Squirrel Season

In recent years, squirrel season has taken on a whole new meaning for me. It's the beginning of my super BUSY season. I will spend the next 10 weeks   scrambling just like that crazy-stupid-busy squirrel gathering nuts for the long winter ahead. 

You may be wondering what any of this has to do with jewelry. Well, there's preparation for all the pre-holiday events...making enough inventory, tweaking displays, sending invitations and emails, ensuring wholesale accounts are well stocked and taken care off, taking and editing pictures for the website...the list is ENDLESS!  And the bummer of it all is autumn is really my favorite time of year. 

My oldest, bestest friend were sitting in her barn the other evening discussing this very thing. We were listening to the song of a summer evening, the crickets, the cicadas, the whippoorwills, the horses munching their hay. a little insight into my friend - she HATES the end of summer, and I mean really, truly hates it. 

See for us, as kids, the sound of cicadas always signaled the end of summer, days growing shorter, our daily horseback adventures would soon turn into only an occasional ride, and cold weather wouldn't be far behind.

 Isn't it funny how a single sound can trigger such a strong memory, take you back instantly? And I admit, there is a certain  melancholy associated with that sound. I have a whole collection built around these noisy bugs!

I'm lucky enough to live in the woods and can experience autumn in all her glory, the changing of the leaves, the falling nuts and acorns, the squirrels and chipmunks scurrying around with fat cheeks full. I even love the crisp smell of the fall air and there is nothing like a West Virginia October sky.  But here's where I'm torn...I hate winter too.  The cold, the mud, the aches and pains, all the extra work.  But before winter arrives, there's fall, and I love love love fall. 

I grew up spending every fall traipsing around in the woods with my dad...you guessed it, squirrel hunting. I realize some people find that terribly offensive, and that;s cool. It's not the hunting part that's important to me.

It's those precious, unforgettable hours spent in the woods, just me & Dad. Those memories are something so special I can't even put them into words.  Maybe that's part of the reason I try to re-create some of those memories in silver...just to have a little reminder of those crisp golden fall days.

 And by the way, the first live event of this season is ARTOBERFEST sponsored by The Parkersburg Art Center in the 700 block of downtown Parkersburg, October 21st, 4:00-10:00 pm. There will be live entertainment, good food and drink, friends, fine art and fun. It's the perfect time to kick off your holiday shopping. I'd love to see you there!  I'm even having a special drawing for a one-of-a-kind piece for those who stop by and enter.