HAPPY AUTUMN

Today starts the first day of Autumn. My favorite season. It has been cooling down here for about 2 weeks. I hope that it doesn't get hot again. Yesterday we made our annual trek to the Yankee Peddler Festival. We have gone since our kids were very young. We did stop going for a while in their older years, maybe late grade school, mid teen years, but it doesn't change so much. That is until this year. The bad economy and high gas prices have hit the 16th century. There were maybe half the amount of vendors there this time than there have been through the years. Some of my favorites were still there, but one of the vendors that was always the highlight of our trip wasn't. There was a food vendor there that grilled chicken. You could get a dinner with 1/4 or 1/2 of a small chicken, cole slaw, bread. It was so good grilled over a wood fire. Gone. bummer.

Luckily, the man who makes handmade leather purses was there and I got a small purse. My husband picked up a wooden bank made out of an old post office box. I also got a few buttons made by one of the potters.
Here is one of the blacksmiths working. They sold many iron hangers etc. The other blacksmith, owner of Mockingbird Forge in Florida was also there. I don't believe that he actually works the metal at the festival like these guys above do. The mockingbird guy is who made my beautiful oak leaf and acorn rack that use to hang my cast iron skillets. The things he had this year weren't so ornate. The weaver from Scotland was there this year. I bought a nice wool shawl from her 2 years ago. But the potter that I had planned to buy 2 butter keepers from wasn't there. And I bought a purse instead of this awesome teapot from one of the potters. Oh well. I will get more use out of the soft brown leather purse. Anyway, it was kind of disappointing. I hope things turn around for all of the wonderful artisans that I enjoy when we make our trip again.
I bought this Dale of Norway sweater from a thrift shop for a few dollars. It isn't my size, or a color I would pick, but I liked it. Hmmm.. maybe I should send it to my daughter. I wonder if she still likes this shade of blue?
I'm going to Sherwin Williams this afternoon to buy the paint. I have 10 days off coming up, and after I visit my Aunts and Uncle out of state for a couple of days, I will get started painting. My husband ordered the sandpaper discs to refinish the floor, we have an electrician friend coming to do some rewiring so I have enough outlets. I hope to be sewing before the snow flies.
Have a good Sunday!