100 word minimum

Festive Sunday

At the St. Patrick's Irish Festival, St. Baldrick's participants get their heads shaved to raise money for children's cancer research. Drummers and bagpipers provide the background music.

Yes, we went to the St. Patrick's festival today, for the first time ever. This is an annual church fundraiser held in the neighborhood. You'd think in fifteen years on the Hill we'd have made it before now, but no. Mostly because a lot of the festival involves standing around drinking beer and we're not so into that. They have a few stages set up and different performing groups, bands to pipers to Celtic dancers. In Patrick Henry Park, a children's area had large, inflatable, bouncy things, kid's games, and all the best shade. There are also Celtic-themed vendors (we're still not Irish so the "Kiss me, I'm Irish" stuff is right out), fried foods, and a Ladies' Auxiliary Bake Sale. We saw free range nuns, guys in eighteenth century garb from the Patrick Henry speech reenactment at St. John's, and lots of guys in kilts. [Note to guys in kilts: The kilt is great, but don't pair it with a worn out, too tight T-shirt unless you are extremely ripped. Everyone looks good in clothes that fit.] Lots of newly bald people too. I hope they remembered to bring sunblock for their heads.

In other news, spring is really here:

Lovely cherry blossoms

Camellias too