Taking the show on the road

Last week the daytime population of Round Top grew from 90 to thousands. 

Dealers are lined up along Highway 237 that runs from close to Carmine through Round Top and on to Warrenton and traffic is stacked like rush hour in a major metropolitan area starting at about 2 p.m. each afternoon as visitors try to navigate from show to show or head back to the bed and breakfast.  

At every show, you see many of the same dealers who have been coming to the same spot for years.

There are certain dealers I visit each time, like this one.

You can find some interesting garden art that you can use in your garden beds or your containers. 

I picked these glass flowers up for $4 each. If you ever found something like that at your local nursery, it would probably cost 3 or 4 times that much.

I like to use insulators in the garden and on the patio.

I've seen a lot of serious insulator collectors on the Internet and prices can range into the hundreds of dollars. You can pick these up on the dollar tables at flea markets like Round Top. The bigger ones can cost from $3 to $10.

The green and blue tinted glass picks up the sun and they are a nice addition to your garden or patio with some stones or succulents added or even just sitting empty.

And then there's the food and drinks, something to keep you occupied as you walk through the different shows.

The food there is great — not good for you — but great anyway.

Barbeque brisket and pimiento cheese sandwiches at the Legal Tender Saloon are about the best I've ever had.

You can also get good Tex-Mex and just about anything fried you would care to try.

And of course, there's wine.

The wine is good — not great — but good.

There are several places along the way to pick up a glass or two to enjoy as you walk by the dealers' booths. 

My favorite is Zapp Hall; there's always something going on there.

It's almost the weekend again. 

I can see that winter is holding on in much of the country, but I hope you're able to get out and do some winegardening this weekend.

I know I am.