Riverside (where St. Vincent's is located) and Avondale (where Rick and I live) together form the Riverside-Avondale Historic District.
RAP sponsors a number of events during the year, but the two Rick and I always enjoy the most are the Spring Home Tour and Luminaria in December.
On the Home Tour, there are usually ten homes that may have been recently renovated, perhaps are in the process of being renovated, or simply have some features of note worth seeing. It takes several hours to complete taking the tour. It's always fascinating to see what other people have done to their homes. Sometimes it's like seeing something amazing from Candace Olsen of HGTV's "Divine Design". Other times you think you've walked into a bad episode of "Trading Spaces". In any case, it's always interesting.
Luminaria takes place on a Sunday night before Christmas. At dusk, white paper bags are filled with sand and a lit candle and then line the curbs of the entire historic district. Tradition says the lights guide the spirit of the Christ Child to your home.
Our house is on a corner and it takes thirty-six candles to cover the property. Forty thousand luminaria light the entire historic district. People host parties in their yards, people from all over Jacksonville come to enjoy the sights. The business district is one block away and very busy. It's in the quiet beauty of the side streets with the unbroken lines of softly glowing lights that I get the most pleasure.
Chuck and Ron always host a Luminaria Open House that night. Walking home from it late at night is always a special treat. The streets are quiet, the crowds are gone, the candles are still glowing and the world seems at peace.
2 comments:
Hi, Barry
You have amazing stories and pictures. You also have the gift of writing just like you speak in person. I think we might all appreciate our lives more if we took the time to "journal" our experiences.
Barry, knowing God is in control and still in the Miracle Business helped me get through my journey with cancer. He gave me amazing peace and comfort. Keep Lookin' Up with that great attitude and sense of humor. Humor takes us a long way, too.
Blessings
Chall
Hi Barry, the Luminarias are beautiful. This is a very important tradition throughout the state of New Mexico (my mom and dad's home state). Las Posadas which begin on December 16 and continue through Christmas Eve (Noche Buena) represent the pilgrimage of Mary and Joseph. In Santa Fe, the streets and rooftops of houses are lined with sand-filled brown paper bags each holding one candle. On Christmas Eve the Luminarias are lit welcoming the birth of Jesus. It is really beautiful to see. Joe and I have put out Luminarias at Christmas here at our home in Salt Lake and we get comments from our neighbors saying how beautiful they are. We think they are too. Thanks for sharing your story and your pictures.
Love,
Maddie
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