Farmers' Markets and Craft Fairs

It's been five days and we aren't missing the snow at all! Our hearts go out to all of you who are experiencing the brutality of winter in the north. Would you believe that it's been unseasonably HOT here, at least is was on the weekend? Today the temps are much more seasonable - in the 60s.

On Saturday we went to the Farmers' Market at Brownwood Paddock Square, the newest "village square" in The Villages. 

The Christmas tree at Brownwood. This square just opened
a few months ago. Most of the homes in the surrounding area
are less than three years old. And the residents tend to be on
the younger side of 55+.

Beautiful tomatoes at the market. These might need a little more time
 to ripen, but at least we're  not eating cardboard!

I also picked up some navel oranges - the last of the season. I'm looking forward to other varieties maturing in the coming weeks. Three years ago when we were in Seminole FL we had an orange tree in our back yard and we could pick oranges from it to our hearts' content. No such luck this year, but there are two farmers' markets each week at The Villages so we won't have a shortage of fresh fruit. Strawberries are big in February - can't wait!

Sunday we were at Spanish Springs, the village square closest to where we are and an easy golf cart ride away, for its annual Arts & Crafts Festival. As I mentioned in a Facebook post, it wasn't quite like Art Fair on the Square in Madison - probably not juried - and there were booths for Direct TV and magnetic healing bracelets and plants mixed among the artists and crafters. 

It's so nice to see color and not just gray skies and white snow
even if this isn't the typical fare at an Arts & Crafts fair.

Our place is across a major highway from Spanish Springs. So how do we get there in a golf cart? Well, by using the golf cart bridge, of course. And do those carts buzz along, especially on the downhill and the hairpin turn at the end. I don't think I'll be driving that path. I'm too fearful of tipping over!

When we first encountered the golf cart bridge as we came into
The Villages last week, we were reminded of the "welcome"
that drivers see who are approaching Disney World.

Speaking of golf carts - I really should be calling them golf "cars." Some of the Villagers have tricked theirs out to look like classic cars. We've seen a few humming around the streets.

Golf cart parking protocol dictates that two carts should park side by side
in a space that an automobile would normally use. 

This sign from one of the crafters at the Art Fair does a nice job of saying why we are in Florida at this time.