look sharp(ie)

I didn't really need  another reason to love Sharpies but if you spend any time at all on Pinterest you've probably seen lots of pins about using these pens and markers to transform inexpensive dishes.   I hit up a local dollar store to pick up some white dishes and grabbed a couple of my favourite bronze metallic Sharpies.  Then I got to work.   I just played around with designs not worrying too much about perfection although you could definitely plan out more exact designs!  The result is an inexpensive way to dress up a table. I'm planning a spring birthday party with a tangerine and Tiffany blue palette and these dishes will definitely be making an appearance!

what you need:

• white oven-safe dishes
• a Sharpie in the colour of your choice
• an oven

Wash and dry the dishes thoroughly.  Draw a design of your choice on the dish.  Bake in an 350 degree oven for 30 minutes to set the design. Let cool.  That's it. You've got cute custom dishes!

$10 of dishes get a custom makeover

In terms of caring for your dishes I probably won't put these in the dishwasher and I'm not sure I'd necessarily want to do the design on a surface that comes into contact with food but I haven't actually looked into that.

warm hearts

If you're a knitter in need of a quick and cute Valentine's Day craft, you have to check out Mary-Heather Cogar's knit heart brooch over on Design*Sponge.  You can knit up one of these in the time it takes you to watch an episode of The Mindy Project (Side note: I'm late to the party on this having ditched TV last summer but Mindy Kaling is basically my imaginary best friend. "Best friend isn't a person. It's a tier.") 

For my brooch I actually sized down to fingering weight and 2.5mm needles.  The first one I knit with the recommended worsted and 3.75mm seemed to large for wearing but made an adorable decoration.  How cute would a garland of these be?

And here's a little adorableness from The Mindy Project.

it's the weekend... share a laugh.

Gilda Radner and Madeline Kahn

 Happy Friday!  I hope you had a wonderful week.  I am having a little Friday afternoon dance party at my desk as I write this.  The sun is shining and we are enjoying pretty mild temps after a real cold snap.  Just in time to get out celebrate the weekend!  Tonight I'm heading to check out the art at two new exhibits opening at the UNB Art Centre and then it's off to celebrate the great local food folks from Real Food Connections.  Tomorrow I'll be cheering on my cousin Danielle in some high school basketball.  I'm also finishing my first script treatment.  As part of my script-writing class we are each writing a one-act play in five weeks!  It's a little daunting but also exciting.  As my friend Lori says: "Doing is believing."

And, of course, I'll be making some time to get out and enjoy the great weather.  How are you spending your weekend?

Here are some fun links to end the week.

* giggle. How Parks & Recreation is secretly Fraggle Rock (scariest fact in this story? Fraggle Rock premiered THIRTY years ago!)

* guffaw. If this past Sunday's Downton Abbey took place entirely on Facebook.

* oooh.  Loving these Design*Sponge florals inspired by the Joni Mitchell album Blue See all their past album-inspired collection here. This definitely helps me fulfill my New Year's goal of making time to look at beautiful and inspiring things.

* awww. My name is Heather and I'm a sap-a-holic... a group of old men get together at the local Tim Horton's to sing barbershop renditions of a Disney song.  Commence ugly crying.

it's the weekend... dig in.

Katharine Hepburn shovels snow off the roof of her Turtle Bay townhouse (244 E 49th St.) where she lived for more than 60 years.

Well, there it is... the first, albeit abbreviated, work week of 2013 is nearly behind us. I'm looking forward to hitting the market and making breakfast for my friend D. -  lots more "eating in" this year, I think! And on Sunday night I'm starting a five-week script-writing course including classes with this guy and this guy.

So as we kick off the first weekend of a new year, here are some things I've been enjoying this week:

* follow. Can't get enough of  the out-of-this-world snapshots and updates on Cmdr. Chris Hadfield's Twitter feed from the International Space Station. (Bonus: the Twitter exchange between Cmdr. Hadfield and William Shatner!)

* admire.  So much good stuff on Brain Pickings but I particularly love this piece on scientific mysteries illustrated by some of today's hottest artists.

