Shelby, NC Festival Day

Shelby is a small little town but they sure squished a whole bunch of festivals on the same day!

My first stop of the day was the courthouse where local artists had placed booths all over the lawn. There were about 30 or so artists or crafts sellers. Many potters, one wood worker who I bought a "finger top" from (for my nephew), a couple of quilters, lots of bead jewelry sellers, and a few artists from the local colleges. I was highly tempted by a hammered metal necklace with a semi-precious jewel but decided it felt a little heavy for my neck.

I was also highly tempted by one of the college artist's creations: he had hand built a wooden box with soft edges and beautiful graining, and had fit a very rough sliding lid on them made of hammered metal and "stuff" (some had weaving around the metal, some had fuzz, some had other bits of metal welded on). It was a nice combination of metal, wood and cloth-- very cool but not something I could probably travel real well with. Very very very tempting to buy it and put it in storage for my house one day. Alas, I resisted. Surely there will be art that speaks to me AFTER I settle down, buy a house, and start decorating (like in 1-10 years sometime).

Creating a border to the Arts festival was a closed street with the farmers market- it's first time opening for the season. There were about 10 stands with various items- many of them potatoes. I bought some coffee, some home made red wine vinegar, 1/4 pint of local honey (I've heard local honey can help allergies so I'll test that theory), and a pound of frozen ground beef. There were actually two stands selling frozen meat-- free range "family raised" meat products. We'll see if it tastes any better than Harris Teeter meat!

After dropping off my purchases at home (did not think the meat could stand 83 degree temps in a car), I headed to a festival only 2 miles down the road from the first festival: the Carousel Festival.

Geared to kids, with a $5 admission fee, it still lured me in because it looked pretty busy. There were a few craft sellers, a handful of food sellers, a handful of bounce machines, a cluster of spinning rides, a Carousel, a train ride, a pony ride, a Merry go round, a stage with local singers, and a fun house. There was also a "learning area" where you could learn about utilities and ride a cherry picker up into the air! This was one of the best small town festivals I've been to geared to families with small children. For me, it allowed a nice walk in the park listening to kids laugh and taking pictures of different rides. If the stage had been set so you could sit in the grass and listen, I may have stayed longer-- instead it was chairs set up in a parking lot. I have found that people will sit and listen to music more if they have grass and shady trees- what a wasted opportunity. I would have liked to sit and listen to the music a little longer.

I also ate a turkey leg. For those of you counting: 27 points. For those of you that know what I'm talking about, no I did not know it was 27 points until I came home and looked it up. For the record, it may have been worth every darn point.

Easter Vigil

My favorite mass of the year is by far Easter vigil, and it did not disappoint this year.

For the first 15 minutes, we awaited sunset and then blessed the candle that would be used on the alter throughout the year. Then together we walked into church, a candle lit procession, filing into the seats and standing throughout the prayers. Finally, we sat and for over an hour listened to scripture. The first was on the 7 days of creation, the second on Abraham and his attempted sacrifice of his son (a scripture that always makes me feel uncomfortable), then a scripture that I was less familiar with but that forms the basis of one of my favorite songs "though the mountains may fall". A few more scriptures that were vaguely familiar but interesting and peace-filled. The lights remained off with the shadows dancing around us as we listened to our stories. The children in front of me complained they "couldn't see" and the mother turned and whispered, "just listen- that's why the lights are off- just listen". It was nice, listening to scripture in the dark, unhindered by visual distractions or turning pages.

Then the lights came up in full gloria. We sang. We celebrated. Mass began approximately 90 minutes after arriving at the church. These next few scriptures were celebrating Easter and the resurrection. The rituals of standing, sitting, kneeling returned. The priest talked about how Mary didn't come to the tomb that first Easter morning because, of course, Jesus had visited her first before the disciples. It's not in the scripture, but of COURSE he went to his mom. He speculated what they talked about, or if they talked at all. He talked about how Mary had known even before Jesus was born what the prophecy had said. Blessed is the fruit of your womb. She took up her role as mother of the church that Easter morning. The fishermen, who had become disciples, became priests proclaiming the good news that morning. It was not just the resurrection- it was the moment Christianity began. It was not a small moment, in other words.

And in the church, after sitting for over an hour in the dark, then being flooded with the light and feeling joyous, there was an echo of how wonderful all of that light must have felt like to the disciples after 3 days of darkness.

Happy Easter everyone.