Follow Your Vision

Despite the winter storm of last night, warming temperatures during the night cleared the roads and I was at work at 5am this morning for my monthly turn at working a Saturday. It was uneventful except for the constant calls inquiring if we were open. Given that the owner lives five minutes from the clinic and folks can't go without their medication, of course we were open.

From there I went to Barnyard to begin the last weekend of vending. Melting snow and ice had created a puddle on the table and I had to dig through the car for an old towel to dry it. Since we had a winter storm last night, Cameron had talked me out of putting out of putting extra energy into making the new displays. So I borrowed the table (the dry end) next to me and quickly stapled them together. Yea! We now have professional looking displays.

Crowds were thin, vendors arrived late or not at all, and I imbibed in a lot of hot chocolate.We sold a few things (sold a fair amount yesterday at work, so I'm not complaining!), and with dropping temperatures, decided to pack up early. A lovely lady from down the way came over as I packed up, and truly inspired me.

She told me about a local church that invested in her beginning her small business of baking bread. She uses quality ingredients, but folks complain of her prices, even when she reminds them that they aren't paying for white bread. Last summer she got a number of customers who asked for zucchini bread. She doesn't like making zucchini bread. Her vision of her business doesn't include zucchini bread.  But after several requests, she finally yielded and baked zucchini bread. The very customers who asked for zucchini bread did not come to her table to buy. Instead, they crossed the aisle to avoid her table and kept walking. She no longer compromises her vision. She just bakes banana nut bread.

Customers complain that all I have is "that glass shit," and Southerners must "wear a lot of glass." Customers complain of my prices (I'm making about $.50 an hour). Customers want this or that, but not what I have on the table. We had requests for pandas week after week. I put one on the table and it's gone unsold for weeks. Never mind them, I'm off to festivals next year where hand made beads and hours of time designing necklaces might be appreciated...and I can follow my vision.