A Friday high-five

Five things that got our attention this week:

It’s strawberry season! How I look forward to those first fresh berries, the shakes, the cakes, the smoothies and of course, going strawberry picking! We tried a new farm this year, Sandy Flat Berry Farm, and had a great morning in the fields. Located northwest of Greer, they are also a vendor at the Travelers Rest Farmers Market. More info here.

With ģimenes diena/mother’s day coming up we placed some orders for flowers and discovered this company. With arrangements for a flat rate of $40 (including shipping to anywhere in the US) they are cut to order fresh from eco-friendly, sustainable farms in California and Ecuador. These farms provide living wages, childcare, healthcare and adult education to their workers, and the growing business supports the local farm communities. Follow this link for a buy one, get one free offer.

Unable to wait on the city to reach an agreement about regulating food trucks, euphoria and Table 301 have teamed up to bring Lunchtime Pile-Up to downtown Greenville. Every Wednesday there will be food trucks parked on the corner of Falls and Broad Streets, and on our visit Wednesday we had the choice of Ellada Kouzina, the Chuck Truck, Sweetly Twisted and gourmet shaved ice from the Nomadik Few. The boys opted for ice while we waited in line for Ellada Kouzina. Tell you what, the 30 minute wait in the sun wasn’t easy with the boys and we won’t be repeating the experience anytime soon, especially as the menu options had drastically decreased by the time we reached the front of the line. But the gyros sandwich was good; sorry to all the folks in line who shared the wait with a screaming baby.

My favorite children’s book that I’m not reading to the kids - Outlaw Pete. The story song is by Bruce Springsteen and is illustrated by Frank Caruso, and the tale follows hot on the heels of this criminal baby on his “trail of tears across the countryside.” To be fair it is not actually meant for children, but Springsteen’s rough edges are all there as are fantastic western illustrations fit for framing.

…and this discovery in the depths of the Baltic Sea… 170 year old bottles of champagne! The first and only time the words “animal notes,” “wet hair,” “reduction,” and  “cheesy" will be used to describe Clicquot?

Wishing everyone a happy weekend, mother’s day, ģimenes diena and Lauris’s fifth birthday! We’re celebrating with my sister and her husband, and my mother will be arriving soon after to help with my three little outlaws…