Ode to local broccoli

I'm not finding a lot of time in my schedule for blogging these days. It would be rather silly to sit inside and write about gardening with a beautiful garden calling to me right outside the door.. especially since the Calgary growing season is about eight weeks long, and getting shorter with every passing year of global weirding. I have to say, despite my love/hate relationship with this city of my birth, summer in Calgary is a dream. It really feels like a different world. One day, it's minus two and snowing, and the next day, it's plus 25 and there are thousands of people on the river pathway, drinking Trad on the patio at the Ship, and walking up and down 17th Ave. in a quarter of the clothes they were wearing the day before. It's hilarious.

A few recent highlights:

Let me start with the most important. Yesterday at the market I came across some LOCAL BROCCOLI, courtesy of the heroes at Hotchkiss Herbs and Produce. This is totally unheard of round these parts. I don't know anyone who has managed to grow it themselves. I don't think I have ever in my life had broccoli from anywhere other than California. It is weird to wax poetic over a bunch of broccoli? Because it really did taste better. It had a quality I had never experienced.. it was more flower-like somehow.. and the stem had a buttery quality that was rather spectacular. Ok, I'll try to get a grip now. But seriously, local broccoli, get it while it's in season.

Also exciting.. Albertaviews, the local magazine where my very talented partner works, was nominated for and won 'Magazine of the Year' at the National Magazine Awards. Not too shabby.