Summer Solstice Wedding

Today we participated in a LOVELY Summer Solstice wedding - quite a contrast to the 'harp in barn' wedding a couple of months back! The sun blessed us by staying out for the whole afternoon, & family & friends had come from all over to witness the blessed day.

The setting was a lovely 'park like' back yard of a local home, the Grandmother's place! The bride & groom are actors in New York, & they chose varied elements from their upbringing & heritage.

The wedding dress was 'vintage,' having been worn by the bride's mother, aunt (officiating) & other gals in the family. The blessings ranged from traditional Catholic prayers, to Celtic & Cherokee (they choose me for the musician after reading that I have the same heritage on my website!)

The soloist will join the Metropolitan Opera company in the fall - what a gorgeous soprano voice!! We met Sunday afternoon to go over a SIMPLE accompaniment to her pieces (Mozart & Mahler) & a trio singing the 'wedding blessing of Juno' from the Tempest. Friends, family members & the bride & groom did readings, including a spectacular performance from Whitman's Leaves of Grass (by a fellow actor) & a piece from the 'love story' play where Melanie & David first met, by a young actor friend.

At the end of the service, they 'jumped the broom' to honor older handfasting traditions, & rode off in a carriage drawn by a handsome horse!

I LOVE the opportunities I have to participate in such unique services!

McMinnville Farmer's Market

This Thursday I'll be playing at one of my favorite summer events, the open air McMinnville Farmer's Market!
The Downtown Association coordinates booking vendors & musicians, & does a fine mob of making this a fun, well organized weekly event for 20 weeks. The Market opened a few weeks ago, & I've stopped by to pick up pepper plants from 'Simon,' a HS boy who grows a great variety of peppers for the home garden, & stop by my friend Kate's Herb booth.

McMinnville's market is well known throughout the valley, with vendors coming from the immediate area & from out of County. Produce fresh from the farms, jewelry, soap, honey, herb plants, meat, cheese & eggs from naturally farmed animals, fresh flowers, & representatives from the Native Plant Society & Garden Club . . . the list of this year's vendors is posted on the DTA site.

One of the features is weekly music, & I've played harp at the Farmer's Market since 2003, always a fun event! This year I'll be at the Farmers' Market: Thur, June 10from 1:30-6 PM.
This year, there's a seperate weekend market in the 'Granery District,' between 5th & 8th Streets. This market began in the fall, & is open year round, with a slightly different complement of vendors. Both markets are a great way to see your friends, buy some fresh produce, locally made jewelry, soap, & eat some great food.

Come on by!