As we madly scramble to stuff as many robots into a Honda Element as we can–and still leave room for a tent and maybe a suitcase–let me just bring you up to date on our latest junking expedition. We returned Sunday from Hillsville, VA, home of the biggest, baddest, junkiest treasure hunt we’ve ever had. Held every Labor Day weekend, the town of Hillsville is literally taken over by a flea market that attracts tens of thousands of people. We were there for two days, and still didn’t see it all. What started out years ago as a gun show to raise funds for the VFW, it has now grown to encompass antiques, state fair kind of food (what can we fry that has never been fried before?) yard sale crap, and everything in between. Oh, and guns. I have never SEEN so many people walking around with a rifle on each shoulder. Thank God the only thing not for sale is alcohol…But then, if Al Queda had attacked, I’m sure we were in the safest place on earth.
A few impressions: The cute little blond woman speaking into her cell phone; “Honey? They have the hollowpoints here, $30 for a box. Ya want me to pick you up a few?”
Overheard from an older woman; “Well, you see, I have my quilts, and he has his guns”.
Speaking of quilts–a tent selling beautiful old quilts, that must have taken some long dead woman months to complete, selling for around $75. Next to a tent with a man with a mic pitching Sham Wows. Or was it Ginsu knives…
The junking was excellent. Really, my only objection was how spread out it was. If only all the antiques had been in one area, all the yard sale crap in another, and all the irregular tube socks in a third, it would have been much easier to navigate. But the pickings were fine, the prices good, and we left with four tote bags full of future robots.
I’m including a few photos taken by the lovely and talented Phil, but unless we had been able to take them from a helicopter (rides on which were available, by the way) you can’t possibly appreciate the scope of this event. Every field, every backyard, every parking lot in Hillsville was filled with glorious, delicious junk. I can’t wait to go back.
Amy Flynn Designs 
holy cow am i jealous!!!! I suppose you would need to bring a rolling cart or something to pull all your treasures from booth to booth.
Honey I am almost peeing my pants at your observations. The gun with the doll… but wait, isn’t that a bedpan to the left of them? Gotta love life and it’s crazy mixture of people and stuff!
Yup, you’re right, that’s a bedpan. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any classier…