Holy Ghost Festivities

This photo is a jewel among my mother's collection of photos.
It is a quintessential symbol of the Portuguese Holy Ghost Festivals
held throughout California and in my island of Pico, Azores.  

The women join the traditional parade, carrying their baskets as you see here.
The baskets carry the homemade special occasion
bread: Bolo de vesperas.  Notice the handmade lace that decorates
the linens in each basket.

My mother would say that these women had hands of gold.
Hands that could make any thing and made everything with
perfection.