Blog Posts

Farmers Market Tips

Have you ever shopped at a farmers market before? Today the Canyon Park Blog is sharing a few tips for shopping at a farmers market. Whether you’ve never been to a farmers market before or you are a regular, reading our tips can help ensure you get the most out of your trip. Visit our local Puyallup, WA on Saturdays to find delicious seasonal produce! Look first. Before you purchase anything, take a wander through the market to see what’s there. Even though you may have found lavender honey at the first stall, the one around the corner may have the same thing for a lower price. Make a mental note of the places you want to return to. Be prepared. Your preparations may vary, but at the very least take a cooler to store your produce while in transit, especially if you have additional errands to run before you head back to your apartment. Bring your own bags and containers, as you won’t be able to count on every vendor having them. Ask questions & try something new. One of the perks of going to a farmer’s market is the opportunity to try something new. Vendors often have samples available, and if they don’t, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Ask the vendor about their products — most vendors love to talk about their growing practices, what pesticides were used (if any), and how to cook the produce. Choose the best time. Whether you get there early to get the freshest produce with the most choices or at the end of the day when you can find great bargains is completely up to you. However, simply being aware of what typically happens when can be a factor in planning your trip. Plan enough time to be able to explore the whole market. Take advantage of buying in bulk. A pint of strawberries versus a flat of strawberries won’t break the bank, but chances are you can quickly freeze the berries for later use in smoothies or to make freezer jam at a fraction of what it would cost you to buy it from the grocery store. You may even get a price break for buying in bulk, too. What are your best tips for shopping at a farmers market? Share them with the rest of our apartment community in the comments!

Great Books to Read

Welcome back to the Canyon Park Apartments Blog! This week we are helping residents of our apartment community celebrate National Book Lover’s Day on August 9th. This fun holiday is a great excuse to head to the Puyallup Public Library and check out one of these fantastic books. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Told from the perspective of Death, this beautifully written historical fiction novel is set in Nazi Germany in 1939. The story follows a young girl named Liesel through her childhood during World War II as she finds refuge in the pages of books. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman This historical fiction novel is set in Australia in the 1920’s and tells the tale of a lighthouse keeper and his wife. With no shortage of tragedy and heartache, this captivating and beautifully written story will keep you turning pages. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns Set in the small town of Sassy Tree, Georgia, this humorous novel tells of scandal, gossip, and everything else you would expect from a small town. Told from the perspective of a 14 year old named Will Tweedy, this fiction novel is funny, witty, and timeless. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy Set in the fictional county of Wessex, this intriguing and one-of-a-kind love story follows Bathsheba Everdene, a bold and independent young woman, through her experience with three very different suitors. The novel is an emotional journey of love, heartache, betrayal, and passion. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou This non-fiction novel is an autobiographical account of Maya Angelou’s life in a beautifully honest and raw depiction. Amid the hardships and trials of her life, she finds strength in literature and writing. This poetic and powerful novel has the power to touch hearts and change minds. What are your favorite books? Share your recommendations with us in the comments. Happy National Book Lover’s Day!

Get Your Game On: Outdoors!

The warm summer weather and clear skies here in Puyallup, WA make getting out of the apartment a great way to spend your free time. Gather your friends together on a nice day this month and play one of these outdoor games at a nearby park or on the lawns at Canyon Park for a fun time. Croquet Croquet can be played by two or four players. The object of the game is to hit your ball through a course of six hoops in the correct sequence and then back, finishing by hitting them against the center peg. Whoever completes the course first wins. It is easily portable, which makes it perfect for taking along to a picnic in the park. Bocce ball Bocce ball is a great outdoor game that can create hours of fun for you, your family, and your friends. You can buy a bocce ball set online or at a local outdoor sports store. To play this game, you use a Pallino or Jack ball, and a set of bocce balls. Each player (or team) will get 4 bocce balls (depending on the set you purchase). The starting player will throw the Jack ball and the objective is to throw your set of bocce balls closest to the Jack. Frisbee Ultimate frisbee is great for anyone looking to work off any extra calories they may have consumed at your picnic or barbecue. Find a frisbee and divide into two teams to play this twist on soccer. You can also play noncompetitively with the disc by tossing it around with a group of friends or having your dog run after it. Pool noodle games Pool noodles can be used to play lots of outdoor games — and not just in the pool. One game is called Target Station. In this game, you’ll turn the noodles into circles by taping the ends together. Make 6 of these circles then lay them next to each other to make two rows — three on top and three on the bottom. You’ll then tape the circles together. Follow the tutorial above to continue making this fun and simple noodle game. Of course, our play area is always available as well — just one of the many amenities we provide for members of our apartment community here in Puyallup, WA. Thanks for taking the time to read our post today.

