I like that artichokes can serve as food in one stage of development, and decoration later. I got this excellent specimen at our farmers' market this morning. I remember the first time I saw flowering artichokes--at the community garden behind the Palo Alto Main Library, right after I'd moved here from Boston, before we had jobs. I was so excited that the chokes turned bright purple when they flowered!

I got a good farmers' market haul today--so much so that my shoulders are sore from lugging everything back home (normally Patrick is there to help, but he went on an early-morning bike ride today to beat the heat). I got blueberries, cherries, strawberries, avocados, shelling peas, lettuce, fava greens, beets, asparagus, and rhubarb!

I was initially disappointed, because I didn't see anybody selling rhubarb today, but I noticed that one farmer had a rhubarb sign tucked between his other items, and I asked if he had any left. At first he said he was all out, but then he recanted and said that he actually had a small stash that he'd been saving for someone else, but the guy he was saving it for normally comes earlier, so he sold it to me instead! I hope the guy didn't come by later wanting rhubarb. I'm happy I was able to find some, because now I can make the strawberry-rhubarb pie that Stef recommended. Yay!