Don't be mad at me. I was in Austin recently and I didn't tell you. It was a verrry short trip and you know how that goes -you can't see everyone you want to, so you don't tell anyone. However, there was one friend I had to see: Ginger. 

Ginger's Needlearts and Framing is closing at the end of July after nearly 30 years in the same location. While many folks in the community are sad about this, Ginger is taking it in stride. I asked her how she felt about it as we chatted in the back workroom. "Are you at peace with it?" I asked. She just smiled and said that she really was. It took some time to get there, but she now sees it  happening at the right time in her life. Not too soon, not too late. I was glad to hear this. The spirit of the store was still high and lively.

Then I asked her about the lamp in the corner.

Most of the store was already empty -shelves denuded, floss fast disappearing, fixtures and thread cabinets already marked "sold to" before you could possibly snag them yourself. While we were talking in the back room, I couldn't help but notice this lamp in the far corner. Quietly hiding behind a desk, behind some boxes. Not out on the floor. It looked oooold.

"Ginger? Are you parting with that lamp?" I asked, not wanting to seem like a vulture. "Why yes, I am" she said, her eyes twinkling at me. (Seriously, they twinkled. She's a twinkler.) She let me know this was a magnifier floor lamp that had belonged to an avid and elderly needleworker she'd known. "I'd love to buy it from you." "Then it's yours. I'd be happy to know you have it." 

How about that? I left Ginger's (probably for the last time) with a very special piece of her shop and a special gift from a friend. I'll treasure it. Thank you, Ginger.

x - x - x 

More about Ginger's shop, and information about the store's closing is here.

My Dazor bench lamp

Ginger's amazing wall of floss before it started disappearing.