Bellingham Highland Games

What a great experience!

The morning rain changed into sunshine by our noontime arrival at Hovander Homestead Park, formerly the nearly 350 acre farm of a Norwegian pioneer family, complete with a magnificent 60- foot high barn, seen above.

Fifteen pipe bands make a stirring, captivating sound, and the sight of so many men -- and some women, too -- in kilts, whether individuals or massed bands, added to the experience. Thanks to our photo-taking fervor, we were nearly run over by the massed bands, and I was torn between snapping photos as fast as I could and just standing stock-still and letting that glorious sound and the emotions it raises wash over me.

There were many tents sheltering vendors and clans, one of which had an excellent educational display, which included this information, new to me, and probably you as well!

We've never been to an event like this before, but now we'll be regular attendees, as we were both very reluctant to leave the enthralling sounds of bagpipes and drums today. Fortunately, many of the same bands -- from Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia -- will be at the Skagit Highland Games next month, and we'll be there too. And who knows -- maybe we'll hear pipe bands in Scotland someday!