Five blocks from the apartment we’re renting, the Ballard Farmers Market offers fruit (in season blueberries!), vegetables, flowers, meat, and fresh fish. There’s also a craft market. Vendors came from Vashon Island, which is mostly undeveloped; Whidbey Island; and Seattle and its suburbs. I’ve never been to a farmers market where fresh fish was sold, but I didn’t buy any today; I’m holding out for Pike Place Market. And this Sunday, I was cruising for lunch after working out. I didn’t really want to carry around a bunch of groceries.

Todd and I had crepes from Anita’s after a really long wait in line. Then we sat down on a curb to eat them. The market was definitely packed but no worse than the markets in Missoula or Boulder. This one had a more intimate feel because two rows of booths went up a narrow street filled with people and strollers and dogs and musicians.

After lunch, Todd went home. Our timing was off all day, so I was always arriving at things later than he did. I walked around the market twice. I thought this booth was a good symbol of controlled mayhem. An entire family, grandma included, appeared to be working there, putting together $5 bouquets and throwing the rejects on the floor.

Remember the musicians I just mentioned? Well, there was a one-man-and-his-accordion band. Nick Moyer played some music from the Lord of the Rings, according to Todd, as well as the Godfather theme, Take 5, and “Champagne Supernova” by Oasis.I like the suitcase doubling as a drum, but I couldn’t figure out why he had the pocket thesaurus on top. Maybe so the handle wouldn’t rattle?

Living here is very exciting for me; I haven’t lived in a city like this for so long, not since the 1980s when I lived in DC. Though Ballard is definitely a lot whiter than most of DC. Downtown Seattle is more ethnically diverse.

More photos of Ballard Farmers Market are on Flickr.