* listen.  Speaking of science, I've been on a big Radiolab kick recently.  Their weekly program is endlessly fascinating and I love their 20 minute shorts when my brain needs a little kickstart.

* make. Yesterday my aunt shared a 2013-Creative-Pay-it-Forward on Facebook:

2013Creative Pay-It-Forward: The first five people to comment on this status will receive from me sometime in the next calendar year,a gift---perhaps a book, or baked goods, or a candle,music- s surprise! There will likely be no warning and it will happen whenever the mood strikes me. The catch? Those five people must make the same offer in their FB status.

Then one of my dearest friends passed it on and I decided to get in on the action. Within 20 minutes our Facebook feeds were full of updates of people joining in.  Today I've seen promises of personalized short stories, paintings and 15-second jingles.  I love the idea that all kinds of creative goodies will be changing hands throughout the year.  And I'm already thinking about what I'll make for five very different people...

* watch. This will make your day. Adorable.


Marrying At 100 from Zack Conkle on Vimeo.

How will you be spending this winter weekend?

december

Milk glass and apothecary jars, vintage ornament from my grandmother and letters from my dad's old anagrams set.  These are a few of my favourite things.

And just like that December is upon us.  We've had more drizzle than snow so far but that hasn't dampened my holiday spirit.

I've hauled out my advent calendar and started to trim the house a bit for the season. 

In recent years I've decorated in a style best described as "vintage tinsel explosion."  I've loved it but this season I'm finding I'm craving simplicity from the music I play to the gifts I'm choosing.  So I've enjoyed creating a cozy oasis of found items from around the house and the backyard.  When I bought this house five years ago, I loved the stand of cedars at the very back of the yard and was excited to use them in Christmas decorating.  I finally got around to it.

I'd rather wander in my backyard than a big box store.  (The mercury glass inspired ornaments are from last year's #bringitdowntown trip to Savour Decor)

No need to pack away this cozy corner after the 25th!

Our local markets are in full swing for the holidays.  I wish there was some way to capture the fragrance of the Christmas tree and wreath stalls.  I splurged on a wreath of boxwood, juniper, cedar, pine and fir.  It was a touch pricier than a standard fir or spruce but the mixed greenery means it doesn't require any extra decoration. 

On Saturday afternoon, I picked up my Uncle John to help him out with come Christmas shopping downtown.  We live in the same city but don't get to see one another very often so  in the past few years this has become a nice bit of uncle-niece bonding.  Of course, I had to stop at Urban Almanac - Ben whipped up a Choclatea for me.  It might be my new favourite drink.  

Sunday brought more markets and more wreaths as Denis and I hit the Boyce Sunday market and then the Northside Market.  (I finally tried the Ethopian food - it didn't disappoint.  Can't wait to introduce it to my dad!)

D. at the Boyce.  (and modelling his birthday hat - one of my favourite recent knitting projects)

How was your first weekend of December?  Have you started decorating?

in threes

My friend Hannah met her husband Aaron at the Miramichi Scottish Festival.  Their wedding was awash in tartan and kilts, bagpipes and heather and they honey-mooned in Scottish castles.  So when it came time to make a gift for their new daughter Sydney, I opted for something that would suit a wee lass on the Highlands.  Kelly Herdrich's "In Threes"  baby and children's cardigan is both classic and contemporary and would look adorable over a long sleeved white tee and a kilt.  Or jeans.  I love baby clothes in non-baby colours and this gold-flecked green is reminiscent of the colours of the Highlands.  It's a shade called Fennel by Berroco Vintage  - a super-soft machine-washable yarn that I can't recommend highly enough for any knit pieces that will get a lot of wear.  I especially love it for gifts for children because busy moms don't have time to be all precious about hand-laundering.

The real finishing touch were the three buttons I found in my button jar (do you have a button jar?  Mine's largely inherited from my late grandmother and I highly recommend them.)  I love the detailing of the little silver buttons.  

