Craftsmen & View from the Top of the World

Today, I took an R&R day and went to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Fair at the Lake Sunapee Ski Resort.  It’s an annual event, and I’ve wanted to go for years, but have never seemed to find the time.  But today was the day!

There were 350 vendors set up in tents at the base of the ski slopes.  There were demonstration tents, hands-on tents, food tents, and craftsmen/vendor tents.  And it was a perfectly glorious summer day today too!

So many talented craftsmen sharing and selling their wares!  I gravitate towards the more traditional, so these were the lovely items that captivated me the most…

…beautiful tiger maple furniture made by a talented cabinetmaker…

…handmade fly fishing rods!  Not that I fly fish…or fish at all.  But I do love the beauty of movement of fly fishing, and just find it a manly and captivating recreation.

…traditional canvas floor cloths!  I just might be tempted to come back for one of these sometime.  I’d love a small, narrow one for the pantry.

…wool rug hooking…

…and basket making.

Beyond what I am naturally drawn to, there were so many beautiful, artistic items on display.  For some reason, perhaps inspired by the bright blue sky and the very green grass of the ski resort, my eye was caught by primarily blue and green pieces today…

…gorgeous pottery…

…unique pieces from stone.  Wouldn’t that lamp be great in a lake house?

…a very talented printmaker displayed his work in process and then the finished product.  I loved his scenes from New England.

…and beautifully fluid blown glass work.  This first one was a huge, lawn sculpture.

And, in my opinion, the most amazing items of the day were these luxurious handwoven rugs.  Ooooo…look at the colors!  I wish you could’ve felt them…so soft, yet sturdy.

When I was done studying and enjoying this visual feast, I decided to ride the ski lift to the summit of Mt. Sunapee.  I was grateful to God for providing such a beautiful day to take in the view.  The ride up was pretty all by itself…nearly silent except the sound of the wind rushing through the trees, riding high above the ferns and the wildflowers — black-eyed susans and goldenrod.

And the 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside was truly breathtaking!

Lake Sunapee far down below.

The ride down was even more gorgeous than the ride up, because the wind was whooshing in my face, the scent of the woods was so strong, and the view was spectacular!

The Craftsmen Fair was wonderful, but the view from the top was THE BEST!