A Full Weekend.....

This last weekend was a crazy one...too many activities packed into too few hours...and too little sleep.....
For a few years now my kung fu school has been asked to participate in the Boulder and Denver "Parade of Lights"...night time events which start the cities' "holiday" season. The one in Denver was first...on Friday night. Not having been a parade participator in my younger days...doing so at this stage of my life is sort of...strange...but is also a lot of fun. It's an amazing feeling to be walking down the middle of a four lane street...with thousands of other participants of every bent and ethnicity...fire throwers...belly dancers...clowns...nativity floats...marching bands...german dancers...Japanese taiko (drum) players...and of course our nine person red and yellow sea dragon...flanked between students carrying large school banners and our percussion musicians....of which I am often one...learning the many sounds and moods of cymbals and gongs... The Denver course is about a mile and a half...with no breaks to warm up cold or tired hands holding the banner...dragon or instrument. I'm not exagerating that after playing the cymbals for over an hour...in the cold...my hands were stuck in that position for a good three or four minutes after the parade was over and I could finally release my grip from the "handles."
The sidewalks are packed full with people of every size and age...waiting for hours...in the freezing cold..to watch the wonders passing before their eyes. The dragon...twirling...teasing and flirting with the crowd...is always a favorite...and elicits many hoots and hollers...
The Boulder parade was Saturday night...and although smaller and shorter...is just as exciting...and cold...and has special meaning since it's the school's "hometown" parade.
Packed in between these two events...my daughter and I participated in a weekend craft fair in Nederland. It had been a couple of years since we had set up a booth at one...and we saw many people...some not seen in years...acquaintances and fellow crafters...long time locals and newcomers selling pottery... jewelry... photographs...soaps...healing salves...and much more...each one someone's treasured creation waiting to be shared and taken home. Regardless of whether the fair is "successful" for the vendors in terms of how much is sold...there's always a great amount of trading which takes place at these events...a "perk" and highlight as important to the artists as any other reason for participating. Having sold...traded...or given away... many many pieces at such events over the years...it held special meaning for me this weekend to hear quite a few people tell me that they still had...and loved...one of my beaded pieces. Likewise...my home holds many beautiful and cherished items brought home from a mutually pleasurable trade transaction...or two... This weekend...I was given three wild turkey feathers..which I had been looking for... to bead... and which are hard to come by these days for some reason...by a generous young man selling photographs in the booth across from ours. The gift touched me deeply...and made me remember...that the spirit of goodness and sharing is alive and well throughout this season...despite what are sometimes appearances to the contrary.... Another highlight of the fair was the live music...christmas and otherwise...which we were treated to by local musicians and singers...who braved the freezing cold and snow to share their talents...and give us good memories to reflect on in our day to day....................