Planning and preparation can carry you a long way in life, but only so far. That lesson was relearned Saturday when Mother Nature played havoc with the craft fairs in Hillsboro and Marion by serving up a unexpected dose of wet and cool weather. This kind of interruption surprised us after so many occurrences of decent-to-great weather over nearly four decades of the Hillsboro event. But the odds catch up with everyone, sooner or later.
The testament to the popularity of the fairs is the large number of committed buyers who came anyway and made significant purchases. Some local food vendors were caught ill-prepared for the weather switch, but on the other hand, several local stores and eating places enjoyed above-normal business.
So the 2007 fairs will be memorable, for better or worse. The stories and anecdotes it will bring to mind over the years to come will only add to the legacy of an enduring endeavor. And we will make our plans once again for the 2008 events, none the worse for the wear. ?DR
