Old Town Clovis Farmer's Market

 

Summers in central California are not known for great weather and fun.  No, summers here are miserable. The weather is hot and sticky, and because there is so much agriculture in this area, it feels like there is always dirt in the air.  And the dirt sticks to you.  So you hide inside the house.  But your landlord refuses to let you turn on the air conditioner because... bills... so you take three cold showers a day and worship the ceiling fan.  

One great thing about summers in Clovis, however, is the booming Farmer's Markets.  It is so easy to eat local here, and everything is fresh.  Personally, I left the house this morning on a mission to refill the flower vase that sits by my window.  There were some very pretty bouquets to choose from.    

 

I also could not resist the multi-colored carrots, which are my new favorite vegetables to roast.  I looked for Brussels Sprouts to go with them, but sadly, no farmer had any.  I settled for summer squash.

 

The peaches and nectarines were so juicy and delicious.  I couldn't get any, but my date did, and he said that they were the best he has ever had! 

 

My favorite table belonged to a woman who grows organic herbs.  She was such a pleasure to talk to, and I fell hard for her dried lavender.  It came in a cute little pouch, so it was a bit more expensive then your usual dried herbs, but I didn't mind.  She promised me she would bring me some fresh lavender next week so I can try out this honey-lavender muffin recipe from the TIU plan!

It was a great morning, and we snuck out of there before it got too hot.  The Clovis, Saturday morning Farmer's Market isn't a large gathering.  There were only about 8 booths total, but each farmer grew the produce they were selling.  I recently found out that some booths at other farm markets will buy a large corporate crop's throw-outs to sell for a cheaper price.  This isn't a terrible thing, however I like to support the small farmer instead of the middle men.   

I am very much looking forward to next week's events! Except next week I get to bring Maddex! If you are in the area, I highly recommend you check it out!

xoxo, Cristen.

Why Can't I Let It Go?

In my late teens/early 20's I had a goal, or dream rather, to write a book.  I loved to write, and still
do.  My plan was to work a regular 9-5 job that required very little commitment so I could spend my energy on writing (and being a mom).  Well after a few years, the job that required little commitment made me bitter (being entry level apparently makes it okay for a manager to treat you like crap), and I was so depressed that my writing didn't really go anywhere.

So I changed career routes, and I found something I really love.  I have spent the last 5 years dedicated to train to be the best Dietitian I can be.  This summer is the first time in the past 5 years that I actually have a bit of a break.  In undergrad, you need to spend your summers working and volunteering to gain hours in order to get into a dietetic internship.  Well, I got into the internship, and although I am still working 3 nights a week delivering pizzas for spare cash, I have been instructed not to take on anything too strenuous to ensure adequate energy for said internship.

I have been resting for one week, and all I can think about is beginning to write again.  I can't figure out if it is because I am destined to write, or if I am just that stubborn.  I don't even know if I still have talent! The majority of my writing lately has been scientific (read: technical) reports.  I cannot think of a specific story I want to tell; it is not that a character is burning to come to life or anything.  I just can’t shake the need.

It would be lovely to be published, but I am not trying to get famous.  I just really want to write a book.  I want to develop a story, write characters I love, and have a project that is just mine. 
At this point in life should I bother trying?  

I Graduated College

 

With a lot of sleepless nights, blood, sweat, and tears, I survived senior year dietetics.  Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is no joke.  It is a lot of hard work.  As part of the medical team, an RDN needs to know a lot of physiology and pathophysiology, and we cram it all into one year.  Don’t get me wrong- I LOVE the material.  Nothing was more exciting than sitting through an MNT lecture.  It was demanding though, and to survive, I stopped exercising and (ironically) didn’t put anything in my mouth except coffee and Doritos.  So... 30 pounds later, I am a college graduate with an entire summer to get back into shape before my Dietetic Internship starts!!

I was matched to a local dietetic internship (thank you powers-that-be) on my first time applying.  This is rare, and extremely awesome.  To make it even better, my best friend in college (Haley Rage!) was matched to the same one, so we are in it together!  It will be another year with a demanding schedule.  I will be shadowing Dietitians on 18 different rounds, taking classes towards my Master’s degree, and I will also need to complete a certain amount of volunteer hours in the community.  After I complete the internship, I will be eligible to sit for the RD exam, and finally become an RDN!

Before then, however, I am dedicating the summer to fitness, healthy eating, BLOGGING again, and reading books.  Perhaps there will be travel and Netflix as well.  I am excited to blog again about it all, including recipes and nutrition information.  If you have a nutrition question, be sure to comment or send me an email, and I will do a whole post about it!

Take care until then :)