Crazy Windy Day...

I despise wind. I think for a crafter it is one of the worst weather to contend with. Rain is hard because of the wet and you worry about damage, but wind is just down right dangerous.

Ever try to put up a tent when the wind is gusting to 50 mph? Not an easy task. Then to tie it down and weigh it down so it stays put for 6 hours or more is pretty tough too. Add in the wind blowing your paperwork and your display around and the day is just not fun. The only thing harder than putting up a tent in the wind is taking one down. At some point you have to take the stakes out and just hope a gust doesn't come by as you try and collapse it to bring it home.

Campers get it. They know how hard a tent is to deal with. But most camping tents are lower to the ground and aerodynamically designed. We crafters are in a 10 foot by 10 foot by 10 foot behemoth. Just a big square set up in a field with no wind breaks around at all.

Oh did I mention that usually there are dozens, if not hundreds of us all setting up and tearing down at the same time? So you not only have to be aware of your stuff flying, but everyone elses too. And even during the day it is not unlikely to see a whole tent fly by or flip over. Someone underestimated the weather, or forgot their tent stakes and thought they would make due, or they are just a noob and don't know any better. I've seen the wind rip apart a tent and send the pieces flying, or bend it to a pretzel leaving the poor crafter speechless.

And the wind is unforgiving. It will take one tent in a row and leave the others, skip a few rows and take out two more, before going on and ravaging someone else. Many of us have stories about mini tornadoes touching down nearby (I do) or of rain storms that have hurricane gust winds (done that too).

I often joke that it is OK that I do craft shows on Sundays rather than going to Church. I pray more at a craft show I am sure. I hope that everyone is safe and that everything goes right and that all my friends and customers have fun and get home safe. Because Mother Nature can sometimes be mean...