Cherry Quest, Gimme Cookie, and Magic Paint

Just another Saturday in Binghamton, NY.

This morning I was determined to buy some local sweet cherries.  The same U-Pick farm as last week was still offering them but with our schedule, we knew we wouldn't be able to get up there in time.  Instead, we headed to the Otsiningo Park Farmers Market.  There was a vendor there selling New York sweet cherries for $2.75 a pint.  We bought a pint and....they were soft, sweet and juicy.

The cherry quest has ended, and I am happy.  With other berries I have in the house, and the start of the local blueberry season (finally!), a pint should last 2 or 3 days.

We also picked up a dozen farm fresh brown/Arucana eggs.

We finally stopped by a booth called Gimme Cookie.  This booth features naturally baked cookies, using free range eggs.  The variety changes by the season.  But besides their obvious cookies, they make handmade English muffins, and that is what we wanted.  A co-worker had offered me one of their English muffins, a (whole wheat) basil pesto.  It was heavenly.  By the time we got there (10:30 am) the booth was out of all their muffins, except for two packages of whole wheat dried cherry/dried blueberry.  Fruit in English muffins (or bagels, for that matter) do not appeal to either spouse or me, so we passed.  And because we won't be able to make the market the next two Saturdays, we'll have to wait.  Noting the English muffins are $1.00 each, they had better be good - and they are.  They bear little resemblance to store bought.

After that, we took a 2 3/4 mile exercise walk, and the highlight was this little critter on the path:

 Then we headed to July Fest in downtown Binghamton.  This is a combination jazz festival and art show, with lots of craft booths.

This picture is of something called the Magic Paint Brush project, which originated here in the Triple Cities several years ago, and is now expanding.  Their mission is to serve the community of special needs individuals and their families through art.  This was their set up, and all were welcome.

Here is an overall view of the festival, showing some of the historic buildings downtown Binghamton is blessed with, and the sunny day we were blessed with, too.  Sunny days here are not the most common occurrence.

A view down a different street. (the grey building is not historic but rather our State Office Building, the tallest building in Binghamton.)

And finally, what would a jazz festival be without jazz.  The music was added for the first time last year, and was an instant success.  For the first time ever, July Fest is three days, and the music was responsible for the expansion.

There is more I want to say about this subject, and I will do that in a separate post.

Next year - who knows?  It will be a special anniversary for this festival, and I can't wait to see what is planned.