10.10.09
Lemonade out of Lemons…or Wine out of Grapes
Three times during the summer/fall, we have night farmers’ markets in Owenton where I live. They’re always big-festival events, looked forward to by the whole community, who turn out in droves. They bring lawn chairs and sit out on the courthouse lawn to hear local musicians and have supper catered by several local caterers. Sales are good for market vendors so they like it too. All in all it’s a “good time had by all” kind of event … usually.
Last night was the final night market of the year, and it rained all day. I think we got 4 or 5 inches in the past 36 hours. Normal people would assume the market was cancelled. Well, about 5 p.m. the rain died back to a drizzle, and when I looked out my soap studio window (across the street from the courthouse), the apple guy was there and a veggie vendor was there and the bread lady was unloading. I ended up going outside with them in spite of misgivings. Soap does not do well in the rain!
The musician for the evening did not show up, nor did the food (supper) vendors. It was only five or six regular vendors, and of course almost no customers. Who’d have expected us to set up in all that rain? However, by dark, I had made $31, and the veggie guy $50, and everybody else a little bit too, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Mostly the vendors all sat around and had a good time. Somebody went home and got lunchmeat, and the bread lady opened a loaf. Somebody else had a bottle of wine in her car, so we sat and drank wine and ate chips with homemade salsa and sandwiches on the courthouse lawn (in a dry county).
I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, and I expect the stories will grow after being retold a few times. Well worth it!