Eye on the Sky
We all swear it will never happen and then it does. We become our parents. My mom was a devoted fan of the TV news weather report, stopping whatever she was doing to watch. “Boring!” I thought, mostly because as a kid, I didn’t have to drive, garden or deal with anything domestically weather related other than getting excited if there was going to be a rare Pacific Northwest snowstorm that would cause school to be canceled. As a grownup, however, I listen to the weather report on Vermont Public every day and check the Eye On The Sky website every night. Now I understand my mom’s obsession with upcoming weather: Here in Vermont it's how we plan everything, from what we will eat and wear to where we will go and how we will get there. Lately, casual conversation has been all about the rain and cold, so much of it and for too long. And yet, the green of everything! The verdant explosion on and around the Vermont hillsides thrills me anew every year, like it did the first time I visited 34 years ago. As I grumble about the rain and bemoan all the cute sundresses hanging in my closet that I can’t wear yet, I also thank the weather gods for the water that will keep us from drought conditions this summer and guarantees that my well won’t run dry.
The urge to plant things is strong this time of year. Little seedlings are being tucked into the chilly soil, mulched and coddled with coverings if the nights threaten frost. I have 85 (count ‘em!) garlic plants coming up, looking like spindly corn, and a vigorous rhubarb plant filling out nicely, given to me by my lovely co-worker Imelda last summer. Experienced Goods is not immune to the gardening bug either; the next time you visit the shop, take a good look at the once-barren plots of soil between the parking lot and the sidewalk in front of the store. Our man-of-many-talents, Albert, has put a huge amount of creativity, sweat, and muscle into beautifying these spaces, putting out the word to customers that we are taking donations of perennials and shrubs, planting hostas and daylilies, mulching everything to keep down the weeds and make it look neat. In addition, Gemma, with her impeccable eye for beauty, has once again created large pots of flowering plants and grasses to grace the space next to our entry door. If you see either of these folks, please thank them for going above and beyond the call of thrift store duty to make our store even more lovely and inviting.
The big news at Experienced Goods this spring has been the addition of two new part-time employees, Alessia and Ruth. Alessia has become indispensable when it comes to taking in donations, bagging salvage clothing, packing seasonal clothing boxes and tackling the endless task of keeping the housewares and shoe departments organized and tidy. She is unfailingly cheerful and friendly with donors and customers, is fun to work with, and loves a good pun. She has been living in Vermont for several years but is originally from Texas, so although I hear no trace of a Texas accent in her speech, she does sneak an occasional delightful “y’all” into conversation. Ruth is a native Southern Vermonter who has been shopping at Experienced Goods since she was old enough to buy her own clothes, and told us that she has dreamed of working at the shop ever since. She is a fiber artist who creates quilts with a message and has an extensive knowledge of fabrics and design; watch this space for news of where and when you can see her work. She has been learning the intricacies of hanging and tagging clothing and can often be found working at the front desk, ringing up purchases and interacting with customers like a pro. She also has the best laugh I have ever heard in my life. We are so lucky to have found these two excellent co-workers! Please say hello to Alessia and Ruth when you see them in the store and welcome them to our Experienced Goods family. As I write this, the sun is peeking out for the first time in a week; I’d better go check the weather forecast to see if it's going to last! ~ Jennie Reichman