What’s New at the Market are the flowers, fruits and produce!  With the summer upon us, we are overjoyed to have the delicious, fresh options of Nash’s Organic Produce and The Family Farm.

The Vendor of the Week is Dennis Johnson of DJ’s Pens. Dennis makes pens; he also makes cork screws, bottle openers and letter openers.  He started about 5 years ago at the Sequim Open Aire Market.

Dennis tells me there is something special about a pen made of wood. He had bought one from a vendor at Pikes Place Market but lost it and then he lost another.  He would go down to Seattle just to replace them.

“I bought a cheap lathe and started making pens for myself,” Dennis said. “Then everyone said I should make more; since then I have bought more equipment, more lathes, bigger lathes, band saws and more.”

The wood comes from all over the world — olive wood fromBethlehem and woods from Africa and South America, as well as local Washington wood. The wood comes in blocks or as part of a log. Dennis drills a hole, puts in a brass insert and starts putting the pen together. Once the brass insert is in, it goes onto a lathe, starting with a gauge and then moving the sandpaper down to a very fine 800 grit. He finishes the wood and the pen is complete.

“This is a supplement to our income, and we keep growing bigger and bigger as we are going to bigger and bigger shows, selling more and more pens,” Dennis said.

What keeps him coming to the market? “I love the people at this market. The other vendors are friendly and the visitors are nice, plus there is lots of great exposure. People who come the market contact us throughout the year.”  

He also noted that this is where they started their business so our market is like home to them. He also has pens with insignia for each branch of the service.

His fanciest pen, I thought, were those with inlays.  There were inlays of salmon, roses and one with a bald eagle.  Some of the pens  do double duty, with one end a stylus and the other a pen. I really gained a new appreciation for a fine pen and a beautiful one from DJ’s Pens.

The music on July 13 will be the fantastic jazz band called Cat’s Meow. Come down from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for this free concert.

On July 20 we will have Silver and Gold, a duet singing a variety of Americana. In our Suzanne Arnold Community Booth, find Olycap offering information about the Senior Nutrition Program on July 20.