spring clean

After all that preparation for the farmers' market, I only sold 2 bunches of lettuce, some honey cake, and a few postcards.  The traffic at the market was a bit slim, and the main demographic was older ladies looking for $1.99 four packs of tomato seedlings.  However, I enjoyed an early morning, lots of sunshine, and some good conversation, and I'm still glad I went.  

So far this week, I've been spring cleaning.  I've got a whole box of stuff to go to the Goodwill, have folded and organized everything in my closet, swept up enough dust and debris to fill the Grand Canyon, and snaked my bathtub drain.  It feels good!  I'd been thinking lately about how nice it would be to get some new clothes... but if I do get new clothes anytime soon, I'm going  to strictly follow the principle 'less is more.'  How psychologically refreshing (and simple!!) it would be to have 5 pieces of clothing that are completely comfortable, flattering, versatile, and well-made, than it is to have 50 pieces that range from great to so-so.  I want to get away as far as possible from that nagging, almost guilty feeling that can accompany certain articles of clothing... the feeling that maybe you should hang onto it because of this or that, but you know you just don't really like it.  I haven't achieved it yet, but my goal is to someday have my closet pared down to a beautiful, harmonious, reliable supplier of good outfits.  I've still got a bit of a hodge-podge going, but I'm getting closer to my goal.

This morning, I enjoyed scrubbing some of my copper things with Bar Keepers Friend.  If you don't have some, you might like it.  Yes, I'm pretty sure it's toxic. And you definitely don't want to be wearing any rings while you're using it.  (A few years ago it completely stripped the silver off of my spoon ring). Other than this, all I have around my house is baking soda, vinegar and dish soap for cleaning.  But if you want your copper to shine in that cheery way only copper can, I don't know how else to do it except with this amazing powder.  Hot water, a sponge, some dish soap, and a generous sprinkling of powder, and your copper things are glowing again.  Just make sure you dry the copper quickly and thoroughly after cleaning it, or else it will spot right back up.    Barkeeper's Friend is less than $2 at Family Dollar.  

These wild roses are blooming all over the roadsides and they smell so sweet!

Today is rainy and overcast, but the leaves and grass are so young and fresh that they're glowing a kind of phosphorescent green and it's not hard to imagine I'm in the middle of a jungle!