Another red custard apple for the road—to eat in a few days, as these become very soft when they ripen (the beautiful inside):

and I looked up at the branch above my car at these fruit-like objects of interest.

Driving quickly, lest tree roots grow over my wheels as they had overtaken fences,

white flowers on parts of the stretch made me pull over,

and then my friend Jess and her friend Maya arrived at the cottage with cupcakes. Influenced by icing, we took Jean Marc’s good advice and headed over to Cinco de MiMo, a celebration of that area of Miami.

Recognizing him by his twirling umbrella, we greeted Gene Kelly,

toasted with Tiki punch to local designers in the Upper Eastside Garden:

and to fun modified vintage,

and mainly, to mini golf within the garden:

Then, we wandered to nearby Divine Trash and found same,

secured a vintage getaway vehicle,

to fill with new treasures,

and Jess kept the flower from the garden tucked behind her ear,

as she contemplated a new furniture project,

and baked goods.

Across the street, we took in Vagabond Market

forgoing Indian cuisine inside

to walk past pink flowers,

pass Elvis on stilts,

and sit outside at the Buena Vista Bistro with identical orders of spinach, declaring our intentions to explore other new areas of south Florida as the thermometer goes ever higher…

Related posts:

1. a path strewn with yellow flowers
2. victorious community gardens
3. in the pink of perfection

Continuing on to the Coral Gables farmers’ market, I watched the fried green tomatoes demonstration:

after passing an abundance of peppers (look for some in a new kthread cooks episode very soon),

and celosia,

a flower with as many directions as I’ll be heading in March,

chioggia beets my favorite vendor convinced me I needed,

and tender rainbow chard that Rainbow Brite might have gathered as Starlite leapt skyward,

scooping up one of these onions on her way,

to accompany a top o’ the carrot pesto (Process 1 clove garlic, then feathery tops of 1 bunch of carrots, 1/3 cup pine nuts, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, add 3 tbsp olive oil while processing. Season),

to stir into sautéed onion, chopped rainbow chard, and diced carrots stirred in turn into pasta (I used strozzapreti) for a brunch with Solana, Georgia, and Ivan in the Magic Cottage kitchen.

These three, along with my friend David, work in leadership positions on the remarkable Global Voices, a “collaborative newsroom for the developing world,” and the cottage buzzed with their infectious energy.

And so March begins, in like a lioness wearing her green proudly—and in this year’s economy, nothing green will go to waste and every opportunity to cook with bright spirits visiting Miami embraced…

Related posts:

1. pppsst: spsp (summer pesto squash pasta)
2. kthread cooks: tomato pesto
3. kthread cooks: pepita pesto and roasted squash

She smiled as we heard the sounds of things uncivilized approaching…

and an ATV trio rumbled past in their mudded glory.

We stopped for local fruit on the side of the road (more on that when it ripens),

and continued on to Bee Heaven Farm in Homestead where Jenne gracefully shook the avocados.

We tested the farm’s raw honey (wildflower was my favorite), I procured fresh bee pollen that will keep well in the freezer, and on we drove to the Homestead flea market produce area.

Two girls were taking pony rides together, and shortly, saddled with bags of local vegetables, we two drove back to the magic cottage to toast our adventure into the Miami afternoon…

Related posts:

1. colour my world, chicago
2. when I’m 88
3. all roads lead to brooklyn