This will definitely be a go-to pattern.  It's a relatively quick knit, she sizes up to a child's size five and it's a shape that will be quite forgiving and allow a child lots of wear before it gets packed away.  It's too big for little Sydney yet but it will be a perfect sweater for spring.

think art stuff

Last week I had the chance to attend another private shopping party at ThinkPlay and Endeavours (412 Queen Street).   Owner Luke Randall gave me the low-down on what's hot this holiday season.  Be sure to check out the Black Friday deals at the end of this post!

christmas ideas close to home

On Sunday afternoon Alicia Tracy (of The Hot Lollies) opened her charming Lansdowne Street home to showcase local art, craft, food and home decor.  A cozy home, great refreshments, Bing Crosby singing and inspiring talent? Who needs the mall?   If you're looking to love local this Christmas (or anytime) be sure to check out these folks.

The Hot Lollies - Renna and Alicia's gourmet cheesecake lollipops have been the rage since they started in 2007.  The Lil Lollies packs are perfect for sharing! 

Love on the Bum - Bright fluffy tutus, whimsical accessories - if you have a little one who loves to play dress-up, check out Amie Palmer's cute creations.

Tangled Love Decor - Chavah Haddon's creative and colourful refinished, re-purposed and upcycled furniture and accessories will brighten up even the darkest winter day.  One of her pieces might have come home with me...

LS Knits - Crocheted hats, cozy felted mittens and cuddly soft toys - you can check off lots of your Christmas list here.

G.L.C. Jewels – Who doesn't need a little sparkle this time of year?  I love the disco ball studs and at $13 a pair you can stock up on a few different colours.

Kris LeBlanc Art Kris's vivid paintings and prints offer up a colourful take on nature and some of Fredericton's favourite landmarks.

Moco Catering & Kitchen Parties - 'Tis the season for entertaining and if you can't face the thought of spending a holiday party in the kitchen, why not give Chef Brian Foster a call? 

And if you're looking to pamper someone (or maybe even yourself) keep an eye out for Sanctuary Botanicals and B Polished Esthetics!

The littlest entrepreneur.  Sophia was adorable.  You know I didn't get out of there without one of these ornaments!

 

#bringitdowntown : the sequel

I'm so excited to have been asked to #bringitdowntown again this year.  Like last year Downtown Fredericton invited 15 social media types to Bring the Love Downtown.  Each of us have been given $100 Downtown dollars and the only condition is that we document how we spend it.  This year, in a new twist, five wildcard spots were offered and people made their pitches on Facebook and Twitter.  I'm really happy with the choices - some of my favourite locals were chosen and I know they'll do a great job! 

Last year I brought it downtown by:

• delighting my inner child at Thinkplay and Endeavours
• decking the halls at Savour Decor
• indulging in some beautiful yarn at Yarns on York (which ultimately became this)
• raising a glass at Corked

This year we've all been asked to get curious and try something new.  I think I'll be spending this evening poring over the Downtown Fredericton directory to find some ideas.  

I'd love to hear your suggestions! Where should I spend my Downtown Dollars?

You can follow all the fun on Twitter - we're using the hashtag #bringitdowntown

fall into fredericton

Such as busy and fun weekend!  Kicked things off with a Theatre New Brunswick company barbeque at Caleb's to celebrate the start of our 46th season (!) and the arrival of the Oleanna cast.  Productions are crazy times but I love when new casts arrive and new friendships and memories are made as you create something very special together.

Saturday brought a trip to the Boyce Farmer's Market, of course. It's the most wonderful time of the year at the farmer's markets - colourful, delicious fruits and vegetables and the folks who grow them.  A winning combination.

It's not all food at the market. 

rock island

Rock Island on Grand Manan

Last Christmas my friend Lori gave me a knitting pattern for the Rock Island shawl.  I'm not easily intimidated but this airy lacy wrap gave me pause - partly because it would be the first time I was knitting lace solely using charts and partly because it was, well, lace. For you non-knitters, lace weight yarn is only slightly heavier than thread.  Only slightly.   I finally took the plunge in August armed with my 4mm circulars and a skein of Madeline Tosh lace in French Grey.   The shawl is constructed by knitting the lace edging first and then picking up stitches and knitting the centre triangle.  The intricate lace edging was coming along well ... and then this happened.

