Settling into Memphis

The past few days have been a whirlwind.  I landed on Monday night and spent the day Tuesday searching for my luggage, and buying groceries and plants for my garden.  On Wednesday, I did laundry, planted my garden, caught up on 2 months of mail, and prepared to have a few friends over on Thursday.

Thursday was great!  A few friends came by to say hello and ask questions about my trip.  I stayed up late and went to the Blue Monkey afterward.  It was a lot of fun.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were Music Fest.  For those who may not know, we have a festival here that goes on all month called Memphis in May.  It kicks off with Music Fest.

As expected, it rained, but surprisingly it was incredibly cold.  At times, it was less than 40 degrees F. The rain and the freezing temperatures, paired up with the river flood warning, made this Music Fest one of the strangest and most memorable.

Music Fest takes place on the banks of the Mississippi River, very near where I live.  This year, I could tell that the festival had improved their sound system.  I could hear every word the performers were saying from the stage (nearest to me - there were 3 or so stages).  This was my main motivation to get out and stand in water and mud for hours.

Luckily, I was able to find shelter in the Memphis Flyer tent.  It's a comfortable and private spot that's set up for downtown locals.  They serve free drinks and food, and have private "bathrooms."

Saturday was also the Memphis Farmers Market.  I went down to refill my supply of locally raised organic meats, homemade popsicles, and fresh fruits and vegetables. It was incredibly nice to be back to my local produce.

So far, I'm made homemade strawberry ice cream, chicken tacos, guacamole, BLTs, among other things.  It's been great, and I think I missed bacon.  I have eaten almost a pound of it since I got home.

Now that I'm back, I will do my best to keep posting - and keep having adventures.  Stay tuned for more excitement!