October 17, 2005

Im Out of My Mind, Please Leave a Message

Golden Afternoon Applegate Arts and Crafts Fair Bentonville Arkansas

I saw this title on a tee shirt a guy was wearing at the Applegate Craft show. It more than adiquately describes my state of mind. I am whacked, pure and simple. I am ashamed to admit it. I am out of shape as far as good ole shopping goes...

But I have been having the time of my life. I needed this.




Street Fair Historic Distric Van Buren Arkansas

Since a week ago friday the state of Arkansas has been in a frenzy of craft fair activity. We have some really big ones near by so we checked thim out. The furthest we drove was last weekend to Van Buren to their street fair. Had a wonderful time and saw the beautiful area south of here. Took some great shots of the sunset and a distant strom generating funnel clouds. We drove home up route 59 criss-crossing in and out of Oklahoma.






Woody at the Fair, downtown Van Buren Arkansas

Woody loves these things as much as I do. He loves talking to all of the different people and of course having a treat or two. I love seeing the various crafts and what people create. Its a never ending surprise to me. Many times I have found that there are things out there that just fill a need in my life or a gap in my decorating... sometims I just buy trinkets for the heck of it.





Woody " What the heck is that?"
Hoku "Its cool, thats what."
Woody " Where is "cool" going in our house?
Hoku " I dont know."
Woody " Great, more yard sale crap..."
Hoku " Its not crap...."

And so on




Methodist Men's fund raising Pancake Breakfast Bella Vista AR

There are a lot of related functions that occur during the fair season. Our church throws a huge pancake breakfast fundraiser during the weekend of the local fairs. We went and the pastor reported yesterday that 1682 people were served a total of 6728 pancakes... These seinors know how to keep accounts.

Up and down the streets its like everyone has waited to have their yard sales until this weekend, cars are for sale and there is homemade funiture on driveways. Churches have Bazzars and there is a bake sale at every store door. Its as though the whole county has set up a giant flea market









Resting at the fair, Bella Vista Arts and Crafts Fair

Last friday, after pancake breakfast, we decided to go to the closest fair to our home which was the Bella Vista Arts and Crafts fair. I was asked at the gate to not photograph goods being sold to protect the intellectual property rights... for heaven sakes is a craft fair... but I respected the rule and this rule was posted at all of the places we visited.








Bandstand Applegate Craft Fair Bentonville Ar.


I did find some great items and ate a lot of samples of different food items and just had a blast. Woody encouraged me as I bought a home made bluebird feeder that you hang on your deck rail and fill with peanut butter. A hand knitted cap that just fit me. I have a large head and hats are hard to find yet I have very fine hair so I should be wearing a cap when out in the sun. The dust really bothered me and at the end of the day we were black to our naked knees.







Applegate Craft Fair Bentonville AR

On saturday we went to the Ole Applegate Fair...Apple gate is about 5 miles or so from home. We could see it in the distance from the rising dust cloud. This was a much larger event, and we were told there were 800 exhibitors there. It was a lot of fun looking at all of the things, and talking to people. Its a feeding frenzy in these things, I cant believe how people can fight over stuff.







Woody taking a breather in the Shade at the ole Applegate Craft fair



Woody is true shopper, likes to go at methodically but after a while a body runs out of steam... How about a real home brewed root beer. It was so good.

However the bulk of my weekend shopping was not done at the fair. Local Stores take advantage of the large influx of folks from other areas and have huge parking lot sales. I was able to buy a bunch of the little odds and ends needed for my decorating here at home for a fraction of the cost. The rules are cash and carry and you must pick it up by dark or its fair game... We loaded my van up friday night with things, and I saw a chair and ottoman that I coveted... I had seen this at the stor regular price 700.00 and they wanted 100.00, but it said "sold" on it. We went back on saturday and there is was still there, unpicked up so I stuffed it and another van load of lamps and tables. Woody was like a cheerleader, Methodology went out the window, he wanted to know when the next truck load was comming, so we could go through it. Nothing matches, but it all goes together like a spicy stew..I love it.










After a hard day of barganing, it was crash time at the Denny's Diner, in Rogers. We discovered this no smoking delight during this shopping adventure and had a chance to meet the manager another transplanted Southern Californian that is loving NW Arkansas. He told us we will never be sorry we came here. I believe it...

Sunday was our day of rest sort of we had a chance to go to a Classical Piano Recital given by Aldo Mancinelli after church, which was a joy. No derth of culture in this land of college football mania...and if that werent enough, we are starting a neighborhood Bible study with our next door neighbors...WE are too busy to get jobs, but the beginning of fair week started with a job fair so as soon as we have all recovered from eating deep fried everything... (I was offered deep fried twinkies, dingdongs, dill pickles, (now that sounded really disgusting) and a bunch of other stuff.... we can start the interviewing. Woody has one today at the furniture company that I interviewed at this summer. I have calls to make...

If I cant get back into my mind, then they will just have to leave a message.



Autumn Splendor...A Maple outside the gates of the fairgrounds