for just $4 a jar.

I bought two small strawberry rhubarb pies for $5 which was a sweet deal.

by Categories: Baking, Cooking and Eating, Pittsburgh Photos, What I Found on the Way Home from SchoolTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 11 Comments

Today We Saw a Turquoise Plastic Radio, a Bobble-Head Jesus, a Princess Grace Ashtray and a Copy of Paradise Lost

Where can you see all that in one afternoon?  BELLEVUE, PA  And in the slideshow at the end of this post!!  Head vases, a statue of Groucho Marx, autograph book, Betty Boop and an Atwater Kent Radio.…..oh, and another church for sale, too!

After my 11 o’clock appointment, J and I headed for Bellevue.  Who knew that tomorrow is the start of their 4 day long Summer Solstice Spectacular.  You can click here for the details  We grabbed a quick bite at Joe’s Rusty Nail, an ice cream scoop of chicken salad on greens, some mandarin oranges and strawberries with balsamic and a blueberry muffin.  A tall glass of ice tea. Cash or check, no cards.   We walked down the block to a place we had driven by.  Joyce’s Antique Emporium at 494 Lincoln Avenue in the heart of downtown.  Oh my.  We could have spent hours there, everything so carefully arranged and classified. Things you might have had as a kid or your mom had or the neighbors or your grandmother.   I’m still  thinking about the set of Pyrex bowls I left there and am thinking about going back if they are still there. Afterwards we stopped by the Farmer’s Market booths and I bought some strawberries that I made into jam when I got home- Joy of Cooking recipe.  There was a shaved ice vendor.  J bought the perennial Bloodroot to plant in her wonderful garden.  We had fun checking out the antiques store with EVERYTHING.  The Pickers Show on the History Channel needs to come and do an episode from this place. I am serious.  We had the nicest conversation with the man minding the place and he was knowledgeable and full of great stories about the items in the store! The aluminum glasses on a blue coffee table outside the store caught our interest and we couldn’t get over the variety of items displayed. Canisters Depression glass, Kewpie Dolls, Betty Boop, swizzle sticks, an accordion, bugle, toys etc etc etc….See the slide show below. Call them at (412) 761-1288.

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by Categories: Antiques, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , , 11 Comments