Brimfield Is In The Air!

You can smell it even. Brimfield MA. hosts the largest Antiques show in New England three times a year~ May, June and September. It boasts 5000 vendors~ that's right! Tent city! Whether you are a vendor or a buyer, it is an adventure.

I heard about it during those early years with Netty. Now, if you know Netty, you know she has quite the mischievous sparkle in her eye when she has something good to share~ and sparkle she did. Netty shared this wonderful place that we could go and sell our things. A day to drive, set up, and camp in the van til the next morning. We would then sell our things, pack and leave. It took a little doing for me to do this. My girls were still little, 5 and 7 years old. I never knew for sure if both of my parents would be OK with me gone. I still worked a 40 hour week, and still had to make a inventory. It was tough, but it did work out. We packed my parent's van til it was about to burst. Netty drove and I was the co pilot. We have learned a few things with our adventures~

1. Maps don't tell you everything you need to know, when you NEED to know it.
2. Always plan extra time to visit a couple of different exits along the way.
3. The van wants to go to Chicopee every time....we don't.
4. Police cars do drive in your lane----in REVERSE!
5. Good bladder control is a must.
6. The co-pilot needs to have a Lamaze breathing control lesson under her belt.

We have arrived safely every time. Spent the afternoons browsing through Sturbridge "musts" such as, The Seraph, Colonial Crafts and Old Sturbridge Village. The Village is the largest outdoor museum in the Northeast. Here you can see and be a part of Early America during the years 1790-1840. They have the most wonderful bookstore also, we spend hours there!

After a bit of a breather and a Sturbridge fix, it's on to Brimfield and Hertan's Field. Hertan's Field opens on Wednesday, and we choose to sell on Thursday. We have always gotten the same spot, and a few of the vendors near know Netty. As we unload and set up the tent, there is some catching up to do. Darkness comes fast, and sunrise faster it seems. We are always up when the birds first start to chirp and it's still a bit dark out. In no time at all we are dressed and eating while we finish marking. As the sun rises over the fields and the mist of morning still lingers, you can see people starting to make their way to their favorite booths. Many of them pulling little handcarts to hold their booty. By 10 am, most of the serious buyers have come and gone. At about 4 we start packing anything that is left, and we are on the road. It is indeed exhausting, but it is such an adventure that I really do miss it. Yes, there are Porta-Potties to deal with and sleeping in a van is not always warm in early May or September. It's been a couple years now since we have been, but it does still call. Who knows, maybe next year the adventure will continue.