Sunrise at The Feast of the Hunters' Moon is a lovely time of day.
The grounds are stirring as folks are starting their day.
Sunrise over the Wabash is even more beautiful.
I always arrive early and so I get a chance to talk to friends, make new ones, and enjoy a bit of the Feast myself.
Lisa, Leslie, and Frank were out and about early, too. See my next door neighbor on the left? (In the red shirt.) He and his son cooked a variety of foods all weekend over their campfires, demonstrating to people some surprising things that could be cooked over a fire in a cast iron skillet.
Like this delicious, made-from-scratch-cooked-over-the-coals carrot cake that he brought me later in the morning! (I gave him some maple cakes to thank him.)
Lisa had planned to wear her robe a l'Anglaise but it turned out that I made a part of the sleeve incorrectly and that needed to be fixed first. She was so disappointed, but was very kind in her disappointment. I will try again after the Great Lakes Congress show is over later this month.
More strolling musicians came past my tent Sunday. This group is a high school orchestra from St. Louis. Their director was from Lafayette who grew up attending the Feast. As an adult orchestra leader, she teaches her students how to fiddle and then brings them out to experience and participate in the Feast.
Speaking of high school, an old high school friend, Darlene, popped in to see me. I had not seen her since we'd graduated!
Deb and her daughter Theresa came over from Illinois. Deb was a fellow teacher as well as Mountain Mama Jessica and Theresa's Girl Scout leader.
Anna used to live two doors down from me, and when we moved into our home, she was ten years old and came over and vacuumed for me! I'd just had three different surgeries on my left ankle before we moved in and was hobbling around in a cast and on crutches. What a sweet thing to do!
She and her younger brother Ian were especially fond of our dog, Zeus, and Anna was considered the Zeus Fan Club president as so many of the neighborhood kids loved him and would come visit him. (He loved them right back.)
The weather was beautiful and not quite as hot as the previous day, so the day was very busy.
Not only did this customer buy the black and red shirt she's holding (and I made the red shirt he's wearing last year), she gave me a custom order to make another shirt in a different size in the blue fabric.
Mackenzie and her husband are long time customers of mine. Not only are they wearing shirts I'd made, they bought one more and then put in a custom order for a second.
Friends Whitney and Jean are also long time customers and are wearing short gowns I'd made for them.
It's gratifying to sell something you have made, but when you see it being worn, you know they like it, and that makes me smile.
As they'd done the previous day, Lisa and Frank popped in periodically to check on me. My next door neighbor also brought them slices of that carrot cake to enjoy!
Of course, everyone got a free maple cake. (Or more... LOL)
Ian plays his new pan pipe while Vanessa, Lukas, and Mila eat their maple cakes.
After that, they headed off to see the sights and try some of the activities. Curt's family took on a high school group on the Cricket field and won!
Ian trained as a thief in Scoundrel's Alley (run by the Jarboes) and got caught and put into stocks!
I have no idea what card game this is, but I'd love to learn how to play.
Walking down by the Wabash. (The river is right behind them on the other side of that screen of trees.)
So many things to look at!
This is an ingenious 18th century workbench that can fold down when not in use.
It makes me happy that my family loves coming to the Feast and that the legacy begun by my mom continues on.
About an hour before closing, things calmed down enough that I could slip out and do some shopping. I headed straight to Eagle Talon Traders.
Owner Brandon has been a friend since the 1990s. He has a real eye for fabrics and is the best source for wool that I know of. I haven't known his wife Jessie for that long, but she has become a good friend, too.
After visiting them, I dropped by Mike and Phyllis Dotson's tent for a quick hello. Mike used to be married to another member of our family, but their divorce was friendly and we have stayed in touch. (He's a Hartland collector, too!) Then I hustled back to my own tent.
I got back just in time. My dear friend Brooke had stopped by to see me. This was her first year as director of the Feast, and that is a huge undertaking and heavy load. Lisa, Leslie, and I had put together that block print bag of some goodies for her to thank her for her hard work and support.
She also bought some of my clothes which is an honor but it makes me incredibly nervous as she is one of the best sewists I know.
When Brooke heard about the issue with the sleeve of Lisa's gown, she offered to help me fix it and confided, "I have made several robe a l'Anglaises, and I have yet to get the sleeves right the first time." (Thanks, Brooke. I needed to hear that!)
And with that, the 2024 Feast of the Hunters' Moon was over. Craig, Frank, and Lisa helped strike the tent and pack up, and I was home by 7:00 PM.
Tired, but also quietly content. It was a lovely weekend.
