84:365

So... do I need to tell you that it's raining again?


Spent the later afternoon/early evening at the hospital with my dad... who seems slightly better today. He didn't get much rest; as he was having trouble breathing. He is now on oxygen.... probably not a good sign. However, he was able to eat a little more today... including a pickled egg that I got for him from the cafeteria.
I am very pleased with the hospital cafeteria here at CCMH. I realize that hospital food (in general) has a bad rap... but they do a really good job here. I went down to get myself something to eat... and all the food was fresh, healthy... and tasted wonderful. And tell me... how many hospitals offer freshly made pickled beet eggs, home-made pies... and real meatloaf?



I also stopped at the Hershey Farms Market on Route6. They had gorgeous flats of spring flowers in.... and I was able to get a lovely flat of beautiful Johnny-Jump-Ups and a really pretty pale ivory and pink mum. I had already bought a big planter, and dirt... and now I am going to fix them all up into a nice piece to sit right near the front deck of my parent's house. This way... it will greet anyone who comes to the house.
I had gotten a new birdfeeder as well for my parents, and this morning I made sure all of the feeders were full and outside. Mom and dad love to watch the birds... so that will be nice for them I think.

The photos for today are from Hershey's new shipments of spring plants. They had primrose, tulips, pansies, mums, gerbera daisies, lilies.... and the most gorgeous hydrangeas I have ever seen.

Links:

Charles Cole Memorial Hospital: see here

Hershey Farms Market: see here

**all photos by Elaine A. Russell

Santa Fe Farmer's Market

*all photos by Elaine A. Russell

ok. So yesterday I posted about the ride on the RailRunner up to Santa Fe.. the goal being.. to go to the annual Recycle Show there.

But ... whoa... wait a minute. There was also a Farmer's Market going on! Apparently, every Sunday, there is what is called the "Sunday Community Fair" in addition to the Farmer's Market.

So... we are talking .... tons of fresh, organic, local produce... as well as handmade items, soaps, bags, books and more. All around the rail station were booths outside, and then inside this huge warehouse... were tons more of booths. Now.. combine that with street artists, and musicians.... and free samples ??!!

Now you get the idea.

Needless to say, we got a little side-tracked from the Recycle Show and explored here first....

fresh organic Dakon radishes

gorgeous chile ristras

organic apple cider slushies


and fresh, home-made bread

To see more about the market in Santa Fe: http://www.santafefarmersmarket.com/

roadtrip !

photos by Elaine A. Russell... taken at the Lancaster Farmer's Market

webshot of Shamoken dam

First, I apologize for not posting yesterday. I got up early (6am) and had breakfast with the family. After visiting for awhile, my niece and my brother in law's new wife and I went to the Lancaster Farmer's Market. This is a huge thing that happens every Tuesday. On one side of the grounds, it is all antiques, flea market type stuff and more. You wouldn't believe all the cool stuff I saw ( and even bought a couple things !). On the other side of the grounds are all kinds of fresh vegetables, fruit, crafts and even a music group or two. In spite of it being unbearably hot and humid.. it was awesome.
Then I was on the road again. Having gotten some fresh fruit and food, I was ready to travel.. but was having a bad allergy problem still. Between my eye swelling shut, sneezing my fool head off.. and sweltering in the heat... the drive became a nightmare. Couple with tons of rain, mist, fog and even hail.... the road became hazardous as well.
The road was unfamiliar to me too. I was mostly on I-76.. which is a toll interstate throughout the bottom of PA. It was a great road.. but expensive ($13 toll fees). I was a bit confused as well... traveling in parts of PA, and in parts of Virginia all in the same day. As it turns out, I was on the right roads... it just felt awkward at times.
A bonus... was that I got to go thru a series of tunnels. They were huge.. and went thru various peaks of the Appalachian Mountains. Incredible. I also went all around Shamoken Dam (huge)... lots of pretty Amish countryside.. and lots of fertile farm land.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamokin_Dam,_Pennsylvania
I stopped early for the night at a Super 8 in Cambridge Ohio. The management (Ms. Fry) and crew were very nice, the room was really nice, and in spite of not having internet (it was down due to the storms)... was great. I got dinner from a nearby KFC, and enjoyed a relaxing night in the room.