my heart is full

Is it too early to be posting photos of Christmas decor?

 I think yes, but the local nursery had a wine tasting event on Friday night and the entire place was decorated for Christmas already. I'm not at all in the mood for anything Christmas yet, but I have to admit, the decor was lovely. 

We were gone from early in the morning 'til late at night on Saturday. We met my cousin and a mutual friend at the last farmer's market of the season. Under blue and sunny skies, we walked around talking and laughing, drinking coffee; shared a handmade red mole tamale; sampled cheese, salsas, vinegars and honey; talked to vendors; and admired the bounty of beautiful produce. We came home with leeks, fennel, purple carrots, daikon radishes, fingerling potatoes, fresh parsley, aged balsamic vinegar and a block of gouda cheese. I somehow forgot to pick up some of those gorgeous peppers. We then hit up a couple of antique stores, a few artsy stores, then sat and had tea at Starbucks to rest our tired feet. 

On to fabulous Thai food in Chicago, then walked up and down Broadway taking in the sights and sounds of the city on a beautiful autumn evening. While walking, I spied a Stan's Donuts. I had heard of the place, so curiosity got the best of me. Stepping into the store, I was actually more enamored by the display of KitchenAid mixers than the donuts. ;-) We picked up a few donuts to bring home...and let's put it this way: It's a good thing we don't live close to a Stan's Donuts. That was the most delicious donut I've ever had. And this is coming from someone who's normally not a donut person.

Last stop of the day: Wrigley Field. To say that Brian is still riding a high from the Cubs World Series win is an understatement. It was the day after the Cubs rally (which drew a record five million people!), and the city was still unbelievably crowded. Throngs of people were still gathered at intersections surrounding Wrigley. I didn't dare get out of the car. I took photos out the passenger side window. We drove up and down streets for what seemed liked ages, looking for a parking spot. We finally found a spot on a side street and I stayed in the car while Brian went and took his photos.

Sunday was another sunny, warm day...we have been so lucky! All the neighbors were outside raking, leaf blowing and gutter cleaning; pausing once in awhile to talk to one another. Brian and I ended the evening by taking a walk in the dark, walking hand in hand around the neighborhood until we finally came full circle back at home.