The Road to Farm Chicks

Wow! What a weekend and trip to Spokane to attend the Farm Chicks Antique Faire. My friend Diane, her daughter Kara and I left about 7 a.m. on Friday morning. We made several stops at little antique shops along the way and arrived in Spokane about 4:30 p.m. Kara graduated from college in eastern Washington, so she was our travel guide and destination-finder! She was invaluable and so much fun. After checking in and having a little rest, we went to a facinating restaurant called the Steam Plant. It was an old steam plant that has been made into a unusual restaurant venue. We had a great dinner then back to the hotel to get some shut-eye and recharge before Saturday's marathon shopping spree.

Saturday was chilly, windy, and rainy. We didn't let it dampen our spirits. We made a quick decision to go ahead and get in the ticket line 45 minutes early. It was a good thing because the line quickly grew the length of the fairground parking lot! Of course it was cold and wet and windy. I never dreamed that I would be wearing my down jacket in June. We huddled under our umbrellas and got to know our neighbors in line. That's part of the fun - right? You meet such nice people that way and figure out ways to stay warm. Finally, the gates opened at 10 a.m. and we hurried to get inside the building and thaw out. We were welcomed by a large tree that had been covered in patchwork fabric. It made a perfect "meeting" place. Then off we went. We knew about 8 vendors and set out to say hello and find new treasures. The crowd quickly grew -- and grew -- and grew. It got to the point that you had a difficult time getting through the crowd and even a more difficult time actually being able to see what the vendors had to sell. So, about 12:30 we decided we would leave, find some lunch, check out some of the many antique shops in downtown Spokane -- then return later in the afternoon.

We found an old burger joint - "Dick's - Buy them by the bag!" Just a good, old-fashioned burger and fries. The kind you could get before all the Mc D's and Wendy's hit the streets. The most expensive burger was $1.69! Very fresh and what a deal. It became our landmark to find our way back to our hotel and the freeway. A big sign with a panda on it. We still don't know the significance of panda. Wished I could have gotten a picture, but I would have had to stand on the opposite side of the freeway to take a picture that would have done it justice.

After perusing the local shops and fueling up on coffee, we headed back to Farm Chicks. The crowds had thinned considerably, making shopping much easier. The vendors actually had some time to chat. I never got to visit much with my friends from Flutterby, but I did get to meet Heather Bullard of the PresentPast Collection! I found some things to make into other things. Little bits and pieces that I will picture later this week. Feeling like we had seen everything, we headed to PF Changs for a cocktail and dinner. Then, it was back to the hotel for much needed rest. Sunday was the long drive home. It was a great experience and I met so many nice people. Diane and Kara were the best traveling partners and roommates.

I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked. The crowds made it difficult. I did get lots of pictures with someone's head or back as they stepped in front of me - ha! So here are the ones did get. Most are of our friends who worked really hard - and put in many, many hours to have the Farm Chicks experience. You guys did GREAT!

I will try to take some pictures of my purchases and post them later this week. It will be a busy week. Tonight we will attend my niece's graduation in Eugene, then go back on Wednesday night to celebrate my son's 24th birthday. How did that happen? He can't really be 24!! Then next Sunday is Father's Day - and that means I have a little over 2 weeks to prepare for my next show on July 4th!!! Yikes! Anyway, enjoy the pictures and check back for more! M.