We are smack dab in the middle of one of the most eventful weekends in almost two years, y’all.
Yesterday morning, Tide Pool Coffeehouse and the new Salish Sea Yarn Co. (previously Enzo’s) opened the floodgates for people to circulate meaningfully through the upper area of North Beach Road. Wow, was it like the old days! I just stood out front, chatting it up with half a dozen passersby, filling the unwelcome gaps that had widened so uncomfortably inside of me during the isolated times.
Thank you, David and Katie Gaible, for working so hard to live out your dream. For someone who doesn’t even drink coffee, I hadn’t anticipated how much my emotional health would immediately benefit from the re-opening of a coffeehouse.
My family then set off for Orcas Island Winery’s Solstice Mercantile – kind of like this year’s replacement for the Annual Holiday Artisan’s Faire at the Odd Fellows Hall. What a turnout there was! How we all needed a feeling of sparkle, conversation, and normalcy while brushing past each other to peruse myriad wares. Purchasing items was secondary to getting outside of our familiar four walls at home, at least in my mind.
With no time for tarrying, we headed back into town for the beloved Library Tea. Many thanks go to the Friends of the Library for bringing back this treasured community festivity, reimagined with bags of tea and cookies to go. It was made complete by the musical accompaniment of Tre Voci – cellist and librarian Holly King, violinist and music teacher Pamela Wright, and violinist and physical therapist Scott Heisinger in his trademark red and green Christmas suit.
Then it was time to stop in the American Legion’s Annual Holiday Bazaar, with its traditional vendors and comfort foods.
An hour of downtime gave us a chance to go home and eat something besides goodies before gathering in town again for the Annual Tree Lighting (and cookie snacking) at the Village Green. It’s the one thing our family has never attended in the past. I don’t know why. But I wasn’t about to miss it this year.
Oh, how lovely it was. It didn’t matter that the Orcas Choral Society was masked and muffled – it was a beautiful thing to see hundreds of people converging, communing, and falling silent and still to listen to the songs being sung. I’d venture to guess that it was one of the largest turnouts in a long time. How we all need these reasons to be together. Sadly, we had to leave early, but I imagine a lot of people’s holes were filled as the evening progressed until it was dark enough to light the big tree.
Today, the activities continue. Winners of the 2nd Annual Funhouse and Island Market Gingerbread House Contest will be on display at the front of the store for everyone to see. Last year’s entrants made phenomenal creations worthy of big-city competitions, so I can’t wait to see what the kids and adults of this island have dreamed up this year.
Then from 3-5 PM, the Annual Children’s Holiday Market will be held at the library. Way to go, library folks, for hosting yet another merry, creative event. Kids of all ages make the most amazing wares and goodies to sell on tables throughout the building for $10 or less. If you haven’t gone to this in past years, you need to go today. It’s jaw-dropping to see what these kids come up with.
I’m beyond thrilled that even more things are on the horizon.
We have tickets for our first movie at Sea View Theatre in 20 months – The Rescue – a second-chance opportunity since the first sold out during the film festival.
The Actors Theater of Orcas Island is turning the Grange into a New York City radio station for performances of It’s a Wonderful Life from December 9-12.
And what do you know, the sun even came out yesterday.
My calendar and my cup runneth over – for the first time in a long while.
You can also find this on the December 5th Sun Days column on The Orcasonian.
Ouch! Although I enjoy your columns, Edee, I was disappointed at your comment about the Orcas Choral Society being “masked and muffled” at the Dec. 4th Village Green Christmas Tree lighting concert. I don’t know where you were standing, but others who were closer to the stage told us (I am a new member of the OCS) that the singing was clear and as full as when the OCS was twice the size as it is now. I believe the acoustics out on the green are not great at any time, so am not sure masking made much of a difference.
In any case, it is noteworthy that the OCS is the only larger music group on Orcas currently active during theses pandemic times. The OCS made careful safety assessments in order safely make music again, including requiring verified vaccination of all musicians and masking and distancing at all rehearsals and at the concert yesterday. (Readers no doubt recall the many news articles near the beginning of the pandemic about a Mt. Vernon choir’s rehearsal that tragically led to many Covid infections and several deaths.)
I think the OCS should be congratulated and appreciated for providing live holiday choral music at this all-island event, and for the extra effort that went into making it reasonably safe and possible.
So a different way of making your comment might have been something like: Seeing the Choral Arts Society singing in masks was a reminder that we are not out of the pandemic yet and must adhere to safety precautions, but it was a thrill to hear live singing of holiday songs!
Thank you considering my comments. Also, wonderful photo of the OCS in the performance shell!
Oh goodness, I didn’t mean to imply anything negative. It’s just the simple fact of having to wear masks. We in the audience absolutely loved it. Everyone fell silent because it’s been so long since we’ve gotten to enjoy it; because I think it struck a needed chord in us all to sing together. While it was muffled, it was wonderful. I am thankful that you all value the safety of each other and your audience.