Monday, June 7, 2021

A Day at the Fair

I set the alarm for way too early Saturday morning. I was not so rusty or out of practice as I thought. I rose on pure adrenaline at 5:30, finished my household necessaries (you're welcome, Cat), and ate my breakfast by 6:30. With nothing more to do, I left for the farm.

Farm hands unloaded me and set up my two tables. With nothing more to do, I sent them off, and waited for my daughter to arrive with the table coverings. At length she arrived and we commenced the old drill.


Though, as Beth pointed out, unlike the old days there was no tent to erect and nail to the ground, no wire grids to assemble, then hang "the goods", no zipping up at night and off to a restaurant, to begin all over the next day, sans set up. But wait, then after the close of the show, there was tear down and loading the remainder back into the van.

Beth had the front table, with old glassware and linens. I took the side table, stacked with towels. Many sales were made via the little square, and eventually Beth realized that putting the unit flat on the table and sliding the card was the charm. Apparently neither of us have hands steady enough to satisfy the unit while swiping.

The most evident phenomena of the day was the pure joy of the people who came. To be out, on a beautiful day, and in a fair venue was such a treat for body and mind. To have a conversation with the artisans was a pleasure. Happiness was in the air; it was palpable.

A dragonfly came past my face and landed on the window. I took its picture and told it to try the open back door, a few feet past. Hours later I looked again, and felt it was willing the glass to give way. Beth enticed it to a piece of paper, and the instant she cleared the end of my table and had it facing the door, it was off.


When I came in last night I saw all the plants had survived a fairly hot day with no additional water, save the Gerbera daisy. I mixed up several gallons of water and fertilizer and went out to give them my sincere apology. At the bottom of the steps:


and a big pot of zinnias to the right. There is also a pot of mixed wildflowers, names to be disclosed on blooming:


At the top of the steps I have the little pot of salpiglosis, started from the seeds I harvested.



And finally, all the Mandevilla:




And that's it. Home from the fair. Next are June 26th and then July 3rd. 

36 comments:

  1. That sounds like great day...I fear the crd reading machine would have defeated me...

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  2. It sounds like a wonderful day (which fills me with long distance joy) and your garden is blooming marvellous.

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  3. Sounds like a terrific joyful day.

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  4. I'm glad you had such a fun and successful day at the craft fair! And your plants are gorgeous!

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  5. Everything looks great. I'm glad you had a good time.

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  6. Glad it went well! Sounds like you really enjoyed yourself!

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  7. I so enjoyed reading this Joanne! I can just imagine the joy of everyone, finally able to get back to a bit of happy normal.

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  8. You sound to have had such an enjoyable day - first the fair and good sales and thne home to a welcome from your lovely plants.

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  9. Hari OM
    So glad you had a good (and hopefully profitable) day!!! and that you are energised from it all. YAM xx

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  10. What a lovely day! I hope it was profitable, but it sounds like it was lots of fun anyway.

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  11. I came here especially to see how your day at the craft fair went. Glad you enjoyed yourself.

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  12. Great adventure! No markets like yours, but the promise is somewhere, sometime.

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  13. Sounds like you had a very good day and I am so glad. I can't believe you had the energy to mix up water and fertilizer after the day was over. I think I would have thrown a kiss at the Gerberas and said, "See you tomorrow, babies!"

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    1. I was dead on my feet, but so were they. By morning it may have been too late.

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  14. That sounds like an altogether wonderful day! Good for the soul.

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  15. Your garden is doing very well. Did you sell well at the fair?
    Isn't it good to be able to get out after all the restrictions!

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  16. Such a wonderful feeling at the end of a successful day! And I dare say you and Beth were both quite successful -- in having fun if nothing else! In the near distant future your front porch is going to be alive in blooms and it's going to be gorgeous!!

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  17. A good day! Always good to wake before the alarm and not be jolted into wakefulness

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  18. Your sale was obviously a grand success from a socialization standpoint, and I hope it was profitable too. You are no doubt happy to have a couple more coming up soon.

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  19. I can sense the joy of the people to be out and about again from your description. How wonderful!

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  20. I'm glad it was a successful day. not just in sales but in the enjoyment of the day. and happy to see all your mini gardens growing.

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  21. I'm glad the day was such a success. Wonderful. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  22. I'll bet it was nice to interact with so many real people.

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  23. I'm glad your day at the fair was a success as well as enjoyable! And your flowers look wonderful.

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  24. I love all of your photos, Joanne, and I am so glad to hear that the fair went well for you and others. I wish you continued awesomeness at your upcoming shows.

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  25. I think you had a satisfying day. Good for you.

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  26. Well done Joanne, glad your day was successful and full of bonhomie and a lucky dragonfly. Daughter just bought Grandgirl a Gerbera. They are beautiful.

    XO
    WWW

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  27. A great day for you. Hope you sold lots of items.

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  28. after 2020 the craft fairs are going to mean so much more

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  29. It is wonderful to hear of craft fairs again after the lockdown. I am glad you had a good sales day and also saved that dragonfly! What a beauty he/she was!

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  30. I've done that set-up, sell, sell, sell then, take down and pack away for several years. It was an interesting time. I miss it now. Your plantings all look very nice.

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  31. I'm so glad you had such a happy day, Joanne. And I'm also glad the dragonfly could fly free again.

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