|
Sunday, May 24, marked the 3rd anniversary of the Women's Festival out at Thyme Garden, east of Alsea, Oregon. The setting was beautiful and the weather exceptional. Thyme Garden is a wonderful place to step away from the hustle and bustle of life and to settle into the beauty of nature. When visiting there, one can choose to leisurely walk through the herb garden or take a magical stroll along the Alsea River, or in the case of yesterday, visit the 40 vendors who had set-up up shop. We arrived early in the morning as the dew was beginning to soak into the ground. It was a bit cool with the promise of a very warm and sunny day. I shared a booth with Maureen Frank, the mandala lady whose 12 mandalas are sprinkled throughout my book, “The Soul of the Heart” . As is customary with Maureen, she set up a community mandala for folks to add their artistic flair. By the end of the day, the mandala was complete and represented a beautiful collection of all the folks who had contributed to it. It reminded me that each of us leaves our very special imprint on this planet and that we are each needed to make the perfect “whole”..however long we are on this earth. I loved the opportunity to be out in such a beautiful setting, to smell the different herbs, feel the warmth of the sun, visit folks I had not seen for a long time and to make new friends. Though it is called the Women's Festival, there were plenty of men who attended and who seemed to fully embrace the experience. This year all of the vendors were in one area of Thyme Garden. This created a close knit community of folks who came together to share their passions and expertise. Folks gathered who may not have had the opportunity to meet one another. It was lovely to witness people intermingling and acquainting themselves with their neighboring vendor. The festival ran from 10 am until 4 pm with a beautiful closing ceremony. During the closing, we were blessed with a Native American who chanted his sacred prayers, and with my dear friend Madge who brought her beautiful community drum and other instruments for folks to join in and play. As the day came to an end, the various vendors began taking down their booths and loading their goods into their cars. Maureen and I were one of the last ones to leave. I love arriving early and consciously closing the day with gratitude and deep appreciation. In ways it was difficult to leave this beautiful setting, yet I also felt refreshed and renewed. Ready to step back out into the world with clarity and a warm feeling in my heart. I am truly blessed. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites       |
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
It was a beautiful day for my first experience with the Womens Festival.
I enjoyed meeting you and the other vendors and do look forward to next year.
What a beautiful garden and such great hosts!!!
Cecile
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites