Wednesday, June 25, 2014

A Give-Away and the Solstice Celebration!

I am really glad that good old blogger is behaving today.  I appreciate all the suggestions and I think I will look at other options for reading my blogs.
I was going through my charts the other day and guess what?  I had two of the same design so that means a give away.  If you would like Little House Needleworks, "Patriot Inn"  just leave a comment on this post.  I will draw a winner on Sat.  It is a great little chart to be stitching over the 4th of July.
Each year on the Sat. closest to the Summer Solstice, Poulsbo has a celebration.  It is based on the   Norwegian St. Hans Festival. Last Sat. was the actual solstice and a picture perfect day.  My DH, DD and I went to the festival.  I will let the photos speak for themselves.



 Preparing the Mai Pole.  Many homes have their own smaller poles decorated with greens and flowers. This is not the traditional May Pole.

Every thing Norwegian!

 They are supposedly very sweet dogs!

 The arrival of the dancers and musicians.

Many wore the traditional costumes.

 We all had to sit behind the green garland for the rising of the pole just to be safe.

 It is up! It took several men with poles and probably 10 minutes to get the pole up.

 There was lots of Norwegian dancing.

 We missed the lighting of the bon fire, we got too hungry!



 The perfect ending to a lovely day! I hope your solstice was memorable!

24 comments:

  1. i would love to see that! did you go and eat pickled herring? ewwww...just kidding.

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  2. Oh what a lovely celebration!

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  3. I would love the chance to win this chart! Please enter me.

    Looks like you had a great day!

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  4. Looks like a lovely way to start Summer! Thanks for a chance to win the pretty chart...

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  5. Thank you for the chance to win the cute chart. What a fun celebration, the girls are adorable!

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  6. What a wonderful day! I love LHN designs and how nive of you to give the extra to one of your followers!

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  7. looks a fabulous way to start the summer ... and two charts the same cooo how did you manage that ..lol glad to see that blogger seems to be working again now :) have a wonderful stitchy day :) love mouse xxxx

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  8. Not entering the giveaway, but what a cute chart for this time of year.
    Thanks for the pics from the festival, what a great idea.
    That's a huge Maypole!
    Marilyn

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  9. Looks like a great celebration :)

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  10. Looks like a fun festival! After a long winter, it's a great way to kick off the summer.
    I love patriotic designs! Thanks for the chance to win this chart.
    Carolyn

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  11. I love this chart! Count me in and thank you for the chance.
    The festival looks really fun. Those costumes are darling!

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  12. Sorry if this is a repeat.
    I would love the chance to win the chart.
    Gorgeous pictures!
    Have a great day.

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  13. Not entering for the giveaway, but just wanted to say it looks like you had a wonderful day.

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  14. How fun! We had 2 Norwegian Elkhounds growing up. First off Prince Fortinbraus Skoal followed by Trygve. They were both smaller than the dog you featured and darker colored. They shed like crazy and were experts at running away!

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  15. What a beautiful festival!!! How lucky to live so close to be able to take part in all the festivities!
    I would love to enter for a chance! This is probably a patriotic chart that I don't own. Thank you for the giveaway! Pam

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  16. It looks like a really fun festival--thank you for sharing the photos, Barb!

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  17. What a charming summer celebration, Barb! I love the little girls with flower wreaths in their hari :)

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  18. Your summer solstice festivity sounds very exciting. Thanks for all the interesting pictures. Here in my region they also have a solstice bonfire which is usually lit on top of a hill or mountain. Very impressive when it gets dark.

    Don't include me in the give-away, please.

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  19. Please enter me, I love it
    The festives look sooo fun and it's very interesting
    Thanks for sharing the pictures and chart

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  20. What a great day out! Perfect weather and a beautiful celebration!

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  21. Please enter me in your giveaway. I love the piece and you must have too, to purchase it twice! We've all done that at least once or twice. MK in IA

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  22. Thanks for sharing your wonderful day! What colourful pictures!

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  23. What a wonderful event! I love to see the children in their traditional dress.
    I have a Norwegian friend and have seen the dress she made for her grandaughter.
    Happy Summer :)
    Margaret

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  24. Barb, thank you so much for taking us to the Solstice celebration - it looks so much fun. I still remember being in Grade 5 in Primary School and learning the maypole dance - it was a lot of fun! (this is a late comment so I have missed the giveaway! Great pattern, though).

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