Wren's Nest

Favas

In an attempt to eat better (and to have stuff here in case I don't want to go to the store - which is most of the time) we've restarted our Farm Fresh to You delivery. It's produce from an organic farm somewhere around here and is dropped on our doorstep every Thursday.

We stopped getting it before when we were remodeling because I couldn't really cook a ton, so it didn't make sense, but now...we're back on board. Last week we got all kinds of goodies - avacados, oranges, grapefruits, little potatoes, baby carrots, etc  - and these beauties - Fava beans. Loved shelling them, loved how they looked - not so much the taste. I threw them in a stir fry and um, yuck.

 

My goal with this box of produce is to eat better and stretch my cooking creativity - so, if we're going to be getting fava beans, I guess I'd better figure out what to do with them - anyone?? recipes??

The Kindness of Strangers

It's a beautiful day here, so we decided to go to the Alameda Flea Market this morning. We left later than planned, and there was SO much traffic to get in. We parked outside the gates and walked, and walked and walked to go in. Luckily, there was no line to get in (we were on a tight time frame) and we got in  and got a couple of amazing finds...

This beautiful alabaster lamp...perfect for my studio - I've been on the lookout for one of these - Love, Love...

and THIS - I am so happy with this beautiful French gate I can't stand it. Now we just need to figure out where to put it - there are so many possibilities - inside, outside, where? We're starting stage 2 of our yard re-do - putting in trees, some plants, a new walkway and driveway in front - so there are a lot of possibilities outside, but I might like to hang it on a brick wall we have inside.
 

 

(Detail from one of the finials)

Anyway...the point of this post is the kindness of strangers. We walked back to our car and my sweet husband carried this big ol' gate ALL the way back to the car (which was far). We get to the car and a couple with their sweet baby drive up and ask if we're leaving. We said, yeah, but it might be a little while to get this gate in, well...the gate didn't fit. We tried it this way and that way and there way no way it was going in. These people are patiently waiting. The only way to get it home is apparently to put it on the roof of the car, but we don't have anything to tie it with. The sweet lady in the waiting car said - oh, we have bungees!! They GAVE us their bungees (which we tried to pay them for, but they wouldn't take the money) - tied the gate on and were on our way!! The thing is...there was parking elsewhere - they had options, but for some reason they wanted our parking spot and hung out and saved us - they were our angels for today and I just wanted to say thank you to these unselfish sweet people  It really restores your faith in people and how good they can be when something amazing like this happens!! (Lesson #2 - don't go anywhere without bungees).