HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOOKSACK

I was at the City Park bright and early yesterday to start preparing for the big celebration.  I established a "command headquarters" for myself in the gazebo, and provided a table and chairs for the musicians to use while not playing.  I got to work washing down all of the picnic tables with bleach water.

Being me, I had floral arrangements on all of the tables.

One of the posters on display

 Here I am with my friend Char and Pastor Bob.  Bob provided the sound system as well as sang in the Barbershop chorus, the Bellingham Blend.

This is the historical display that was set up in City Hall.  There was always a crowd in here, going over the papers.  I did not get a chance to see them, since I was busy at the part.  However, I heard they even had the minutes of the very first meeting of the Nooksack City Council.

This handsome pair picked up passengers at City Hall about every 20 minutes.  They pulled a large carriage full of people on a tour of my farm.  My place is really the only place to go in Nooksack to see and experience what it might have been like 100 years ago.  With the Homestead house and the 100+ year old barn, along with the crazy turkeys and two mules who were very excited every time the horses came through, it was a huge success.

The highlight of my day was getting to drive the team on the tour in the late afternoon.  What a thrill!  It's quite a sensation to realize you have two very large and powerful animals at your control with just a gentle movement on the reins.  I was totally taken, and I'm thinking of taking driving lessons.

 Here are my two dear friends from the 'hood.

 Some of the crowd milling about.  Those men in the vests are part of the barbershop chorus.

 The food table.  We served 350 hot dogs and 336 pieces of cake.

This is the bluegrass group I found at the last minute.  They had never played together before, but they did a great job.  Thank you Hjardar, Jane, Jordan and Angus.  You were spectacular.

I will be getting many more pictures from others who were at the picnic, so I will be posting more in the days to come.  Today, at church, we are having a big potluck after services to welcome all of those former members who came "home to Nooksack" to join in the celebration.