Yarrow Days 2012 (My third Yarrow Days, and first one living here.)

I actually choked up.  I was standing at the driveway with my daughters waiting for the parade when I suddenly realized that the very first time I ever set foot on the Ecovillage was about half an hour before the parade began two years ago.  I clearly remember getting out of the car.  we'd been driving for a long time and had no idea what to expect.  The first person we saw was a five year old boy.  "Folks are starting the parade!  We're all over here watching if you want to join us!"  And off my kids went.  We collected out baby and headed towards the action.  I remember even then knowing I was going to move here.  How many places can you move to that has its very own parade?

So much has changed.  So much has stayed the same.  I'm exhausted at the idea of changing out all the pictures on the website.  They are all so out of date!

What has changed the most is simply our numbers.  My!  We are a growing village.  It used to be that I was a newcomer!  And now I am considered an old timer!  And yet more neighbours will come.  More neighbours will put their own love and ideas into this village...

 and it will just keep getting better.  The kids will get older, and then they too will begin to shape the place we live.

They do it already!  A group of children actually succeeded in getting the adults to give them back a dirt mountain.  Two years ago Dirt Mountain was a pile of clean fill that was waiting to be used.  It was covered in weeds and the kids would spend hours digging and shaping it.  They would come home filthy and exhausted. Of all the things a group of kids could ask their parents for, a pile of clean fill seemed achievable.  So now they have a dirt mountain again.  At least until we start the next round of construction.

 This is a picture of my son dressed as a farm dog for the parade.  He has just realized all his neighbours are waving and cheering for him.  Two years ago he was barely old enough to grasp the concept of a parade.  Although I seem to remember he had no trouble at all catching candy.

After the parade the park next store becomes a market and stage area.  I have never seen so many families in the park at one time.  I recognize faces from all over greater Yarrow.  Every so often I bump into one of my cohousing neighbours.  We enjoy things separately, but it is sure nice to see a smiling face.  If you want to find at least one ecovillager- head over to the guy selling beautiful silk bohemian wear.  Not many of us bought much, but we all looked and admired.  I couldn't help feeling proud when my six year old select a pink and blue gypsy skirt as her Yarrow Days treat.  My son found an angry bird that a local teen had made of felt for his treat.  Millie chose cotton candy with help from the older two.  Of course they helped her eat it aswell.

Some of the ecovillagers helped out with the BBQ.  I think others worked security at the dance.  The whole weekend was fun.  It is the cutest, quaintest, little festival a city slicker like me could ever ask for.

And the parade floats still throw candy!  My kids were thrilled!