Lilac Festival 2011: Part 1 (Lilacs)

I went to the Rochester Lilac Festival with my mom on Saturday. We like to go together every year. They have a big craft show on the 2 weekends. Someday I will build up the guts to have my own booth there to sell my plush critters! But for now, it kind of intimidates me...although I have a lot of support behind me from friends and strangers alike who are encouraging me to just go for it!

Mom and I got to the Festival early. Her car had an appointment for an oil change, so I picked her up from the dealership around 8:10am and we got to Highland park around 8:30am. The place we always park wasn't even officially "open" yet, but the lady was really nice and let us in. All the craft vendors will still setting up, so Mom and I went to see the lilacs first.

I love that dress! It's my favorite summer dress! I actually bought it last year at the Lilac Festival. I have one more from the same booth (well, two, now that I bought another one this weekend), but this one, with its bright colors, is still my favorite.

Mom enjoying the scent of white lilacs.

It had rained all night the night before. The sky was still overcast and the air was still damp and it felt like it was ready to rain again at any moment. But it was perfect conditions for the scent of lilacs! The smell was wonderful! I know there are lots of lilac scented soaps and perfumes out there (there were tons at the vendor booths) but none of them ever capture really the real scent of a live lilac in bloom. (I actually really dislike flowery perfumes in general).

I have a memory of when I was on a walk with my girl scout troop, when I lived in Kansas when I was a kid. I might have been 6 or 7 years old. During the walk, I caught the scent of lilacs and exclaimed "It smells like New York!"... because I had memories of the smell from our old back yard in upstate New York. (I have strong associations with scents. For example: the smell of woodstoves "smells like winter" to me). I didn't realize that the "New York" smell was from lilacs. I'm not sure I even knew what a lilac was. All I knew was the smell. I think it's kind of funny that years later, I would move to a city in New York state that has a whole festival dedicated to the flower!

When I was taking the following photos, Mom said "It's too bad you can't smell pictures!"

I know...but the flowers are still pretty!

The previous rain was not only great for the smell, but it made for some beautiful pictures as well. I love the water droplets that were still on the petals!

Oh, how I love the Macro setting! It is my best friend because I love close ups!

One of my RNEST friends recently opened up a separate Etsy shop for her photography. After taking these photos, I've toyed with the idea as well. Although...I know SO many photographers. It seems like everyone and their brother is a photographer nowadays.

If I ever decided to do it, I would just need to find a good place to print them professionally (I'm not sure if it's acceptable to just get them printed at Wal-Mart!). I probably won't do it anytime soon though. Focusing on doing the plush is enough for me right now.

*Next post: "Lilac Festival 2011: Part 2 (Magnolias)"