Let the sunshine in.

This morning my parents and I loaded Lexi, our golden retriever, into the car and headed downtown to the Sunday farmers' market. (Gidget, the puppy, had to stay home. She's working on the leash training, but isn't there yet. And by "working," I mean she flops down anytime she finds a spot of grass and proceeds to try to chew up the leash. There isn't much walking involved.)

I sometimes forget how much I like downtown Puyallup. We lived downtown when I was in elementary school, and back then the main street was pretty unimpressive. From what I remember, there were no restaurants... just a bunch of antique shops that smelled funny, a carpet and flooring store, a little bakery, and my dance studio - which is still there, though I'm not certain it's still thriving. Nowadays the city has stepped up its game and turned downtown into a quirky, homey place to be. The library was rebuilt a few years ago and stands as this majestic brick and glass landmark in the center of the park. Not too long ago they added a pavilion built in the same style that houses the market on rainy days or when there are enough farmers and craftsmen to stretch inside. Antique shops are still to be found along the main road (and they probably still smell funny), along with the bakery, but new places like an upscale consignment clothing store, a music shop, a jeweler, and a bank have moved in as well. New restaurants are popping up on a regular basis. Our first stop on today's adventure was supposed to be this new bagel place called "bagel boyz" - which the barista at the nearby Forza told me was opened by 4 guys fresh out of Puyallup High School - but it was closed. (We're thinking that'll have to be breakfast tomorrow instead.)

Grabbed some iced coffee at Forza, then proceeded to enjoy the sunshine and explore the stalls set up in the park. Though the selection was somewhat limited today, we found some okra we'll fry up southern-style (if you've never had fried okra, you're missing out) and lots of fresh green beans. I also bought this gorgeous bouquet of flowers in all tones of purple, pink, yellow and orange that includes big, beautiful sunflowers, bright pink lilies, and orange zinnias. It screams summer. Mom says the market's bigger and busier on Saturdays, so I'm planning on going back next weekend. After running Dad and the dog home, Mom and I headed back downtown to check out this cute little tea shop called T-4-2 and lunched upon deli sandwiches, iced black tea, and cold berry soup. Delish.

Today I'm grateful for rediscovering a piece of my hometown. I complain a lot about wanting to get out of here, more to myself than others, but it really is a nice place to live, especially if you enjoy the suburban life. And while I'm still a city girl, always longing for something more exciting, today reminded me of how nice it can be to take it slow and live simply. Eventually, I'd really like to live somewhere with quick access to a fresh food and flower market. It's so refreshing to be out in the sun surrounded by fresh produce. And as Clare, myself, and just about anyone else could tell you, eating fresh is the best thing you can do for your body.

Today I feel a little bit rejuvenated. I thank the sun, I thank skirts, I thank the flowers, the berries, and my town for doing that for me.