I took advantage of not working weekends for a while to shop at Mississauga's farmers' market. It was a great treat for me. I tried to remember to bring a fabric shopping bag or two, and I bought corn, berries, cherries, tomatoes and nectarines. The quality was excellent, the atmosphere friendly and it's very nearby.
Much to my surprise, however, most of the produce sold there was not grown in Ontario! When I asked about that, vendors told me that their growing season is so short, if they only sold their own produce, they could participate in the market for only a month or two. But they are still local farmers, and I think it must be better to buy from them than from Loblaws. The quality was certainly better. So when I saw Ontario-grown produce - tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, raspberries and cherries - I bought it. But I also bought corn, nectarines and plums from various eastern States.
When we get back from our short trip, I'll be back to working weekends, so my farmers' market days are over for the time being.
Friend of wmtc Ferdzy has a new blog about local food, appropriately titled Seasonal Ontario Food blog.
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Allan and I have a bad habit of getting into TV shows just before a station replaces them with reruns of some other show. Most recently this happened with "Sons of Butcher".
I had seen previews or fleeting glimpses of this cartoon show ever since moving to Canada. But I didn't know what it was, and I never looked into it.
Recently, while unemployed, I checked it out - and loved it. I knew Allan would like it, too. Rock-and-roll self-parody, skewering religion and government, and silly sex-crazed young men. What's not to like.
When we moved to Canada it was on at least weekly, and sometimes every night. Then we started watching it - and it went off the air. Teletoon has replaced it with back-to-back "Family Guy"s, which we really don't need. I like Family Guy, but it's already on Global and the Fox affiliates. Only Teletoon had Sons of Butcher. Damn.
I know about the "Red Green" connection - Steve Smith was SOB's executive producer - but I haven't been able to find out if all the Smiths in the credits are related to him. Anyone know?
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This reminds me that I have not seen a single movie since Opening Day. Not one. We used to watch movies on off nights, or when there's a day game, or sometimes when our team is on the west coast. But now when there's no game, we just want to hang out in our backyard.
And, since I expect the Red Sox to play in (and win) the World Series, I won't see a movie til November.
I never even finished my movie list from the 2006 baseball season. I might have to give up on the list altogether.
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Canada Post has released a set of "Canadian Recording Artist" postage stamps, featuring Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Anka and Joni Mitchell. I love this, since no living person is ever honoured by a US postage stamp.
The stamps come in sets of eight, two stamps per artist, in decorative packages featuring one of the artists on the cover. Allan - frequently at the post office to mail CDs and DVDs all over the world - told me about them and I asked him to bring one home. He couldn't find one with Joni on the cover, but here's what they look like inside.
I love that picture of Joni. I have a headshot from the same series on the wall near my desk.
Many friends and family from the US have mentioned how attractive Canada's currency is. I always show them the pictures, too - kids playing hockey, art work, animals. It's so refreshing to see something other than dead presidents and strange symbols on the bills. These stamps are a similar idea. Living, breathing Canadians. A nice touch.
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