Another Year Over

We love the Bumgardner family.

Well, dear reader, it is hard to believe, but another year of The Shaker Woods Festival is over. It was an odd year in the woods. Despite the lower attendance than in years past, which led to lower sales, it was still a wonderful experience. We made new friends and reconnected with old friends. We welcomed new and talented artists into our Shaker neighborhood and got to catch up with our much-loved, established neighbors. I finished the year feeling inspired, motivated, and looking forward to next year. Overall, it was a good year.

I am fortunate that wherever we go, we always seem to create a deep connection with a few special people. The Shaker Woods Festival is no different. We have several special individuals and families that we look forward to seeing and visiting with during our stay. These people have become fast friends, and I feel blessed to have them in my circle. Last year, I met a wonderful family at our hotel in Columbiana. The Bumgardners are the sweetest family who attend The Shaker Woods Festival yearly. They stopped by our booth during the festival, chatted a bit, bought some soap, and then moved on to enjoy the rest of the festival. However, that night, as I sat reading a magazine while The Bean enjoyed the hotel pool, I initiated a friendly conversation with a lovely woman who looked familiar. I could not place her immediately. It finally dawned on me that she had been in my booth earlier in the day. We chatted briefly, and then the rest of her family joined her at the pool.

I was introduced to the rest of the family, and Michelle and I immediately hit it off. We sat and talked about everything under the sun while The Bean and her son, Tee, played ball in the pool. Michelle and her lovely family have been our avid supporters ever since, and I could not be more grateful. The Bumgardners arrived wearing matching t-shirts and big, welcoming smiles this year. I looked forward to their arrival and stayed at my booth all day because I was afraid I would miss them if I left. Staying at one's booth all day at an event like Shaker Woods is next to impossible. Between shopping the talented artist's booths and wanting to chat with friends, it takes self-discipline not to roam about. The Bean and Michelle's daughters became fast friends. They stood, talked, laughed, and exchanged SnapChat information so they could keep in touch. Seeing the Bumgardner's was the highlight of my day.

This year, our neighborhood was filled with new faces and fresh talent. Miss April was the talented artist in the booth across from us. She is not a crafter but a very talented fine artist. I enjoyed having her as our neighbor and hope she becomes a permanent fixture in our neighborhood. We also met Brian, aka Larry, the pumpkin guy. Brian kept us in stitches with his antics and stories. The Bean, in particular, enjoyed Brian's wit and humor. She ended the show by calling him Uncle Bri-Bri with a giggle each and every time. The Bean also formed a fast and strong bond with Tiffany, the face-painting lady. She and The Bean exchanged information and plan to keep in touch. The Bean is already planning to send Tiffany pictures from the upcoming homecoming dance. My kid and husband make friends wherever they go.

The annual picture of the monkeys in our neighborhood. From left to right: The Bibbed Wonder, Kirby, and The Alabama Slammer, Keith.

Of course, we always enjoy seeing our neighbors in the woods. Kirby, Beryl, Jen, Erica, Sarah, Natalie, and Keith are lovely. Fred and Karen are our new next-door neighbors. We were amazed to find out that Shaker Woods was their first event. We laughed and told them we gave them all the credit in the world for starting big. We were sad to find out that Dennis, the broom guy, decided to no longer participate in The Shake Woods Festival. He sold his building and moved on to bigger shows. Dennis will be missed, but Karen and Fred are delightful neighbors. We discovered five buildings will be for sale at the end of our row because those vendors have decided to retire. Next year will be filled with new faces and new talent. We also learned that Lana and Rob, the event planners and owners, decided to add twenty more buildings to the woods. Twenty additional buildings is a considerable expansion. I guess Heraclitus was correct; "Nothing is constant but change."

Speaking of change, I had an intense bout of inspiration while I was in the woods. I'm unsure if it's inspiration or a manic episode, but my little brain was on fire with the ideas for next year. Much to The Bibbed Wonder's chagrin, I have plans to improve our building, add products, revise the space, and utilize the retail opportunity. He listens to me, nods and smiles, and hopes I forget everything. Unbeknownst to him, I broke out a new notebook and jotted down all my ideas and the prices of the materials. I have plans to work on new shelves and display items over the winter. My list is three pages long and very detailed. He is such a fortunate man...insert a wink. I am certain that I will have to lobby aggressively for the changes I want to implement. He knows he is no match for me, but it is a dance we must do before he concedes. Sigh. He's exhausting.

That, dear reader, is the summary of our Shaker Woods event. We appreciate everyone who came out to support us. We welcome our new friends and are grateful for our old ones.

I look forward to another great year in the woods and can't wait to implement all my ideas. I wish The Bibbed Wonder were as excited as I am...sigh. We have five more weeks of The Ligonier Country Market to look forward to, and our farmer's market season is over. We also have our Fall at the Farm event on October 19th, hopefully, the Ligonier Country Market Christmas Show, and our day at Lone Oak Farms on December 7th. That will end our live shows for 2024.

On this summer day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy good people, appreciate the experience, and keep washing your hands.