I Bid You Goodnight

And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight…
(I Bid You Goodnight-Grateful Dead)

For all the Dead Heads, from way back in time, when The Grateful Dead used this song to close so many of their shows. Sung, in beautiful sweet clarity, no instruments, everyone departing the shows in one big love fest…good times!

And so, tonight is Tuesday…once again we find that we also will need to bid you goodnight, one more time, for the week. Let’s have an order love fest. You have until 10pm…make it count, think about your needs, think about making you life all about the ease and the love of local. Think about us greeting you with your weekly order, already packed, and all with a smile, a laugh, and a fun chat..

Let’s have it…show us some love…we are close to bidding you a farewell, for this week…

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Sun Is Shining

Sun is shining…
The weather is sweet…
Make you want to move your dancing feet…
(Sun Is Shining-Bob Marley)

So, have you all been basking in this amazing weather, the last few days? The sun, the warm temperatures, the spring like feeling…I know your market manager has been loving it!!

It would be a really super week to think about ordering from the little local market of love!! Why? Because it won’t be biting cold, high winds, or snow!! You can ease out, enjoy your favorite market, getting your favorite local products, while visiting with your favorite market volunteers!!

AND…do you need ONE more reason why you will want to put orders in? Because, this week is the return of our local Swisher Hill Herbs with their Super Bowl tasting at order pick up!! You won’t want to miss their tasting!

Joe and Charlene will be offering samples, recipes, and product for sale at the tasting table! They are the winning team bringing you the fun for your Super Bowl gatherings!!

The sun is shining, there are Super Bowl parties to plan, there is weekly shopping to be done. All from our little local market of love!

Make us your winning local team, throw us some love and some orders!!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Every Picture Tells A Story, Don't It?

Every picture tells a story, don’t it?…
Every picture tells a story, don’t it?…
Every picture tells a story, don’t it?…
(Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tells A Story)

Today is Sunday, and like on most Sundays, your market manager spends the morning downing massive amounts of coffee, reading emails, organizing social media, getting caught up on paperwork, and planning for the week. I am also getting ready to open up a new shop, so I am busy with the planning, décor, concept. If I take care of all this on Sunday, I cannot tell you how calm it makes me when I wake up early, on Monday.

And, you all know me so well, by now, that you know I cannot do any task without a blaring soundtrack! This morning is old school Rod Stewart. I mean, who wasn’t rockin’ out to this whole album at some point in the ’70s?

Anyway, the title of this song just made me think of this little market of love. Yes, the title, not so much the whole premise of the song.

This market always seems to be telling a story, telling IT’S story, painting a picture of where we are going, how far we have come, how we hope to see the future.

Everything about this market tells a story… the vendors, the products, the YMCA as our host, you, the customers!!! We are all colorful pieces of the picture…the vibrant picture that tells a weekly story of this very successful local market!

Our story is rich, it’s exciting, and we are going full steam ahead…the picture is clear, we are a bona fide hit!

It’s Sunday, it’s gloomy…why not put a soundtrack of your own on to play, grab a cup of coffee or tea (hey, we offer both!), and get your orders in…

Be part of the local picture…keep our story groovy…

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

SHH Tasting Invitation!

Swisher Hill Herbs-Football, Food, Tasting, Love

Some words and an invitation from Charlene and Joe…they bring you love from Swisher Hill Herbs in the form of a tasting…

January is filled with football bowl games and NFL playoffs every weekend ending with the Granddaddy of them all, the Super Bowl on Feb 1. Whether you are having a party, going to a party or just relaxing at home to enjoy the games the Virtual Market can help you with your menu. Swisher Hill Herbs would like to help get this party going…..
Swisher Hill Herbs is having a Tasting!!! Touchdown Thursday – January 22, 2015 In the YMCA lobby from 4:00-6:00pm Virtual Market Vendors and customers. Visit our sample table! Dips – cheese ball- Chili – Meatballs and more!
Pick up recipe ideas and suggestions for how you can make the Champaign Virtual Market your party shopping headquarters!

Since You Been Gone

Since you been gone, since you been gone…
I’m outta my head, can’t take it…
Could I be wrong? But since you been gone…
(Rainbow – Since You’ve Been Gone)

So, this song…you couldn’t have been kicking around in the late 70s without having blasted this song, singing at the top of your lungs, cruising around in super cool cars.

