Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

farmer's markets

Harvest Or Hibernate?

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Sky view of Spec Ops Cat new favorite spot; empty paper box in the sun. Nap ahoy!

Huge Harvest Moon last night. Which partly explains my urges to nap or eat. Or eat and nap. With the golden light of Fall turning the leaves red, orange and dead, time to conserve energy.

We are having glorious eighty degree weather right now here in Oregon, so no need to hibernate. But I want to. Is it the pumpkins in the store? The Halloween candy stocked in all the aisles? The sun setting at seven p.m.? Yes.

Then that true sign of winter appeared on tv; Hallmark Christmas movies start on Oct. 26! My intent is to read, write and craft this winter. Seems I went down the rabbit hole this year and started collecting card crafting items. Swore I would not go there, but I did. (Gemini Junior! Diamond Press! Anna Griffin! Stop me now….. )

However, I will not be making my Christmas cards. Really. I send fun cards and I have a ton of those from last year’s clearance sales. I try to be cheap, er thrifty. But notice I did not say never. I’ve eaten that word so many times it’s not funny. So now I avoid it. 

The harvest festivals are starting and the farmer’s markets are closing. Can snow be far behind? Let’s get ahold of ourselves. Stop that. Time to go fondle my craft supplies. Paper therapy.

Spring will come again. Right after I eat myself into a stupor this holiday season. Time to go fire up the treadmill; for Spec Ops Cat.

Might be time to start hoarding cans of Libby’s pumpkin pie mix. Just to be safe…….    

Cookies, Sunshine and Duck Butts?

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

There is a lot to be said for serendipity, sunshine and the simple pleasures. Moseyed over to the opening day of my local Farmer’s Market to check out the wares and goodies. Came upon a booth with ginormous cookies.

Wait a minute. Those cookies looked familiar. I never forget a cookie! They were the size of pancakes with every kind from Cowboy Cookies to spicy chocolate cookies. Looked around and saw jars of jams and preserves, then some fresh fruit.

The Cookie Bar sign from Packer Orchards and Bakery in Hood River, Oregon. Or as I like to call it, Cookie Heaven!
The Cookie Bar sign from Packer Orchards and Bakery in Hood River, Oregon. Or as I like to call it, Cookie Heaven!

Yes! It was the Packer Orchards and Bakery from Hood River where I stopped on my way to the Alpaca yarn shop. Chatted up the booth cash register lady and she confirmed it was their first year having a booth at my market. It’s a miracle! Since the orchards and their store with the COOKIE BAR is a good 75 miles from my house, they moved the cookies closer to me!

Seriously, I’m going to have to take up running in addition to walking with this many treats so close. Procured a peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie and a marionberry pie sweetened with pear juice. Those gems were nestled right next to the cinnamon rolls with marionberry topping! I felt my jeans tighten just looking at them.

So I did a circuit of the rest of the market and found fresh asparagus, hanging baskets, jewelry, Hawaiian BBQ, all kinds of fun stuff. Then I parked myself in the line to get a chicken Greek gyro. Sun was out, great Spring day and cookies. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Yesterday at the day job the gorgeous weather continued and our resident pair of ducks were having a great time during lunch playing in the water feature in the man-made waterfall. I enjoyed my lunch in the sun and watched the ducks go hunting for morsels in the water, their cute butts going straight up into the sun.

You know it’s the perfect time of year when the farmer’s markets start to open, the ducks are playing in the water showing their butts and I can get humongo cookies every Saturday. Welcome Spring!

Got a favorite farmer’s market? Or cookie bar? Or cute duck butt sighting?