Okay. This is gross. I mean seriously. I’m trying to write an email about trick or treating, but no, I’m tripped and tricked up over So, here I am walking around in Vista at what will be an unnamed retailer. I don’t think I should mention them. I had extended my trip a few extra days. If you’re like me I only packed enough socks and unmentionables for a certain period of time. Having extended my trip, I was tooling along nicely eating my salted, buttered pretzel that I had just purchased from the kiosk in the mall.  Through the ladies’ section, the perfume section, the shoe section, I went.  I blew by the Christmas section and found myself saying to myself, “I did not see what I just saw. There’s no way.” Backing up, my worst nightmare was confirmed. There I was October 16th, standing there in dismay. Is this really what we’ve come to? Are you excited about Christmas now? Revolt, refuse to buy Christmas at a 30% discount before Halloween.

I miss the good old days about Christmas, when everything was full priced until the day after. Remember those days? And then you run in the very next day and buy all your Christmas stuff for next year, only to pack it away in storage and forget you had it.

Things have changed here at High-Hand lately.

We have a new store for you to enjoy.

This is our new store in the back of my pickup truck. Introducing, just in time for our Fall season (I’m so afraid to mention Christmas season), the High-Hand Mercantile store.

High-Hand Mercantile store is just simply cool.

Vintage furniture, paint supplies, renew and reinvent. Artisan hand-crafted unique vintage gifts. Google that. Those search words should bring you right back to High-Hand Mercantile.

And now, the secret sauce..

The paint and supplies that drive the reinvent and renew movement. Stop by the store located in the fruit sheds and talk to Dori. Maison Blanche is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of extremely cool vintage furniture paint.

There you go.  Something new, something cool for the holidays. Now, if me saying “the holidays” slipped your mind into Christmas, I’m sorry. Pixelate the word “Christmas”, breath it out of your head and replace it with “Fall”. If you don’t know what I mean by that, contact your therapist.

What’s a Pumpkulent?

High-Hand Mercantile is holding class. Sunday, November 5th, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m, join us and create your own succulent topped pumpkin centerpiece. Pumpkin, succulents and all things necessary are included. Can’t make it November 5th? Well, how about November 12, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.? Mimosas and treats included and this is no trick. Cost for the class is $65.00, plus tax per person.

For November 5, click here to sign up.

For November 12, click here to sign up.

Seating is very limited, so don’t wait to reserve a seat to learn how to build a pumpkulent (pumpkin + succulent = pumpkulent).

And you thought we were done with pumpkins. Nope. Guess the weight of this award winning pumpkin and win a $100 gift card. The contest will run until the pumpkin rots away. We think Thanksgiving-ish. The winner will also receive a case of beer and my first newborn child. I’m just kidding about the case of beer. Actually, there is a surprise bonus gift.

So, there you go:

Fall is rolling along and so are the beautiful colors of our Japanese Maples. Come see the new arrivals. This is a great time of year to purchase Japanese Maples as they put on a show for you.

You can:

• High-Hand Mercantile store is now open for biz.
• Stay tuned for fun and upcoming, exciting, unbelievably cool new classes.
• Guess the weight of a very big pumpkin.

Fall is rolling along and so are the beautiful colors of our Japanese Maples. Come see the new arrivals. This is a great time of year to purchase Japanese Maples as they put on a show for you.

See you at High-Hand Nursery.

Scott