What is Brimfield? Brimfield is the largest flea market/antique sale/yard sale in the country.  It is held for an entire week 3 times a year - May, July and September - in Brimfield, Massachusetts. The market covers acres of land from one end of Rte 20 in Brimfield to the other.  The fields on each side of the road are covered with hundreds of large and small tents within which are every imaginable item for sale.  In addition, there is a food court with abutting picnic tables so a quick lunch can be purchased without interfering too much with your looking and shopping. 

Now,you might ask, "What is so special about the Brimfield fair?"  Basically it is a treasure hunt! Or as my good friend, Patty, calls it - Mecca!  You can find anything in Brimfield!  Anything that is antique, collectible, reproduction, oddball, one of a kind, architectural, traveled down memory lane.  To give you an idea of what is available  for sale, here is a list of my purchases over the past 8 years:

• A large wooden chest with a company's name on the side from the first half of the 20th century that I use as a side table
• A full complement of old billiard balls which I put in a black bowl as a decoration
• An egg incubator complete with a small propane tank to keep the eggs warm and special glasses to monitor the incubation made in Ohio , my home state - with legs on it so I use it as an endtable
• A beautiful brass Buddha head from Asia that sits on a coffee table in my living room
• A large ceramic glove mold to add to my hand collection
• A plate shaped like a chicken with indentations to hold deviled eggs
• 6 reproduction FiestaWare plates that I use for my everyday dishes
• An 1800's pitcher I use as a flower vase
• Odd shaped small ceramic balls used for manufacturing that look like baby potatoes that are in a bowl in my kitchen
• A block of wood with an iron shoe mold sticking out of it I put on my back porch
• 3 old flour and seed bags that I stuffed and turned into pillows
• Old sheet music that I framed and hung on the wall in the TV room
• A bracelet and necklace made from mah-jong tiles
  
  And that's not all, but you get the picture.  Brimfield is heaven for someone like me! 
  
  Now if you decide to go to Brimfield you will be totally overwhelmed the first time you go.  You won't know where to begin! I felt that way the first time I went 8 years ago.  But,  Brimfield is about relaxing, taking  your time, wandering from booth to booth, looking at the things that interest you and ignoring the rest. There is really so much to see that I don't believe anyone can see it all in one day.  
  
  Here's what you bring with you when you go to Brimfield: water, fanny pack, backpack, granny cart (you can buy one there if needed), suntan lotion, hat, light cover-up, money, credit card, lots of time and energy.  
  
  Here's what you don't bring to Brimfield: children, dogs, time constraints
  
  So, go and enjoy!!!  Brimfield isn't for everyone, but if you like to dig for treasures, have a collection or two, enjoy antiques, watch The Antique Road Show, then hop in your car - Brimfield is open until Sunday, May 18th!!!
  And, if you miss this one, get ready for July!!!!!

Real Estate Hint #8 - When you begin your search for a new home, contact a Realtor in the area that you want to move to and have them set you up on the automatic daily e-mails from Multiple Listing Service.  Tell the Realtor the parameters of your search i.e.  towns,price range, number of bedrooms so that you can see houses that come on the Market, change price, or sell.  Don't give the realtor too many parameters or it will limit the computer search and not allow you to see the majority of the homes. For instance, don't limit the style, the exact square footage, the size of the yard, etc. unless you are not willing to compromise on one of these criteria. Looking online at a lot of houses will allow you not only to see what you might purchase, but will also teach you about the market as a whole.