Sunday, another gloomy day this spring/summer, found us in Seattle checking out the Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) locks and the neighboring Carl S. English, Jr botanic gardens.

The docks were originally built so coal and timber could be easily transported by boat but today salmon, seals and pleasure boating dominate the landscape.

A few boats were loaded into the locks while we watched, a couple apparently doing it for the first time given the general confusion around what to do. We started to watch the water rise but having risen in locks while kayaking, we knew the proceedings and left early to check out the botanic garden …

which I found more interesting.

After we spent some time chasing squirrels and running through the lawns we went to the Ballard Market and Clover Toys, the kind of toy store we love with lots of European-imported toys and almost no plastic crap (though we did walk out with a new rubber duck named “Ben”). The owner of the store introduced us to Froebel Gifts which we had to buy because I loved them so, my daughter taking to them (Gift 1) as much as I.

I love farmers’ markets. In Chicago I would shop three days a week in the summer and arrive at work loaded down with bags of currants, blueberries, bread, … whatever was seasonal. The BI market is great but the Ballard Market is really my kind of affair, reminding me a little of the markets in Paris with a full complement of products on display.

For as often as we attend a farmers’ market I rarely take photos even though I feel it’s a wonderful display of color and textures – I rushed these photos not wanting to look like that-guy-with-the-camera. I can’t wait to go back and fortunately it doesn’t conflict with our local market.

Back home in the garden we have our own peonies opening slowly.