Celebrating National Blueberry Month Made Simple

Celebrate blueberries in July. This month we’re bringing members of our apartment community at Canyon Park some unique blueberry recipes we think you will enjoy! (If you want more blueberry goodness, check out the recipe section of The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s website ). Plus, we’ve got the 411 on blueberry facts? Blueberry Recipes whether you like them fresh, frozen, dried, freeze-dried or canned, blueberries jump to the front of the line when it comes to convenience, versatility, and nutrition. Blueberry Feta Salad from Lemon Tree Dwelling Lemon and blueberry go together like peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly, Abbott and Costello. Yes, this recipe contains blueberries, but it’s the Lemon Poppyseed Dressing that really makes this salad shine. Blueberry Mango Nachos Blueberry Mango Nachos are the dessert dish we didn’t know we needed. They’re light, flavorful, and perfect for snacking on while you’re watching your favorite Summer Olympics event. Blueberry Grilled Cheese This recipe makes grilled cheese a little sweeter than we’re used to. The apple slices and blueberries offset the heavy flavor of the cheese for a simple summer dinner. Blueberry Pound Cake from The Spruce Eats Butter, berries, eggs, sugar, and a few other ingredients combine to make a delicious blueberry-rich cake that is perfect for breakfast time, snack time, or as a dessert. It’s easy to make to boot! Blueberry Crumble Bars from Just So Tasty We’re sure that you’ll love these blueberry crumble bars. The blueberry layer can be made with fresh blueberries, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and granulated sugar. Head to your local farmer’s market for a fresh pint of blueberries this month. The Fact of the Matter: Blueberry Facts Check out these blueberry facts that will bring you up to speed on everything you need to know about these little blue dynamos. Find out where blueberries grow and how they traveled from farm to table 100 years ago. Gather tips for buying, handling , and freezing blueberries , and don’t miss the Healthy Living section, where you will learn about nutritional blueberry facts, including the calories, fiber and carbs in blueberries. We hope you enjoy Blueberry Month here in Puyallup, Washington, where berries are a part of life!

Water, Water, Everywhere — Are You Drinking Enough?

Welcome back to the Canyon Park Blog! We hope you’re having an excellent summer filled with fun, friends, and family. As we all know, it can get rather warm here in Puyallup, and it’s important to stay hydrated. Today we are sharing some tips for getting sufficient water in your system to avoid dehydration. Easy Ways to Drink Enough Water Daily Infuse Your Water Infuse your drinking water with fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs. The process of infusing is easy to do. This water infusion FAQ outlines the process to add a natural flavor boost to your water. Fresh fruit such as grapefruit, lemons, strawberries, and raspberries work well, for a refreshing result. Some herbs to use include mint, basil, and lavender. Thinly sliced veggies add a nice touch too, cucumber is a favorite, but ginger and celery are refreshing as well. Combinations yield wonderful results too — for example, cucumber mint is delightful. Experiment to find your favorite flavor combination. Combining Drinking Water with Daily Activities There are certain things we do every day. Harness the routine by adding a drink of water to the mix. You visit the bathroom multiple times a day — make it a habit to drink a glass of water every time you go. When you’re cooking a meal is another great time to drink a glass of water. Brushing your teeth? After you rinse out your mouth, drink a glass of water. Adding water this way will go a long way in ensuring you are getting your quota of adequate water each day. Use Technology to Help You Down Water Technology is a part of who we are, and you can use it to harness your water drinking habits. Use an app to track how many cups of water you are getting each day; a couple we like are Daily Water Free or Daily Water . A high tech water bottle may work for you. DrinKup is intuitive and keeps you on track for drinking enough water with reminders to sip, plus logging your water intake. It also keeps beverages cold for 24 hours or hot for 12 hours. We hope these tips will help you get enough water into your system this summer. For more tips, check out this article from Self: 22 Easy Way to Drink More Water Every Day . We’re glad you are a part of our Washington apartment community! Thanks for taking the time to read our post today.

Celebrating Independence Day

The 4th of July is coming up this week, and the Canyon Park Blog is sharing some ideas to help you celebrate in style including patriotic recipes, outdoor activities, and indoor entertainment suggestions. However, and wherever in Washington, you celebrate, let freedom ring! Festive Food Fourth of July Firecracker Hot Dogs This recipe is simple enough: all you need is a few skewers, hot dogs, a star cookie cutter, cheese, and breadstick dough. It’s a fun, easy way to get people excited about your meal and get them ready for the fireworks to come later in the day here in Puyallup! Fourth of July Berry Dessert Pizza Desserts are great opportunities for you to go all out this season and to spiff them up for the holiday. This berry pizza, made of a soft sugar cookie crust and sweet cream cheese icing and topped with strawberries, is a tasty, light end to a hearty meal. Decorate your pizza the way the blogger of the recipe does and make a star shape in the middle, or even try to make the American flag out of your berries! Have fun with it and you’ll be proud to serve and eat it! Entertainment Head on out to community events in Puyallup! Of course, you don’t have to attend a community event to have fun outside on the Fourth of July. Reader’s Digest has plenty of great ideas for outdoor 4th of July party games anyone can love. Capture the American flag, pin the hat on Uncle Sam, or have a patriotic scavenger hunt to help the ones you’re with celebrate in style. If staying in your apartment is more your style, we suggest some of these activities: Put together a puzzle, watch a patriotic or summer-themed movie, or host an Independence Day barbecue or dinner. Happy Independence Day to everyone in our Canyon Park apartment community!