Sometimes, shopping finds you

Retail is a sport you can play on all sorts of fields. I didn't plan to shop when I went to idllyic Skytop Lodge in the Poconos this weekend.

But shopping found me, smack dap in the middle of a sylvan 5,550-acre resort. (Here's a view from the rooftop observatory.)

My husband and I were headed out on a picnic stroll around Skytop Lake on a blustery Saturday when Dale realized he had forgotten his cap -- and this really was a hat-wearing kind of day. (As your mother probably told you, up to 30 percent of body heat escapes through the scalp.)

Fortunately, the first station of the picnic stroll was near an Orvis store on the resort's grounds. (Yes, Skytop is home to its very own Orvis, one of my favorite outdoor retailers.)

Dale popped into the store. And there among the rods and reels was a great selection of hats and a helpful sales staff. He chose a natty Fedora-style hat trimmed with a band of quail feathers that he plans to wear for a long time. (After all, it's waterproof and crushproof.)

Five minutes later, Dale was back on the picnic stroll, warmed by his hat, a cup of tasty oyster stew and by the compliments of fellow picknickers who asked, "Hey, where did you get that great hat?!"

Skytop also boasts The Tulip Tree, one of the most thoughtfully stocked gift shops I've encountered in my travels. In addition to traditional souvenirs, the shop sells the sort of items that can instantly fill out a hastily packed suitcase -- and at prices that don't take advantage of the guest's dilemma. One mom dashed in to buy mittens for her two little boys. Dale bought a pair of quality swimming trunks for $22. My hat (and Dale's) are off to the folks at Skytop.