Despite yesterday's downpour, it was a wonderful day at the market. Aside from loving what I do there, baking and selling cakes, a big part of the attraction is bringing home fantastic produce every week. Now that the growing season is getting into full swing, yesterday my shopping basket was positively groaning with fresh spring produce.
It was the last day for the apple man, he's run out til the first early croppers appear in late February. But he's swiftly replaced by a grower selling the most delicious strawberries imaginable, their fragrance wafted over to our stall until they sold out. Other spring produce included tiny broad beans, rosy rhubarb stalks, artichokes and little sweet golden turnips that children were eating like apples.
My family reckon I'm a bit strange, coming home and immediately photographing artichokes in the soft afternoon light. But I couldn't help it, they're irresistible. Not only to look at but to eat. The question was, do I leave them on the counter to look beautiful all week, or eat them while they're still super fresh? Naturally greed won the day and I cut them in half, rubbed them with lemon juice, tossed with olive oil and roasted for about ten minutes. Messy to eat but finger licking good.
Sunday night is our one weekend family meal together, a feast usually made up of bounty from the market.
Then it's bathtime for the kids before settling down to watch Jr Masterchef. I cried last night. I
'm going for Jack and Hugo and Elsa are going for Isabella. Jack comes to our stall and buys cakes. I asked him if our chocolate cake was as good as Donna Hay's. He said "Better!" Such a lovely young man. And that's another reason why I love the markets.
A good friend recently bought an old farmhouse to renovate for use as self contained accommodation. The house is utterly gorgeous :: surrounded by a big country garden with chooks, fruit trees and the most covetable green house.
I was very excited when she asked me to photograph the house for the website. Yesterday I shot the kitchen. I had so much fun playing in there, creating a little country breakfast scene. The light is so beautiful. I took along some props like bread, milk, eggs and picked greens from the garden and set up the shots while Hugo played in the garden. Bliss.
I'll let you know when the site goes up so you can have a peak at the house. You might want to come and stay:: it's a really creative space! 
We had a photo shoot at our house today for Country Style magazine. Yes we did. I loved watching the ace photographer work. He used real film. And real polaroids! Old school. 
The flowers are in full bloom and give the appearance of a proper cottage garden, ahem, in places. We've fox gloves for the first time this year. A new favourite, someone said once you have fox gloves you'll never get rid of them. I must say I'm pretty happy about that.
