Several weeks ago Margie asked me if I would consider doing the Milliner shop at Sugar on Snow this year. I thought to myself "well it can't be that hard to do", and since I'd helped her with it last year I pretty much knew what to expect.
Btw. All pictures on this post are courtesy of Clark Graber and Tim Troyer.
You know, it'd mean quietly sitting in my pretty little shop with hats and dresses and tea cups on all the shelves and counters and sewing something perhaps, or decorating a hat or two. Maybe, once in a while I might have to say a few words to somebody. But all-in-all it would be a fairly relaxing and enjoyable way to spend Sugar on Snow... Somehow it did not quite seem to work that way.
There were little girls to help into costumes. Actually, I helped a little boy into a costume as well… He did not seem to appreciate knickers and a colonial shirt much though.
This little guy came to me and asked. “Um, um, do you have any little
boy dresses?”! He took one look at the little boys outfit that I had, blushed furiously, and changed his mind, poor kid.
Anna helped me, it was rather wonderful having somebody on hand all the time… She did get bored some though I think, sorry Anna.
We ended up doing a lot of sewing, I thought it was kinda funny how the “Milliner” did get a lot of Millinerish sorts of questions from the other interpreters and people working there. “*Do you have a pin? * You wouldn’t happen to have a scrap of fabric would you? *Hey, can I borrow your needle and thread… Um, white thread. *Hey, I need your scissors for a minute, thanks.” And so on and so forth. My scotch tape, packing tape, and masking tape, not to mention the scissors Lattins had brought me, all disappeared the first day and I didn’t see them again until I was packing up to leave… Never did get my masking tape back actually.
Hey cool!!! This program animates my smiley faces! Maybe I’ll just spend the rest of the post making faces. 
Okay never mind, I’m more mature than that.
And there were invasions of several sorts.
* The people-trying-on-hats sort.
* The little girls who-wanna-see-the-teacups-and-buttons sort.
* The small-and-adorable-nephew sort.
* And then there was the photographer-who-wants-a-picture-of-the-hat sort.
There were also several invasions of ladies-wishing-to-talk… But no one got a picture of that I guess… At least I could not find one.
Saturday night by the time we got back to the cabin I was thoroughly tired out, regardless of the gigantic amount of caffeine I had consumed that day. Sunday we had church at the community center and Paul Tainter preached a sermon on the prodigal sons father. Lance and I headed home around 5:00 o’clock to keep the stoves going here until the rest got home Monday. It was rather wonderful to be back to our nice quite house. I always realize again at Sugar on Snow that I am
not a person who likes crowds of people. But it did go very well, for which I am very thankful. And I hope Margie enjoys doing it as well next year as I did this year… Cuz she sure isn’t gonna talk me into another “quiet and relaxing” Sugar on Snow like that again!
Have a great week!
~Francis
Some of the teachers: Tim Troyer, Lance Graber, Conroy Lowen, and Caleb Ramer. Have you ever tried to get four guys to pose for a picture? Everyone smiling and no eyes closed? :-P
Hymlie (yes, it's Spanish, and yes, I know I spelled it wrong, and yes, some of the kids are Mexican/Native American) came barging into their conversation made a comment of some sort to Lance while waving something aloft in one hand... Then continued happily on his way.
