Summer Solstice Parade

Saturday in the main little town Eastsound on Orcas Island there was a Summer Solstice Parade held at noon in conjunction with the regular Farmer's Market on the town square every Saturday in the summer.  Well let me tell you - this was an experience not soon to be forgotten.  The island has seemed to us a "bit off the grid" and this observation was surely confirmed with the characters in the parade.  The folks were throw-backs to the hippies of the 60's.  Some of them may have been actual originals but the rest must have been channeling their parents or grandparents.

The theme of the parade was "Gardens" so people were all dressed up as one vegetable or flower or another. Or they were decorated with actual vegatables and flowers.

There was a large - holding about 4 or 5 people - dragon that was sewed together out of different fabric.

Lots of people with decorated push lawn mowers led the parade followed by an asortment of folks playing various instruments or other noise making devices.  One lady had her dog all decorated up with daisies.



Everyone seemed to be having the time of their life. My favorite of all was the very tall sun person with an independed hand that was another person on each side.  People just walked out into the street and gave the sun a hug and the two hands closed around them and gave the people a hug back.  It was great and so appropriate for a place where seeing the sun was a cause for rejoicing!

I was fortunate to find a very fabulous Nativity - the only one they had at a booth selling all kinds of cute fuzzy animals made out of wool grown on their farm on the island. There are lots of artists that sell their work from their homes - pottery and yarns and woven items from ipacas and sheep. They just have signs out in front of their places that say open and you drive down their lanes to their barn or shop where they sell you art work or produce, meat or eggs from their farm.  We also bought a couple of old cedar shingles from the museum they were selling for firewood & collected some rocks & shells so Steve can help me create a stable for the Nativity that will remind us of the amazingingly beautiful San Juan Islands.  It will be showcased as this year's addition to the ever growing collection.  The ladies  who created it seemed happy that it sold to a "nativity collector" after Dad told them I had about 50 other nativities in my collection.

We have enjoyed out time on the San Juan Islands even with the cold and dripping weather.  There is one more day left - maybe the sun will show it's bashful face.