Winter Solstice Festival

The Winter Solstice Festival was held yesterday, at the area around the hall opposite the Community Garden. This year we joined in with a stall of our own. A nice change not to have to cart stuff to a local market.

We had 2nd hand books, plants,seeds, birdhouses, and cakes I made last minute, and charging a gold coin donation for a tour of the garden.

Some Tour guides waiting.

 The tours were popular and about 25 families went through. One group was from 2AirFM gardening show and we now have another interview lined up sometime.

We managed to complete the archway on the Friday which looks fantastic. John and the boys put it up and I and another painted the writing which John engraved into the wood.

Men at work.

                                        

Our New Welcome Sign

 It didn't  start till 1.30pm and the evening light came quickly so apologies for dark photos. There was a Scottish marching band, and Scottish dancers.

Getting it all together

 A  jumping castle opposite and down from us was very popular with the kids.

 Behind the hall were some stalls and the medieval group had set up 3, full of wares and were wandering around in costume. A couple of food stalls and a plant stall.

 The rural fire truck came, and giving little kids a go of the hose all afternoon, just in front and down from us, enough so we didn't get wet,  and at 4.30pm they took the hose into the garden and we got a free watering.

Once night settled more people arrived, a drumming group played, games organized  and a bonfire was lit at the end. We didn't stay that late, the time we left was 6ish as very tired by then, just long  enough to pick up a sausage sandwich for dinner.

Fire Brigade lit and watched it. We collected the ash next day for the garden.

Today at the garden only 4 of us turned up. The plant stall had left plants for us to collect and it just about filled the polytunnel. All home grown from cuttings, and will do our next bank garden very nicely, and of course collecting all the ash and left over wood, which we will use for our little fire at home. A nice morning tea as well from all the left over cakes.

Hopefully we will  have some new members, from all this and we are now $134 richer.

 Till next time.