Flea Market Fancy

I'm a bit tardy with this post, but how could I resist documenting our recent flea market adventure?  I will admit that I am relatively new to the flea market scene, but for those of you who don't live in or around Greenville, let me give you the scoop on Pickens Flea Market: Every Wednesday, rain or shine year-round, the 32-acre flea market is home to hundreds of temporary vendors, peddling their finest, most sought-after "treasures".  The vast selection of merchandise ranges from obsolete VHS tapes to antique silver serveware to edible dry goods to puppies, rabbits & chickens to crystal stemware to new-without-tags underwear to high-end acoustic guitars.  One man's treasure is most definitely another man's trash!!

Always eager to try out unusual, baby-friendly activities, Julie & I loaded up the boys & set off to Pickens a few Wednesdays ago.  The boys were rockstars on the 45 minute drive to Pickens.  Of course it was another sweltering South Carolina August day, and nothing makes the heat & humidity seem more staggering than tromping around a dusty field surrounded by loads of junk.  We did a lap through the "covered booths" (which, in my naivety, had assumed meant "inside booths", but they were in fact more like a reallllly long, continuous carport) then stumbled across the live band that performs weekly. 
Oh what a treat - live bluegrass smack dab in the middle of the flea market.  The group of musicians appeared to range from retired vets to vendors to great-great-great grandfathers and it seemed more like a barnyard jam session than a concert.  Their audience seemed to be mainly groupies aka other retired vets/vendors/great-great-grandfathers. Oh well, sue them for false advertising the "free concert".

After the concert, we continued our rounds and ran across some animals.  The over-breed, under-fed puppies broke my heart so we didn't linger.  We saw lots of bunnies, guinea pigs & finally some chickens.  The chickens, by far, were the most entertaining to the boys.  

While treasure-hunting, I spotted a miniature wooden rocking chair similar to one that Poppy & Nanny have in the mountains.  Jackson adores that chair & within minutes, I had bartered my way down from $15 to $10 and was the proud new owner of a kiddie-sized red rocker that was badly in need of a fresh coat of paint.  Jackson was an eager beaver to climb into his new chair the minute I let him out of the stroller.

(check out that snazzy boat in the background)

Two snowcones & 20 sticky little fingers later, we decided to call it a day and go get some lunch.  Both boys had been great despite the heat, and begged us to let them tailgate for a few minutes before heading out.  How could we resist these two little guys?

We had lunch at Firehouse Subs (kids eat free on Wednesdays!) and spent the rest of the car ride home trying to keep the boys awake so they'd nap extra-long when they got home.  We definitely want to go back to the flea market this fall when its a bit cooler.  In the meantime, I'm running out of unconventional activities...suggestions?

Who can resist the fire hats??