(Sunrise over the Laurel Highlands. I never see this hour of the morning. It was worth it)
These past couple of weeks I've done something entirely new. Two shows in the Laurel Highlands during leaf peeping season.
This means a lot of driving. I know, these places are only a little more than an hour from home, but arriving there without my family, they seem forever away. Setting up in little towns, Bedford and Ligonier, in the chill of mid fall was something different.
Bedford was a family effort. Adam and I drove out and set up while the kids hung out at home with a friend. Saturday morning, when I took this photo, I set out eerily early, long before the sun was up, and launched the jewelry shop amidst the crowds in summer-like heat! The family joined me on Sunday to help break down. Persephone wanted to help watch the tent and to wander the fair and to eat all the food. And they let me go do the same. I definitely want to go back next year. Maybe I can participate in both weekends of the Bedford Fall Foliage Festival!
Just as I got home on Sunday, I got a text from my friend AR asking what I would be doing the next weekend. She found us a little spot at Fort Ligonier Days!!! I wondered if Adam would forgive me causing this craziness two weekends in a row.
We set up inside the new bead shop started by Andrew a month ago, Allegory Gallery on the main street of Bedford, PA. (This is my dream shop, Andrew Thornton has beautiful beads and artwork in the front and Laura of Second Chance Books has used books and childrens books in the back)
It was kind of quiet for the type of weekend we'd been expecting, but the weather was lovely on Sunday and we set up outside. I made a big point of trying to get people into the shop. And we loved the people of Ligoiner and the costumes of the festival! I also got to spend more time with Maria of Lost Marbles. (funny, her marbles don't seem so lost! or maybe it's in comparison with me)
Anyway, it was lovely to meet so many people and have so much fun. Now it's time to get ready for the holidays. And it was great and very very positive to have these experiences now.
-Simbelmynë
