Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Let the Carnival Begin!

In our little town, the town where I once taught for 27 years, retired, went away, and now return for another year at least... we have an annual summer festival. We call it Homecoming. Created in 1924, the purpose was to establish a weekend for festivities to coordinate the homecoming visits of the residents who moved away to follow the coal fields. We have a one hour or longer parade, queen contest, rides, funnel cakes, the best hamburgers in the world (so say the locals), and many more wonderful events. Today was the annual Homecoming Brunch, and I made little bookmark, scrapbook favors to give to everyone there... little print shop numbers with this year's theme and date. I just do not sleep at night... so at four o'clock, I decided to make these... Well received at our Brunch... We had several women there today who were either married or engaged during Homecoming many years ago... One lady made her husband bring her home from her honeymoon because they were missing it. My friend said when she took a group of students to Europe one summer, they were sitting in Paris, able to see the Eiffel Tower, the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and all the city of lights... The kids were simply crying that they were missing Homecoming... I have lovely memories of flippin' burgers (thousands, honestly.... thousands per day/night, of decorating floats, coordinating with others to create props for concerts, queens, even a show to beat all shows when my husband's family joined others who had immigrated to the area.. We took our babies on the stage and danced in German costumes in front of a huge ship with the theme, "Coming to America" (Neil Diamond style)... Babies on our hips, little cousins in leiderhosen.... Always a big Nashville act or two, a local baton twirler, and the proverbial square dancer... It's kind of a bittersweet time for me any more... It seems all tied up with my ex, my son's childhood, and my past. But I still love some of it.
Since sleep evaded me, I also made a banner for a couple who've been married 50 years (another of the Homecoming weddings). They are having a party and dinner in the Town Lodge on Sunday... I should have asked some of you who have made banners how to do this.. It was a little difficult to space the letters, to get them on in the right order and not backwards (I'm a teensy bit dyslexic, so I really struggle with stringing them on backwards.)... I think sixteen letters was too many for one string... But it's done, and it's delivered, and it's their problem on hanging it! My camera seems to change colors at whim... I need a lesson if photo retrieval, I think. Have a fun week. I hope it's cooler where you are than here. Although we did get a little rain tonight... So needed.





1 comment:

Terri Steffes said...

Gayla, these are adorable! I think these items look best when they are NOT perfect. Great job!