Petaluma Antique Fair

Sunday, April 26th, I went with my husband and younger son to an Antique Fair in Petaluma CA. According to USA today, Petaluma is the #2 spot in the United States for antiquing. The 60+ mile ride out there took just over an hour and out had awesome views. Our route took us by many varied geographic features - across bridges, along side both flatlands and hilly slopes, and through countrysides and small towns.

Since we passed through marsh land, we saw egrets, cranes, ducks, geese and other water birds. As we passed along hillsides and pastures we saw cows, cattle, sheep, lambs, horses, ponies, and even llamas. Frank and I were able to point out the different animals to Alex and we all enjoyed the very scenic drive from San Ramon north to Petaluma.

Once in downtown Petaluma we walked through a few antique stores before strolling the outdoor vendors lining the streets. The area had a pleasant hubbub about it that Alex enjoys, and the weather was beautiful – breezy and sunny. People were leisurely walking about with their dogs, too. One couple had not only a Great Dane but a Saint Bernard as well – HUGE CREATURES! Alex had to reach up to pet their backs. In the other extreme, one family had a boxer pup that they introduced to Alex. The pup almost toppled out of the front pack he was nestled in during his scrambling to give Alex doggie kisses.

Farther on, Alex made googly eyes at one of the vendors and would not let go of two Little Golden Books about rabbits, so she gave them to him for free. We ate lunch at a pub where Alex made short order of a very large quesadilla. We read one of his books to him. This book turns out to be an early one by Richard Scarry. It was about a platypus and I had never seen it before. Old "eagle eyes" Alex saw it, though.

Frank and I made a few purchases. Two quite stout buys were a Singer machine treadle base like my mom had and a typewriter like Frank's dad had.

The ride home was not quite as pleasant, at least from my perspective. Alex rode shotgun while I was relegated to squeeze in behind him in the rear passenger seat. Here is the panoramic view I had while riding the 90 minutes home – traffic was heavier on the return – with that Singer desk upside down on the back seat plastered to my left hip. Whatever excess padding I had at my hip joints and thighs got squashed extremely flat in the vise jaws formed by the desk side and car door!

Once we had dropped Alex off and gotten back to Livermore, we explored our treasures. Here is the Smith and Corona typewriter that evoked memories for Frank.

This ring of bottles on a welded carrier was a new crafty purchase, not an antique. It was displayed with a floribunda rose tucked in each bottle. The lush ring of flowers at the height of the lips of the bottle was very lush looking and attractive. Yes, it is a DC (acronym for dust collector), but I caved. As well as a ring of flowers, it will look nice with candy canes at Christmas, or colored pencils, or chocolate dipped log pretzels, or lollipops, or cake pops, etc.

Lastly, I purchased this functioning toy sewing machine from the 1950's, a "Sew-ette".  It can be hand cranked or run by battery. I will hold on to it for the "someday" when my granddaughter wants to be like her mommy and learn to sew. They just do not make these any more!