Yesterday I had to go shopping for a couple of items to fill the grandkids' Easter baskets. Normally I would get my husband to pick something up but he is extremely busy so I broke down and went myself. I am not a shopper by any stretch of the imagination at least by normal standards. You would never catch me wandering aimlessly through a mall for something to do. In fact I hate just about everything related to shopping. I hate the deer-in-the-headlight look of other shoppers, bright lights, chemical smells, the usually horrid music, the noise upon more noise, the blatant consumerism and spending money. The very fact that I had to shop amidst the hustle and bustle of other Easter present shoppers was almost enough to send me into a panic!
I will however, go out of my way to shop at an antique shop or flea market. Farmers' markets and farm stands are one of my favourite places to shop. I love the beautiful colours and the tantalizing aroma of fresh produce. I even love going to the mushroom farm where it is cool in the heat of summer with a unique musty, earthy smell. While I wouldn't dream of paying $10 for some cheap do-dad in a department store I wouldn't even hesitate to spend the same on some food item that caught my attention. I love shopping in quaint little, Mom & Pop stores like the old fashioned hardware store we found on one of our travels. It had the squeaky wood floors, items arranged in wooden compartments atop counters and an amazing wooden ladder that moved across one wall to get items stored in the upper level. The whole store couldn't have been much more than 1,000 square feet! I could spend hours shopping for plants, breathing in the wonderful smells while enjoying their beauty imagining where I could tuck that plant into my garden. So the shopping experience that most envision is not for me but that's ok.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2011
