Colorful April at the Farmers’ Market

/ Pat

This coming week-end we will be doing our normal spring migration from southern Florida to southern Michigan, approximately 1,340 miles straight up Interstate-75, and I’ll have to do my bi-annual, mind-bending adjustment to change in climate and environment. Current place (Florida) includes April colors of sunflowers and garden produce as the local growing season is drawing to a close. Farmers’ Markets have been busy with both permanent and seasonal residents.

This final week in Florida means that I am using up foods in the frig as we balance our last at-home meals cooked with what-is-left ingredients and going out to favorite restaurants for mid-afternoon dining with friends. Friends and kids are asking why we aren’t staying a couple more weeks – given that Covid is out of control and snow is in the forecast for Michigan. Ummmm, I don’t know – except that the food is about gone in the frig and we have a pile of stuff in the living room ready to go into the car.

And we’re ready to go home. It doesn’t matter whether we are in Florida spring or Michigan fall, I want to go home. I miss the friends in the neighborhood we aren’t in, I miss the differing activities of the other place, I miss the trees and flowers and landscapes. I want to go home because whatever home I’m going to has something to feed my mind and soul and body.

The color I expect to find in Michigan during the third week of April will be fairly drab with small punches of bright, spring color. Nighttime lows will be around freezing and daytime highs around 50 degrees F. Fields are still too wet to plow and the soil will have to warm up before they can be planted. Winter wheat fields planted last fall are now bright green and there is a flush of red leaf buds along the tops of tree rows between fields. Maybe there will also be greening of undergrowth in the wooded areas of our neighborhood, daffodils growing in the parks, and flowering trees on city streets.

I know I will eagerly await the full spring color of May in Michigan, and then worry about the lack of color as the spring blooms fade but surprised when summer color comes with blooming annuals and perennials in gardens. And before I know it I’ll be visiting farm markets with tables full of fresh fruits and vegetables.

My inspiration for this post was provided by Amy’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #143 – Colorful April. Thanks Amy, and I really enjoyed your beautiful photographs of April Color.

25 thoughts on “Colorful April at the Farmers’ Market”

  3. Best of luck with your spring migration to southern Michigan. It must be amazing to have two places in such beautiful states, especially as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is famous for its natural beauty. Safe travels. Aiva 🙂

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    • Thanks, Aiva. It is incredibly amazing and humbling to have two places that are so beautiful. We camp almost every summer in the U.P. of Michigan – or along Lake Michigan in the upper part of the lower peninsula.

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  5. How interesting to straddle two such different homes! Do you mind me asking if you let out your other home, or if not, do you feel comfortable leaving it standing empty for so long?

    The produce in your Florida market looks so vibrant and colourful. I would be tempted to stay just a little longer until Michigan warms up a tad …

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    • We don’t let our either home because it would take extra work to make sure personal items were put away, etc. Our son lived with us in our northern home for three years so he was there over the winter months. We don’t let out our southern condo because people don’t normally want to visit southern Florida in summer because of the very hot, humid weather. We don’t feel anxiety leaving our homes because they are in relatively safe neighborhood and we have neighbors who keep an eye on them.

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  6. Gorgeous treats in this post, Pat – farmers’ markets are far from us here. And we are not vaccinated. So, safe travels back to something like Swedish weather and season today.

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  7. Well, I’d be one of those wondering why you’re going back to Michigan at this point Pat but I do understand your thinking. Your images are absolutely stunning this week, especially those from the farmers market

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    • Thanks, Tina. LOL – I, too, am wondering why but after spending hours over weeks discussing it we are just doing it. In the grand scheme of things I don’t think the decision to stay or leave will make a drastic difference in our life. And I am already looking forward to coming back in October. 🙂

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  9. How wonderful to spend winter in Florida and back to Michigan for the beautiful spring. I love these colorful, fresh veggies and spring blooms of Michigan are so very lovely.
    Have a safe trip back home, Pat.

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  11. If Michigan is anything like Southern Ontario, you might be surprised. We’ve had warmer temperatures in March and a lot of flowers that don’t show up for at least two more weeks are already flowering.

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