Californication.

I just got back from the Barnsdall Farmers' market - which I love because it's wed AFTERNOONS. (I am not a morning person in case you have not figured this out yet, or it's your first time checking this out), The other reason I love this farmers' market so, so much is because it is at the Barnsdall Art Park. Very close to my house, and an amazing place. The park houses the Hollyhock house (a famous Wright masterpiece), and a theater, and art studios, art classes for kids, yoga classes in the grass, festivals, the IDEA PROJECT last year, and all kinds of cool stuff! It is also on a beautiful piece of property which has recently been replanted the way the original owner and gardener had desired - olive trees all the way up the hill until you get to the main lawns. The olive trees are now grown in enough to be quite, quite beautiful, and on a day like this, I can think of no better way to spend my time than wandering through the sweet little farmers' market at the bottom of the hill, looking up at all of those olive trees, and sampling fresh,organic, local produce and chatting with the sellers of all those lovely things.

I will tell you that the nectarines I sampled and came home with taste like CANDY - they are so sweet! And that perfect texture! The strawberries, likewise - nothing like the tasteless ones you find at the market. Smaller and sweeter and juicy - YUM!!!
I made a giant salad for the boys (Mark is over helping despite cloncking his poor toe yesterday and almost losing a whole toe-nail! And Max and Jake are KILLING it out on the sunporch - stripping,sanding,painting whilst they blare the Arctic Monkeys!) and myself from these beautiful farmers' market gems. Max says I should call it the 'Barnsdale' - a nod to Barnsdall, but a little classier sounding. It's sort of a Mediterranean/nicoise with a tart,garlic-y vinaigrette. It was a big hit. Definitely going on a menu some day!

So, here I am, on one of the hottest days we've had all summer.I think it's 88 degrees with a nice cool breeze. I'm feeling bad for the greater part of the country.I checked out the 10 day forecast for Austin (where my sister is stuck) and there are "extreme heat warnings" in place for all of the upcoming 10 days. YIKES!!
Mark is now planting some succulents in my garden that he literally found on the side of the road. I used to hate being here in the summer.I don't know if LA has changed or if I have (or a little of both)- but now I can hardly imagine wanting to be anywhere else for the summer!

Where else can you look forward to movies in one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country AND classical music at the Hollywood Bowl all summer? If it DOES get too hot - the beach is 20 minutes away. If you REALLY get too hot , and stir crazy - San Fransisco is 5 and a half hours away by car - it's RIGHT THERE. So is Big Sur, Three Rivers, Palm Springs, Joshua tree, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, San Diego and Mexico. Yosemite, Mammoth Mountain,Catalina, Coronado (where 'Some Like it Hot' was filmed)are all also a stone's throw!

Ok. I admit it. I am Californicationed. Californicated? You get the idea.I LOVE CALIFORNIA!!! I love the way we vote, I love it that Mary Jane is legal for medicine, I love it that even our incompetent republican governor cared about the environment and consequently our beaches and cities have gotten CLEANER since I've lived here. I love all of the diverse culture we have,I love that we are not homophobic freaks here, I love the freakin' weather (like everyone else)and I love, love, love the natural beauty of this state.

Max and Jake now have 'WICKER's new CD playing - 'The League of Lonely Hearts'. It's so catchy....and so...I don't know...cool.Happy sounding to me, despite the title.
I really thought I had something deep to say to tie this blog together - but - honestly, I am so content and happy right now, it's gone right out of my head.

Maybe THAT is the real down side to California. It's just too much fun for some of us to ever get anything significant done.