FINALLY, the endless winter of 2013-14 has given up the ghost.  Snow shovels have been retired, boots have been packed away to make room for flip flops, and signs of life (tulips, daffodils, and irises) are popping up all over the place!  🙂

One of my favorite signs of spring, however, is this sign – “Garage Sale!”

Coming from the Texas Gulf Coast, I am not accustomed to garage sale seasons.  We had garage sales all year long.  Sure they may have slowed down during the “winter” while people redirected their shopping to the local malls for Christmas specials, but they never really went away.

In NE Indiana there is a garage sale season!  Who knew?!?  Granted it is difficult to stage a garage sale, much less get to one, when the roads are snow laden and the only vehicles out and about are the plow trucks; it just never occurred to me.  DUH!

I am soooo excited!  The first few sales have started appearing in the classifieds.  A couple community-wide sales have been held to kick off the season.

I now ask for all my change to be given in one dollar increments.  I am on the hunt!

I made my first purchases at the community garage sale.  I bought a bread machine for my daughter for $3.00, originally marked for $10.00, and a bread machine cookbook for my collection for $2.00.  I need one more bread machine for my younger daughter.  (I love hunting for others!)  I already have two myself, both garage sale finds, that keep us in homemade bread.  Yum!

Since I know there is a season and my treasure hunting is limited, I will be making the most of my opportunities.  I will accumulate enough treasures to keep me busy through the winter (AKA Garage Sale Off-Season) reimagining, repurposing, and giving new life to old treasures.

I will not be caught off guard this year!  Happy Hunting!  🙂