The Rock Island disaster

I was on row 516 of the lace edging when I realized there was a mistake on row 264 that would make proper construction of the shawl impossible. The only solution was unraveling.  Like taking a band-aid off, I did it immediately and quickly and started back at it immediately.  Even with the disaster I finished the shawl in a week (lots of vacation knitting!) and it's probably one of my favourite things I've knit.  Despite being delicate, I didn't want to be too precious about wearing it and wore it to the Sardine Museum during the Summer's End Folk Festival.

Rock Island was designed by Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed.  This was my first introduction to Brooklyn Tweed but having flipped through their lookbooks, I'm definitely a fan.  Their work is strongly rooted in traditional techniques (like the Shetland shawl construction of Rock Island) with a contemporary feel and they manage to be at once cozy and elegant. 

see you soon, carly maicher

Take me with you so I don't have to miss you, 

Take me all the way across the prairies and back

To the bay.

Carly Maicher, See You Soon

Her latest album is called "Hiding" but Carly Maicher's life lately has been anything but secluded.  The singer-songwriter has spent much of this year on the road on a head-spinning Canadian tour with Zachary Lucky. (60 shows in three months!)  And now she's come back to the Bay and more specifically to Grand Manan Island to the festival she started three years ago.   Now I fully confess that I'm biased towards all things Grand Manan but I think the Summer's End Folk Festival is one of the great little gems of New Brunswick's music scene.  Established musicians and new discoveries playing in the open air a stone's throw from the sea? A perfect way to wind down your summer.  

The Festival runs August 24-25 and with just over a week to go, Carly took the time to answer a few of my questions, one island girl to another.

I love that your bio says you're one part wheat field, one part ocean.   How did you end up on Grand Manan?  How does the isolation of the island affect your writing?

Well, my grandparents are from Grand Manan originally! So, there's definitely a deep rooted family connection here. But basically, my family decided to buy a summer home here, and at the time I was looking to get away from Winnipeg, where I had been living. It sort of just happened - it worked out perfectly time wise, and since nobody was going to be living in the house, I decided to take advantage. My original plan was to just stay a couple of months and work on songs, and maybe record a home-made album, but then I just continued staying. I loved it so much that a year went by, and then years just kept going by. I built a little life here and got busy doing normal life things like working, and socializing.

During my time on Grand Manan, I spent a LOT of time alone with nature. I couldn't get over the natural beauty here. It's beautiful almost everywhere, but to me Grand Manan hosts this kind of obvious rugged beauty that's impossible to overlook. At least if you're not from a place like this. So, the environment definitely affected my writing. There's something super romantic, at least to me, about going to a little fishing island. 

Grand Manan is such a special place in general, but definitely became such a special place to me and an important time in my life. It has been such a substantial part of my life, and where I've felt most at home.

Tell me a little about Summer's End - it's no small thing deciding to start a festival on a pretty remote island. 

One of the things that I imagined about Grand Manan Island before moving here was that it would be a place filled with artists and musicians. I had been to Grand Manan before in my younger years on family trips, but never really got to know the culture really well. When I moved here, I didn't really meet anyone who had the same musical interests as me, which was surprising. There is definitely music on Grand Manan - but not specifically folk or traditional music. After a couple years of living here, I started managing a restaurant (Gallaway's Restaurant which is where the festival is held) - and there I began bringing in music from the mainland to see if we could become part of their touring circuit. With music being such an important part of my life, I needed a way to be able to continue doing that on Grand Manan too.

The festival became a dream of mine after living here and realizing that it's the most perfect place in the world for a festival, and I literally just couldn't believe it wasn't already happening here. So with that, I began planning the first one and everything just sort of fell into place. I thought that it would be a really great thing for the community to have a music festival with some music that maybe the culture here hadn't been exposed to yet. I think music can do wonderful, positive things - and that was my attempt at doing something positive within the community.

