Three girls — one in a red wagon, surrounded by colorful cookie boxes — wove through couples and parents and grandparents and kids. “Girl scout cookies, $3.50!” one yelled out. Booths of herbs or vegetables or ceramics lined all for sides of Fayetteville’s downtown square.

Dogs only as tall as their owners’ ankles sniffed at Great Danes and one Irish wolfhound, towering and stately. The breeze was cool under the crisp light of a warm morning sun. The smell of cinnamon rolls and muffins drifted enticingly through the crowd, mixing with the fragrance of a white canopy of tree blossoms.

Today was the first day of the season for the Fayetteville Farmers Market. Between the displays there were a whole lot of people, a whole lot of dogs and a whole lot of smiles — not to be too cheesy, but it’s true. So I took some pictures.

I’ll say again, there were dozens of dogs, most representing their own breed or mix. They, along with the many climbing opportunities in the square, kept a legion of kids happy.

That large, bronze sphere is the World Peace Fountain, which has the phrase “May peace prevail on Earth” inscribed in about a hundred languages.

All of these things kept the parents busy, too. But it was a fun place, and the market goes until November. I hope to make it back.

Thanks for looking!

Dan