Folk Festival, Post 2

62°f/16.3°C, mostly clear. Small rain squalls passed through yesterday evening, a d more predicted for today.

Back to Glenville:

The old country store is one cool place for an antiques nut like me.

We actually have an old washer like this out in the garage. Not working, though.

We have a stereoscope like this one e in our booth, and sild another one last month. 

A young man discusses honey with an older guy. This was typical at Glenville---age differences made no difference as everyone there was into the oldtime ways and arts.

My friend Mack's books for sale. He was the festival president for many years.

Larry and I also found our way up the steep street to the old bank building for a photo shoot that will apparently make us look like old west Bank robbers or something. Can't wait to see that!

In the bank, such intricate ironwork, and look at that oak counter.

The photographer, appropriately attired, greets her next customers.

Around the corner, this fine door was on the municipal building.

The enormous city hall!

As I took that last photo, I saw a little face observing me. Can you see it?

After the photo session we went to see the quilt show. Wow!

My preference is the hand-quilted ones, so that's what I photographed.

This embroidered and hand-quilted presidential quilt was finished 1985, I believe, and ends with Ronald Reagan. Such excellent embroidery in this.

Then I went to the singalong sessions while Larry rambled around outside before heading to the van for a nap.  It was so much fun to sing again! The first session was gospel songs. Now, I don't really know any gospel songs, having been raised Catholic, but it was easy enough to pick up the words. I couldn't read the lyrics eitger, because our leader, Ginny Hawker, forgot her readers, so I lent her mine. I learned that I am quite a good lip reader. Might come in handy when my hearing starts to go.

After the gospel songs, the next session was  general, old-timey songs, and I was the only woman there for quite a while. It was a relaxed session, with different guys sharing a song. I sang an old ballad, Little Omie Wise, one I hadn't sung in years. Funny how it can come back like that.

The last session was similar but many more people came in. They had all been at the fiddle and banjo contests, I think. Val Mindel led this singing, and it was just wonderful, with lots of songs I had never heard before as well as a few old favorites. So many good singers there! Afterward, Val complimented my voice, which made me happy because I really wondered if I had lost my singing ability.

I finally left, regretfully,  since I knew Larry was probably getting anxious to go home. Had I been there alone, i would probably have been rolling in at midnight after watching the square dances, the evening concert, and then hanging around the jam sessions. Ah me. What do you do when one wants to go and one wants to stay? I wish I had someone else to go with, honestly,  because Larry usually wants to leave long before I do, and we miss so much.  On the other hand, I really enjoy doing things with him, and would feel guilty if he wasn't there. A conundrum. Do you have this problem with your mate?

We missed a lot actually, since the festival started Thursday night: a trivia contest, shape note singing, a spelling bee, the lumberjack and muzzleloader events, the whole hands-on crafts area, the Civil War encampment and related activities, and so much more. Next year we will be sure to get a room so we can enjoy more of what's offered. And I can stay up late and Larry can go to bed!

Today, Sunday the 21st, is my 7/th birthday, and Father's Day. This morning I asked Larry, since it was a special day for each of us, who was going to get up and make the morning tea and coffee? We both did, actually! It has been a busy day, no visits from my sons as they have the annual kayak trip with their Dad every Father's Day, but I heard from them and from many of our grandchildren. So nice. I spent thr day catching up housework, and sanding two big pieces of furniture. Yuck, but had to be done. Larry mowed and picked the peas, which i shelled and froze.

I guess it was an odd way to spend what should have been a special day, but then we had lunch at that nice place on the river on Friday, and yesterday just enjoying ourselves, so we did our celebrating early.  Worked for us!

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.