What's been the most surprising thing about Summer's End?

The most surprising part about Summers End is actually that the majority of our audience members have been people from away, not people from Grand Manan. This is really interesting! Although it means it is somewhat successful, meaning that our line up typically has some names that should draw, it is also surprising and I'd still really like the local crowd to grow. With there being so many off-islanders traveling to the festival from away, it's become a great tourist event which benefits local businesses - since the attendees are spending two nights on the island, they are contributing to the islands economy also via camping, groceries, restaurants, motels, ferry, etc! 

This year's festival offers up another great line-up - there are better-known names like Julie Doiron and Ruth Minnikin but who are some of the hidden gems / new talent / surprises we can look forward to?

This years line-up is theoretically pretty stacked! Julie Doiron, Daniel Romano, Bry Webb, and the Providers, Ruth Minnikin, and Owen Steel are all already very much so a part of the East coast music scene! People that are up and coming but that you may not have heard of are Klarka Weinwurm (NS), Devarrow (NB), Liam Finney (NS). I'm super excited to have them all involved in the festival!

(If you can't wait for the 24th to take in this music, the folks at SEFF have put together a great playlist over at CBC Music to get you in the mood! )
 

Summer's End Folk Festival is August 24-25th on Grand Manan.  You can get your tickets in advance on the website or in person at Gallaway's Restaurant (Grand Manan) Picaroons Brewtique (Fredericton) and Backstreet Records in both Fredericton and Saint John.

an awfully big edVenture

I enjoy any Sunday where the most pressing question is: "I wonder what will happen if I hit this with a ball peen hammer?" Every year when the list of edVentures courses comes out from the City I'm filled with thoughts of spending my summer in the adult equivalent of summer camp.  With more than 60 week-long, weekend and one-day courses in various arts and craft disciplines, your imagination can run away with you!   This year I managed to finally schedule my first edVentures course: a day of jewelry making!

saturday on grand manan

A summer Saturday on Grand Manan isn't really complete without two stops.  First is the Grand Manan Farmers Market.  For farm market fans it's good all you'd expect: local delicacies, arts and crafts and strong hot coffee roasted locally.  And, of course more than a few things unique to island life: doormats made from reclaimed lobster rope, whale whistles from a newly arrived potter and local lore. 

And sea glass!  You'll definitely want to stop by and say hi to Esty Deugaw who makes beautiful sea glass jewelry and accessories (and even sugar candy that looks like bits of beach glass.)  The pendant on the right is my mom's newest treasure, made by Esty with a marble Mom found on our favourite sea glass beach.

Of course, for a souvenir of the island, I have to recommend a print from local artist Eric Allaby (known in these parts as 'Dad').  He and my mom have become regular market vendors over the past couple of years.  (his work is also available here)

After browsing local wares, your second stop has to be the North Head Bakery where Martha Ballantyne and Richard Rice have been turning out remarkable breads and baked goods since 1988.  A small island in the middle of the Bay of Fundy may be the last place you expect to find a bakery in the French boulangerie tradition but that adds to the charm.   The Saint John Valley bread is a must. Bon appetit!

The Farmers Market is located at 128 Rte 776, North Head, and meets on Saturday mornings (10 AM to 12:30 pm)

The North Head Bakery is located at 199 Rte 776.

baby shoes

For a long time it's been a tradition of mine when my friends are expecting to knit a pair of booties as a first gift.  I've been wanting to do a cute pair of Mary Jane-inspired baby shoes for a while now but there have been a steady stream of little boys arriving among my friends.  So when Hannah and Aaron announced that they were expecting a girl, I wasted no time breaking out the pink and the pattern for these booties (find the pattern on Ravelry) by Dutch designer Saartje de Bruijn

Because a girl can never have too many pairs of shoes, Baby Girl-to-be also got a pair of  Christine's stay-on booties.  As much fun as it is to try out different patterns, these are classic and will continue to be my go-to gift for some time to come.

salvaged sunday

I woke up at 7:20 Sunday morning to the sound of half a dozen men in hard hats loudly setting up pylons to block part of my street.  It quickly became apparent that sleep was out of the question.  And then they started sawing... the... pavement. I decided that since a rare lazy morning was off the agenda I should be productive.  By 9:30 I had finished a batch of blackberry jelly.  By 9:35 the jack-hammering had started.

