I Got the Hippie in Me

After much deliberation, I forced myself to head up to Girdwood, Alaska today for their annual Forest Fair. I heard about it a week or so ago and told Scott I really wanted to go. I thought the trip was going to coincide with Nana's return trip home and figured it was perfect timing. It turns out the fair was a day later and Scott ended up having to work anyway.

I am often game for new experiences but when I have to do them alone, like most every other person in the world, I get a little apprehensive. I'd heard many interesting things about this event, and was expecting to get drugged  and end up in lala land by the time I left. :)

By last night, I decided I was going to go if it killed me. I really wanted to, I just wanted a grown person with me. Since I couldn't make that happen, I took the kids and off we went anyway!  The drive was beautiful, it was unbelievably sunny, unlike Kenai when we left. I just knew it'd be a gorgeous day and it was.

When we arrived, I was mesmerized. It truly was a 'fair in the woods'.  There were tents EVERYWHERE as we drove past it; as far back into the woods as I could see. I felt like I was headed straight to meet Robin Hood, if he and every one of his friends owned a canopy tent of course.

Right when we walked in, we spotted a stage where a guy was singing something I'd never heard before and kids were hula-hoopin'.  I'm not sure what the deal is with hippies and hula hoops but it looked like a blast!

Then we wandered to a little kid area so Cali could make something. They craft was designed to make necklaces but Cali had already noticed the many women walking around with their colorful fairy skirts and tiara's and things and she had other plans. She is a whiz with a pipe cleaner and got right busy making herself her own crown.

While she was hard at work I noticed the neighboring tent was offering a breastaurant. That was a first for me. I laughed more when I noticed the back of their sign was for the beer garden. I guess that's for later after the kids are fed.

I loved snapping photos through the day and was amazed at how colorful everything is when you put in a forest!

We walked further into it and found another stage where there were some Irish singers. They were dressed in costume and while I found them cool, the kids got weirded out and didn't like the music. They did love the assortment of food and even tried things new to us! Seriously, if you ever have the chance to try spinach bread, DO! You'll be glad you did.

While we were admiring the colorful people and all their skills, the kids decided they also loved all the signage.

Every kind of thing is painted on a piece of wood. If it's wood, it's painted and it's bright and pretty. Cori wants duplicates of two signs she spotted for her birthday. I'm not an artist but I'm gonna try!  We even spotted one to make for Wren's room.

Being up in the mountains, made for wonderful scenery.  There were many flowers everywhere and it appears hippies like them too.  Flower wreaths were abundant and lots of ladies carried bouquets of them which prompted Cali to pick an assortment for herself on our l-o-n-g mile walk back to the car. Why we decided to take the shuttle down but not back, I'm just not sure.

I am really glad I braved the hemp-loving, yoga-bending, incense-burning gathering called the Forest Fair. I made it out with all my wits and was still capable of driving us all home.  I did realize that everybody doesn't have to shower every day and hair doesn't have to be brushed; life goes on and people are happy just the same.   I bought a hippie bag the other day. Today I brought it with me, I think it was kind of a security blanket. I fit right in and you can't imagine how many people asked me where I'd bought it. I told them, then asked if they knew where I could get a hula-hoop. :)