Winter Wonderland

Well, it's snowing here. Not like it is in blizzard-land, just a nice steady "drizzle" if you will that's piled up here and there. Where they've plowed, the drifts are up past my knees (note to self: don't try to cross the parking lot via the drifts), but otherwise the wind has kept it pretty tame.

Decided to take a nice moonlight stroll down Main and catch up with my old buddy, the Pumpkin Patch. (No, that link doesn't go anywhere, but it'll remind me to keep checking until it does.)

On my way there, I realized there was a store I'd never actually heard of - Ames Cupcake Emporium, who serves - you guessed it - pizza. And cupcakes, obviously, but ... also pizza. Pizza and cupcakes. I wanted to save my money in case I found something I just HAD TO HAVE at the Pumpkin Patch (something under 10 dollars, that is, since I hate my wallet and just grabbed the first bill that wasn't a 1 to bring with me). Set out for the Patch, a whole three yards to the left.

Admired all the pretty pretty things; little tin wind-up things, and plastic dinosaurs, and a wee little room of books, and so very many puppets and stuffed toys with soft soft fur. Played with Rocket Frog, who is technically Frog in a Spaceship, who (anyone at the Ames Public Library will tell you) is the bestest Folkmanis puppet - which is saying something, since Folkmanis puppets are wonderful critters (with a price tag to prove it).

Following so far?

Had to train myself not to look up every time a customer addressed the woman behind the counter, whose name was Emily. Half listened to whatever it was Iowa Public Radio had to say about the Superman comic with Des Moines in it ... something about Supes being too whiny and punching things.

Finally bought a little spinny bit of peppermint left over from the holidays; I don't like peppermint, but I'll give it to someone who does.

It was half an hour till closing when I got there, so soon enough I was back out on the sidewalk and hungry for cupcakes.

Went back to the Emporium for something with green frosting (kiwi, it was kiwi - the fruit, I assume), looking a bit lonely on a big plate but fluffy and yummy and generally a cupcake.

I like Main Street. Five dollars isn't much to donate to the place, but every little bit counts, eh?