Relief came in the form of my friend Hetty who had been following my plight on Twitter (I normally don't like to use social media to air my grievances but sometimes a well-placed rant pays off!) So I gathered my knitting and my dog and headed to the peace and quiet of her house at the edge of Odell Park.  We sat in the sunshine overlooking a little stream, drinking tea and eating freshly baked Speerville trail mix cookies (thanks to her husband!) and enjoyed a few hours of knitting and good company.  

And when I got home the work crews were gone and life was tranquil once more.

it's the weekend: get out and shoot things

Jimmy Stewart. With a camera. That is all.

Watch.  This week we got our first look at what promises to be an epic screen adaptation of Les Miserables.  I'm not going to lie, watching this for the first time with my theatre chums nearly led to some ugly crying. 

Listen.  And on the theme of ugly crying, May 29 marked the 15th anniversary of singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley at age 30.  His only complete studio album, 1994's Grace,  remains one of my top summer evening soundtracks.  Here's one of my favourite tracks.  The bridge will tear your heart out.

Admire.  I am just so taken by this book of: Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artists’ Enumerations from the Collections of the Smithsonian Museum  If you follow my Facebook page you know that's I was particularly smitten by architect Eero Saarinen's list of his wife's attributes - so candid and honest and real; I'd take it over a sonnet any day!

Make.  As the warm weather moves in and clothes get lighter, my patience for bulky purses and wallets is in decline.  May be time to whip up a simple vinyl billfold.  

Breathe. I'm playing hooky this afternoon and heading here.  The weather was inclement during my last visit so I'm look forward to enjoying it in the sunshine. 

it's the weekend: call your mother

Watch. Flavorwire's three-and-a-half minute super-cut of the wisdom of our TV mothers. Who's your favourite? "Do not eat chips out of a communal bowl.  You may as well stick your hand in a toilet."

Make.  How cute would these colourful animal-topped jars be at a baby shower or kid's birthday party?  Super simple and great way to use all those empty jars you can't quite bear to toss. (I know I'm not the only one in this predicament!)


Listen. NPR's "First Listen" is one of my favourite ways to preview upcoming albums.  Right now I have the dreamy pop sounds of Beach House's Bloom is in heavy rotation. The sneek peak, er, hear is only available until the album drops on Tuesday.

Admire. This gorgeous bronze playground in New York.

Breathe. If you love sea breezes, bonfires and beautiful music, mark your calendar for the Summer's End Folk Fest on Grand Manan island.

on the market

When I woke up just before 5 a.m. on Saturday morning I could hear the rain on my tin roof.   But neither rain nor the early hour did anything to dampen my enthusiasm.  I was going to have the chance to share with visiting travel media one of my very favourite Fredericton experiences: the Boyce Farmer’s Market.

Part of the charm of this Saturday morning tradition is that it's not just a quaint touristy spot but it’s genuinely part of the life of the city cutting across all sections of the community each with their own routine and rhythm.  You can practically set your watch by which group is populating the market at any given time.   

Arriving at the Brunswick St. entrance many of us made a bee line through the food alley (we lost a few to the tempting aroma’s of Magzy’s kettle corn, the new artisan pizzas and, unsurprisingly, the lobster rolls) and headed straight for Whitney Coffee.  A cup of their fresh-roasted, fresh-brewed coffee or cappuccino is my first stop at my normal market hour of 9 a.m.  Before 7 a.m. it’s an absolute necessity!

