What a lovely day!
We started out for the Hindu Cultural Center in Madrid for Holi. Prior to seeing the event invitation online, I didn't even know we had a Hindu Cultural Center in Iowa. However, it is a beautiful place, and everyone was so gracious and welcoming. Every parking spot was completely filled out at their countryside home. The front plaza was filled with hundreds of members of the Holi community and many friends and visitors. As soon as my kids and I arrived, other kids surrounded them and helped them to join the fun of covering each other in the brightly-colored powder, and showing them how to cup it in their hands and then apply it to each other's faces and heads. Then there was an amazing lunch... and a delightfully long lunch line, which also allowed me to look inside the temple as I waited. The kids enjoyed the curries and rice as well as the Indian sweets!
Next, we headed to First Unitarian in Des Moines for the Central Iowa Transgender Festival, in which we also experienced wonderful hospitality and friendship from so many people, and got to meet so many artisans as well as advocacy organizations.
After this, realizing we wouldn't be back up to Mason City in time for me to make something for our potluck, we made a quick trip to Namaste grocery store for Ramadan iftar desserts, which was recommended to us from our new friends at the Hindu temple. We must go back again when we have more time, because we could have spent hours looking at all the amazing things they have!
Then we were on the way home again to Mason City, arriving just in time to change out of our Holi powder-covered clothes and into fresh clothing for iftar with our Muslim friends at our local mosque. I hadn't looked in the mirror, though, and our friends had a good laugh at the bright orange on my cheek.
Finally, droopy and with delightfully full tummies, we headed home to bed. After all, we have to be up early tomorrow for Easter!
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