Thursday, July 30, 2009

Off to the Flea Market To Find Cast Iron Pots


Today was a great day! We had an early breakfast and then drove about 40 miles to a flea market. Along the way we saw all sorts of vegetables growing. Corn is doing great and so is soy beans. Other crops seem to be having a great season too. Let's see, the tobacco was plentiful around this area and the turf farms are as green as ever. I also noticed trees were a very popular commodity as well. I wonder when they are going to pick those?

Now, this was no ordinary flea market we went to today. This flea market had everything you could imagine, even animals. Growing up in New York, I went to my share of flea markets on Saturday mornings. They were a fun and inexpensive way to get toys and such. So when I entered this fleas market, I didn't go in as a novice, or so I thought. I would be proven wrong, quickly.

As I entered, I heard the sounds of vendors haggling over prices and neighbors catching up with each other. Suddenly, I heard a rooster. It was loud and clear. I looked up in surprise but no one else shared my surprise. The people around me went on as usual. So, I pretended like roosters crowing was normal for me too. Then I heard a loud noise. It was so loud it shook the ground. I thought for a second that the earth was shaking. Was it a stampede? Yes, well sort of, it was the pigs being unloaded from a huge truck. It was all so incredible but others around me seemed to think it the norm. All I could say was, "Really"?

This particular flea market had its humble beginnings as a stock market. Eat your heart out Wall Street. Anyway, this is where people would come to purchase live stock. Slowly the merchants began to trade things. Well, one thing led to another and it grew to something really big. Vendors, vendors, everywhere, as far as the eye could see. All willing to make you a great deal on wares that are sometimes just shy of being, new.

I love the camaraderie found at this flea market. It's also a wonderful place to walk and see lovely sights. As I get older, I feel like I am walking down memory lane as I pass tables and tables of what they say are antique goods, but were objects I recall growing up. Surely, they can't be antiques because that would mean, well, I won't finish that sentence.

Now, I am going to tell you something. I use to think flea markets were filled with other peoples junk, and it is, but sometimes I find other peoples junk exciting. If you can't use it anymore maybe someone else can, seems to be the overall motto of flea markets. It's true, another persons junk may be your new treasure. Maybe you will go to a flea market in your area and...

Enjoy Life!