After only one full day at home, we packed up the van again and headed to Enumclaw, Washington for the Northwest's largest Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering.
We rented a cute, A-frame cabin in the Mt. Rainier foothills.
The evening we arrived, we went for a walk and saw lots of wildlife including a raccoon family and several herds of elk. One elk seemed very friendly and came right up to Noah, nosing his hand. It was exciting to see a wild elk so close until it started lifting its front foot as if to kick! Noah quickly got out of there! We decided someone in the neighborhood must be hand-feeding the elk something more tasty than the grass Noah had!
At the Highland Games, we enjoyed being spectators as well as participators. There were four stages featuring Celtic musicians, all manner of athletics competitions and piping competitions, more vendors than you could count, and plenty of food and ice cream! One of the best shows was the Seattle Knights. Their sword choreography was rather impressive and they were quite funny too!
The opening and closing ceremonies featured the massing of all the pipe bands present at the games. There must have been several hundred bagpipers and drummers all marching and playing together in perfect time. It gave me tingles!
There was an open-to-all talent night on Saturday. Of course, Mom and Dad pressed us to enter. So we sang Mairi's Wedding, a cappella.
Some members of the audience volunteered to be judges. They had to pick the winners based on the applause of the audience. We won fourth place out of a dozen or so performers. We even got medals! The host for the talent show was impressed with our singing and offered to get us in contact with the booking agents for the Highland Games. So, who knows? We may be on one of the featured stages next year!
For the harp competition, Janna played a required piece, Nancy Clough's March, and a choice piece she arranged herself, Hector the Hero. The judge was very impressed with her musicality and technical skill. He have her a raving review and first place!
There was a harp circle after the competition. Have you ever seen so many harps at once? Each harper played a solo or two and they played a couple things together.
Here is Janna with all the trophies she collected! Way to go! What a successful Highland Games!
After two hot days at the fairgrounds, we enjoyed wading in a nearby creek and taking time to relax! This is life!
On the way home, we made a super quick stop to visit our friends Jeff and Ashley B. and meet Kenwyn for the first time! What a delightful finale to our summer vacation!We came home to record-breaking heat in the Willamette Valley, which unfortunately, quickly drained all the refreshed feelings out of us! But we still have memories and photos!
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