A clear spring morning and tulips at the Dane County Farmer's Market

A day at the Dane County Farmer's Market.

New Snow

The capital under floodlight as snow falls on cap square.

Grace Episcopal church spire

Early morning sun on the Jackman Building, downtown Madison

Most of the buskers at the Dane County Farmer's Market play guitars. A few of them bring violins (or fiddles, depending on how they're played) and every so often a flautist shows up.

I think this is the first time I've seen a guy playing a vibraphone for tips, though.

We threw a couple bucks in his case (yes, he brought it in a case) partly because he was good and we enjoyed listening, and partly because it takes a lot of moxie to get up early and lug your vibraphone all the way to cap square.

[Later: It's been pointed out to me that this is a marimba, which prompted me to look up the difference. According to Wikipedia - and what could be more definitive than Wikipedia? - a vibraphone has aluminum bars and a pedal. A marimba has rosewood bars, and the far row of keys are above and overlap the near row. Now I know.]

A tree full of flowers brightens the darkened face of the condos on Wisconsin Ave.

A Man With An Opinion

I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I can tell he really means it.

Boo Bradley were on the Carroll Street side of cap square, playing for the crowds at today's farmer's market.

Usually it's just the guitar player and the guy on washboard, but today a third fellah joined in with a washtub bass fiddle.

Lunch on the Capital Lawn

Another gorgeous spring day under the oaks ...

Lunch hour on cap square

I bought a pint of orange juice at the corner store, sat down on the lawn and ate my hamburger.

The groundskeepers of the capital lawn dug up the tulips and gave away the bulb to passers-by this week. The square was littered with tulip blossoms.

Flowers! Zillions of 'em!

I spy with my little eye ...

some new masks and other ephemera in the front window of Taylor's.

Ducks on cap square.

The Ants Go Marching One By One, Huzzah! Huzzah!

A little added interest along a conveniently blank building foundation on S Pinckney St. just off capital square.

The balloon's a nice touch of whimsy, I think.

A single light bulb burning in J. Taylor's antique shop on capital square this morning lit this strange scene.

I've rarely seen J. Tayor's open for business. Every so often the proprietor posts a sign in the door saying he'll soon have regular shop hours, but I've been inside just three times in the three years I've lived here, and I walk past it a lot. Nearly every day, in fact. Sometimes I wonder if he rents the space just to have a place to keep all the great attic treasures he collects, not that I would blame him. I'd do the same thing if I had that kind of extra money.

Ice-glazed trees around Grace Episcopal Church

Evening Snowfall on Cap Square

Capital Dome In The Falling Snow