7/13/06

Shipshewana and Environs


FUN IS IMPORTANT
Originally uploaded by This Guy Colin.
I promised I'd post pictures from our Independence-Day outing up north. Click the image to go to my flickr page, and I think you'll find that I kept my promise.

Shipshewana is amazing. It's in Amish country, northern Indiana near the Michigan border, and people flock from miles around in search of everything from folk art to fifty-cent socks, and nobody goes home empty-handed.

There's something like a thousand booths -- each stocking more or less whatever fit in the van that morning. It's not uncommon to see, say, handmade candles and knock-off sunglasses sold side by side, or woven quilts and diecast firetrucks. There's just no rhyme or reason to it. That's actually part of the fun, because you can't really skip an aisle with a clear conscience, or easily overlook any single display -- even when you start to notice certain items repeating. ("Hey, I just bought that telescoping auto-duster for fifty cents more two aisles ago..."

And almost none of it is stuff you really, strictly speaking, need. But it's all fun: I got a telescoping auto-duster, two pairs of two-dollar sunglasses, a laser pointer, some cheapy sunscreen when I started fearing incineration, an irregularly embroidered car-logo hat (It says "Ubaru"), and several fine snapshots.

Well, at least, *I* think they're fine. Let's see what you think.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

FUN IS IMPORTANT. Even us UNFUN people know that. I hope you've managed to find some today. I hope someone thouht to put lemon wheels in your drink, or at least a bendy straw, Or maybe a funny lightbulb wound up in your possession. Goodness knows from now on, whenever I myself spot one, I will think of you.

And smile.
xoxoxoxoxo Wee

Anonymous said...

Hey, I have those measuring spoons that say "pinch", "dash" and something else I can't remember.

vz

Colin said...

A dab? A sprinkle? A rumor?

How about a shnizzle?

I really hope it's a shnizzle.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately it is not a shnizzle, although I am sure that is what the one that Snoop has says. The third one says smidgen.

vz

Laur said...

I have never seen anyone more excited about 50 cent sock and junk.
LOL- it was fun though