Nothing says “Sunday” like a stroll down the charming row of an outdoor market!

On Sunday, July 05th, the Delta Bay Foundation sponsored the inaugural “Sunday Market” on the grounds of Park Delta Bay.  Set beneath the towering old trees in the park’s common meadow next to the clubhouse, tennis courts, and pool, a gravel road along a strip of marina parking provided the perfect place for visitors to peruse the wares.

Vendors ranged from a local stained glass artist to a knitter who presented beautiful baby blankets and shawls.

Robin Pack (l) and her cohort and friend, Pattie Whitaker.

Robin Pack showcased shortbreads, brownies, crisps made from local fruit, and more.  Pack is an online baker who lives in the tiny house community at Park Delta Bay.  Pack’s business is “Love By The Dozens“.  Pack, a retired teacher who moved to the Delta from Marin County, delighted customers with her impeccable tiny-house-baked goods.  She also does online ordering for delivery.  Pack specializes in fresh ingredients, including herbs grown in her tiny garden and local fruit from surrounding merchants.  “I want my customers to know what you can do with in-season produce,” she explains.

Pattie Whitaker showcases lavender delights by Melissa Stolte.

Displayed with Robin Pack’s baked goods, the lavender-scented and infused products of Melissa Stolte made a refreshing addition to the Sunday Market fare.  Stolte makes lavender candles, lip balm, soaps, and even hand-sanitizer.  The delicate fragrance soothes under  a pillow as a sachet, or in the home by way of a lit candle.   Pack, Whitaker, and Stolte live just steps from each other at Park Delta Bay.  They combined their creative energies to build a beautiful display.  (Rumor has it that Whitaker might reprise her lovely hand-strung bead bracelets for future Sunday Markets!)

The abundance of creativity in the Delta also finds a home next door to Park Delta Bay at Sprindrift, where Tracy Holcomb lives and makes her gorgeous stained glass pieces.  Holcomb recently taught herself stained glass work but showed herself to be an adept creator.  Her pieces sparkled in the Delta sunshine.  The eye-catching moons, hearts, dragonflies, and feathers twirled in the afternoon breeze.  Holcomb’s pieces found an eager fan-base at the Sunday Market, selling so rapidly that her supply dwindled by late afternoon.

“I know what I’ll be doing for the next week,” she laughed.  We certainly hope she meant making more stained glass!

One of the more unique displays came down from Marin County.  Michelle Oga makes doggie accessories such as collar bandannas, and puppy-themed items for dog-owners.  Her masks and hand-sanitizer cases coordinated with the little scarves for cute canine critters.  Oga works as an admin at the Marin County Shelter, where she deletes in matching dogs to new homes.

“It’s gotten challenging in this pandemic,” she noted.  Oga was joined by her mother, who helps makes the totes and other fabric creations.  Oga will likely be returning to the Sunday Market for the first Sunday of the month, since she comes a bit farther to participate.  Though a Marin County native, Oga has roots in the Delta:  her father hails from Lodi and spent the afternoon visiting his family there while Oga sold her wares at our Sunday Market.  We hope she returns!

We found jewelry and driftwood-art creator Melissa Fink working part-time at Delta Bay Kayaking, headquartered for the first time this summer at our own Delta Bay Marina.  A quiet lady with a lovely smile, Fink spent the day making new creations (one of which might have gotten scooped up by the park’s roving reporter).  Her clever and innovative signage and beautiful beads make welcome gifts or a delightful treat for yourself.  Visitors and vendors alike marveled at her painted rocks, pendants made from pine-cones, and hand-fired beads.  Fink will return to the Sunday Market in coming weeks.

Rounding out the line-up of vendors this past Sunday, Melanie Azevedo Lewis brought delicate hand-crocheted baby blankets and knitted shawls.  “I made them from scrap wool, all during the lockdown period,” she explained.  Azevedo Lewis spent her last two decades of work as an administrative assistant to the Chief of Police in Manteca, where she lives.  She talked about the knack of color combination and pointed to unique patterns which just seemed to work.  (It’s entirely possible that your roving reporter might also have bought a shawl to add to her collection.)    The machine-wash, low-temp-dry acrylic yarn felt like silk or wool.  Her baby blankets would make beautiful gifts for parents-to-be, so we hope she has more scraps and (dare we say it?) that she has to stay home just a little bit longer to make sure she has more inventory for a future Sunday Market! Azevedo Lewis will likely return on the first Sunday of the month.

We cannot recap our first Sunday Market experience without mentioning our local first responders from the River Delta Fire District.  On hand to meet the citizens whom they serve and entertain the children, these brave men and women warmed our hearts with their humble natures and sunny smiles! We are all grateful for their service and doubly thankful that they brought their rigs to display at the Sunday Market!  Watch for news of an upcoming fundraiser which we hope to organize for this wonderful service to our community and the  firefighters to whom we owe so much!  Having them on hand perfectly rounded out our first #SundayMarket.  We expect them back on the first Sunday in August.

The River Delta Fire District Sunday Crew

The Sunday Market is planned for every Sunday in July and August.  It will be held at Park Delta Bay RV and Tiny House Resort, Sundays from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Watch the Delta Bay Foundation and Park Delta Bay Facebook pages for updates; and follow Sunday Market on Facebook.

The Delta Bay Foundation is a California 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit, founded to promote the preservation, conservation, and people of the Sacramento-San Joaquin California Delta.