Now as usual, that's not where we were headed when we started out. We were actually headed to Sharon Springs for the Fall Festival but.....along the way we saw a sign for Auriesville (the Auriesville Shrine, the site of the 17th century village of Ossernenon where three Jesuit missionaries were martyred). Neither of us had ever been, so we took a little detour and explored these beautiful grounds and attended the 11:00 a.m. Mass which was just about to start. But.....that's for another day, and another blog post.
By the time we finished exploring we found a little place for lunch and continued down the road. At Auriesville I had seen a sign that all the flowers had been provided by the Garden Bug....interestingly enough, a place recommended to me by my friend Maureen at the Speckled Hen. When I messaged her saying I'd seen the sign, she responded, "STOP....go back! You have to go!" Well of course I had to go! Oh boy, am I glad I did!!! Mark your calendars and plan your road trip because I'm betting by the end of this post, you'll want to go too!
The Garden Bug is located on Fort Hunter Road in Amsterdam, just a short ride from Saratoga or Schenectady. Housed inside a 100 year old barn which has been transformed from a working barn into a store, piece by piece, the Garden Bug is filled from floor to ceiling with all kinds of country, primitive and seasonal goods. I'm tellin' you - these shopkeepers like Maureen and Char (owner of the Bug with her hubby, Steve) know how to take items and put them together in such a way that you want to bring them home with you to decorate! Take a look..
Char and Steve were so warm and welcoming - even though the place was swarming with shoppers when we first arrived. Steve took us aside and told us the story of how the Garden Bug began 14 years ago with their 3 daughters wanting to go to Disney. "Sure", said Steve, but you'll have to raise some money and that money came with the help of their grandmother and the girls growing some pumpkins. Over time those pumpkins continued and now The Garden Bug is way more than pumpkins (of all varieties). In the summer their greenhouses are filled with annuals and about 3000 mums. Everywhere you turn is a delightful sign of fall....from colorful bows, pumpkins and gourds to country decor for inside your home and out.
You can click on each photo for a better look. Photos will appear larger and at the original quality. When you're finished looking, just hit your 'back' button to return to the blog.
Really should have gotten a few of these big gourds....might need to get back for some! |
The Garden Bug is full of warmth, charm and hospitality. Char and Steve are just regular folks who love their family, work hard, and are proud of what they have created. And they have a lot to be proud of! It's no wonder Steve was so gracious about sharing their story and their vision. I would be too if I created such a place.....a successful and beautiful farm store where the company is as good as the merchandise. If you're planning a visit, next weekend The Garden Bug will be having a Cruise-In Car Show on Saturday, September 26th from 10:00am-3:00pm featuring live music by Linda Mac & Country Memories and a chicken barbeque by Barbeque Delights. Both next weekend, September 26th & 27th and the following weekend, October 3rd & 4th, they will be hosting their annual Fall Craft Show & Festival with wagon rides, a bounce house, farm animals, a hay maze, corn box, crafters and more. If that's not reason enough to go, I don't know what is!
Borrowed this flyer from their Facebook page...... |
If you're lucky, you might even get to meet Hunter while you're there.....he's just as warm and welcoming as the rest of the family! In fact, he was so friendly, it was hard to get this shot. He'd rather hand out kisses than pose. A perfect gentleman and quite the charmer too!
FYI....we never did make it to Sharon Springs!
Visit soon and visit often......you'll be glad you did!
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