Donna from Philadelphia was interested in maple syrup  so coffees in hand we headed off to the old part of the market where Leah Anstis was manning a stall of maple products.  Leah is the founder of Local Foodies of Fredericton  a group that holds workshops about skills like canning, drying, freezing, preparing and growing your own food.  During the week you can find Leah at RealFood Connections  one of the leading players in Fredericton’s growing local food movement.   Donna happily left with two bottles of local maple syrup to take back to the States.

Our next stop was in search of chocolate.  I’ve written before about my love for  Choco Cocagne and Donna was charmed by their sweet samplers.  Chocolate in hand, Donna struck out on her own to explore the market and I met up with Karan Smith.  Karan and I had exchanged emails before the conference so we were looking forward to meeting in person.  I took her around my normal market routine.  First stop:  au fond des bois fromagerie.  Marina, William and Patrick are originally from Belgium and came to Canada in 2005.  Now based in Rexton, they produce more than 20 different kinds of goat cheese which they sell along with other products weekly at the Boyce Farmer’s Market.   On Saturday I treated myself to two rounds:  their popular slightly sweet and smooth le Barbizon and le Forban, a black pepper and garlic powerhous.  Either one was going to be delicious tossed with my next purchase…

Second generation market vendor Alison Toron (her parents run Northern Lights Leather) and her partner Josh Dickison started NashwaakNoodles in July 2010 and haven’t missed a market Saturday since.   Their fresh pasta is one of my market faves. This week I went with their classic lemon-pepper linguine.  Check out Nashwaak Noodles on Facebook for their flavor of the week.  My personal favourite is Picaroons Best Bitter and red pepper.  They source local ingredients as much as possible and good news:  if you can’t make the market, Nashwaak Noodles are now available through Real Food Connections.

Next stop the Gagetown Fruit Farm   stall for some eggs.  Matt Estabrooks and Heather Rhymes took over Matt’s family farm a few years ago and their current products include produce, baked goods, eggs and soups among other things.   They are chefs by trade and during the summer months you can sample their cooking at their small restaurant in a converted barn on their farm in Gagetown.  In the fall be sure to stop by the farm for U-pick apples and pumpkins.  

Goat cheese and eggs don’t exactly travel well so Karan was on the lookout for something non-perishable that she could take back to Ontario with her.  Carloe Liu’s sweet hand-carvedstamps and prints  offered the perfect solution to the packing dilemma.  While Karan deliberated over prints and cards.  I picked up a pack of York County Granola New Brunswick mix (with cranberries and pumpkin seeds) from Jessica Breau at the next stall over. 

The weather was still inclement but we decided to skip the bus back to the hotel in favour of a little more market exploring and a walk through downtown.    Karan sampled some of Van Dyck’s wild blueberry juice and some freshly-squeezed o.j. from Sam the Juice man.   We both happily accepted a couple of steaming mugs of hot Coburn’s Cider  to ward off the damp weather.  Dave Coburn’s family has been a Fredericton market presence since long before the current  location opened 60 years ago.  I picked up a jar of Family Favourite spiced apple jelly from Sarah Ingersoll, Karan grabbed  a soft pretzel from Rudolph’s Farm, Butchershop, and German Baking and we each bought a bouquet of mayflowers from an older lady who told us she’s been picking and selling mayflowers at the market since she was eight years old.  Not to disclose a lady’s age but my guess is that means she’s been selling mayflowers for as long as the Boyce has been open.  Now that’s a tradition!

Leaving the market through the food court – and a couple of photo ops of Bardsley’s lobster rolls – we headed down Regent for Queen Street.  We talked about the summer concert series at Officer’s Square and the classic movies on Sunday night at Barracks Square.   I told her in the 15 years since I moved to the city I’d seen a real rejuvenation of downtown  with new shops and restaurants.  Leaving the downtown core I pointed out the Small Craft Aquatic centre where in the summer months you can rent kayaks and canoes and see Fredericton from a different vantage point.

She was headed to the Delta and I live on the far west end of Brunswick so we parted ways at Wilmot Park.  When I arrived back home it wasn’t even 9 a.m. yet but it had already been a great Fredericton day.