If you read my Weblogs, are friends with me on Social Media pages, are fans of my business page, you know I have bonds that run super deep to my growing up in the West End of my hometown, you know my bonds are still super close to my West End pals, and you know that we ran wild back in those days.

I remember parents leaving on vacation, leaving teens with food, beverages, money, and a car…while they were out of town. Okay, it was the 70s, we lived in a sheltered neighborhood, and, well, who cared…we were teens! Home alone! I’m sorry that we weren’t sorry for our parents leaving all of us…it was the best of times.

One of my best memories was of parents leaving, my best pals all assembling the obligatory house party, my guy pals hauling enormous speakers out on the roof of the house, tunes blaring, cars lining up, party in session. This song…this reminds me of one such afternoon.

Back then, we had no idea we were making these memories…we just liked to have fun. I have been reflecting, a lot, back to those years. The places, the times, the people…some of the best in my life. The West End will always have so much of my heart, my pals, so much of my soul. I believe in true friendships, I believe in history of friends, I believe that where you came from makes you the person you become in adulthood.

This is one of the reasons that I love our little local market of love. I feel strongly in the bonds, the customers, the products, and did I say…the customers??

Our customers…the weekly loyals, the monthly loyals, the every couple of months, the once a year customers…all of you…we love you, we want you ALL part of this market, and if we don’t see you for a while, we wonder about you, we care about you, we love you, and we start to get blue….

Because, Since You Been Gone…we just can’t take it!

The market is now open the week!! Make us happy…all of you…throw us an order…let us know you still think about us…we look forward to seeing all of you, next week, at order pick up!

And…why not…you won’t want to miss The Swisher Hill Herb Tasting, on that night!!

C’mon…since you’ve been gone…we’ve missed you!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Show Us The Love!

Just a reminder that you have one hour to get your orders in!

Don’t miss out!!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Greens!

Just an announcement that Strive Growes has added greens and lettuces!

Don’t wait…they will be gone, quickly!

Get your greens while we have them!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Taking Care Of Business

And we be takin’ care of business every day…
Takin’ care of business every way…
We’ve been takin’ care of business, it’s all mine…
Takin’ care of business and working overtime…
(Bachman – Turner Overdrive – Takin Care Of Business)

Well….A big, huge, standing ovation to your Buckeyes!! They went, they took care of business, they left with the victory!! The kind of heart warming, adrenaline pumping story of victory that makes it all so sweet. No matter who your team is, what school you usually cheer for, during the season, there was no denying that last night was simply amazing!

I am always about the under dogs, the ones who just kept the focus and let it lead them to success or victory.

This little market of love was the underdog. The little one that had the naysayers, the doubters, the, dare I even say it? The haters? Every solid team goes through this. The difference is how you show up, how you keep your vision, your focus, how you play it all out, how you take care of business.

I hope that everyone is basking in the victory, recovering from fun, proud to be a part of this state, of this community.

Today is Tuesday…the market will close, tonight, at 10pm. How about taking care of some business, right here? Show some love, right here? If you order, now, you will be ready for an early night to relax after last night’s crazy fun.

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Let The Games Begin!

Whatever your plans are for watching the big game, tonight, don’t forget to organize your week before you go on to cheer for your team!!

Take just a bit of time to place your orders, then go and enjoy the fun, and wake up, tomorrow, happy that your team won AND you have your weekly shopping done!!

January…it’s the football month! Start planning for any and all festivities!!

And, tonight? Go, Team, Go!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Swisher Hill Herbs-Football, Food, Tasting, Love

Some words and an invitation from Charlene and Joe…they bring you love from Swisher Hill Herbs in the form of a tasting…

January is filled with football bowl games and NFL playoffs every weekend ending with the Granddaddy of them all, the Super Bowl on Feb 1. Whether you are having a party, going to a party or just relaxing at home to enjoy the games the Virtual Market can help you with your menu. Swisher Hill Herbs would like to help get this party going…..
Swisher Hill Herbs is having a Tasting!!! Touchdown Thursday – January 22, 2015 In the YMCA lobby from 4:00-6:00pm Virtual Market Vendors and customers. Visit our sample table! Dips – cheese ball- Chili – Meatballs and more!
Pick up recipe ideas and suggestions for how you can make the Champaign Virtual Market your party shopping headquarters!