These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Friday, July 04, 2008

I Love A Parade!!

You know, parades in cities are great. They have lots of floats that are very cool, decorations that border on or are professional. The bands march in step and do fancy routines, and the Shriner's on their ATVs do slick tricks, weaving in and out with each other. But I love a parade in a small town so much more!

For one thing, you see people you actually know in the parade! I don't mean the big stars or the local big wigs. You see folks that you talked to yesterday at the market, or who stopped in at the Gallery this morning just to say hello, or someone you're having lunch with tomorrow. And you also see what the community is really made of, the grist of the population presenting their patriotism in whatever way they can. It's not a cross-section, a representation of the population of the county. It IS the county population!!

Don't forget to click on any picture you want a closer view of.



Gail and I got there early enough to set up our chairs in the shade right across from the Gallery. It was a good thing to be in the shade, because it got hot before the parade was over. The crowd is beginning to gather.











The Color Guard, followed by a tribute to the Unknown Soldier.















































The Lincoln County Sheriff's Posse. Very active in this rural community.













The Humane Society always makes a showing. Gail chided me not to look because I'd be bringing more home!













And this guy suddenly pulled his handler out of the procession, dropped at my feet, and I wondered if I was supposed to take him home!! We finally figured out that he was hot and the shade felt good. Fortunately, we were only about 1/2 block from the end of the parade route.











It's summer, and I'm guessing families are out of town, because there are just 5 band members and the director! Of course, at its fullest, I think there are probably just 15 or 20 members!! We definitely do NOT have 76 trombones!!

Hee-hee! Now you're gonna have that tune in your head for hours!!!!









See?? Someone I actually know! Told ya!!
















Yay!!!!!


The other party was represented also, but I didn't bother with a picture. :)











Some of the obligatory horses, these with buggy in tow.















This horse was decorated with stars. There were others with glitter, with decorative "boots," with manes or tails decorated with various things.













And after all the horses were past, along came the pony-pooper-picker-upper!!














Oh! Oh! Oh! Someone else I know! Miss Lincoln County is my neighbor, daughter of one of the local artists. She's a very pretty girl, excelling as a student, very talented musically and artistically. Just graduated from High School and is sure to take the world by storm, as she is a go-getter!










Well, OF COURSE!! You don't think we can have a parade without Smokey Bear, do you?? Man, he has to be sweltering in that costume. Uh, excuse me, that fur pelt!













A local family even had their own float. There were family members on the float and walking, too, all in grass skirts, "Hawaiian" shirts, and other tropical attire. These girls did a hula in the street, and they were very good. See Dad at the right side of the picture? He was carrying their music (little bitty boom box!)!!! LOL!!










The float from the above, released bubbles as it went by! Who doesn't love bubbles???















This truck, pulling the float by the local chapter of the 4-H club, made us wonder if we needed to jump up as we went around the corner toward us!

The girl is waving to be sure they throw her some candy from the float.











The driver gave us a big grin and wave as he pulled past us ..... yeah, rather close!!! I'm thinking he was having a chuckle about how big our eyes got! LOL!











We really liked their float, a tribute to fallen military personnel from our county in all the wars.














If you click and enlarge this you can see a bit of the tributes, the names in the "wall." Very cool for these kids to do such a moving remembrance of those who have given their lives for our freedom.

Remember ..... Freedom isn't "free."











Walking behind the float was a girl pulling this "tank"!! Ice coolers were frequently visible today!! Many of them were passing out cold water bottles or cups of ice as they walked along! What a great idea!!













A better pic of the "tank."














Just before I snapped this, Uncle Sam, here, had the "Vote" sign upside down, almost dragging on the ground. I'm thinkin' he was tired!!













Well, now, look! This is a rural community. We are obligated to having some John Deere in the parade!!














Not real sure what this truck is, but it's here because Gail and I were getting really tired of the sirens and loud horns on the various emergency units being blown. You'll need to click on this and enlarge it to appreciate it. On that rack about mid-picture is a little girl around 8. She had her hands over her ears the whole time we could see her!! But look again .... she is crouched immediately over the horns which were incredibly loud, the loudest in the parade, I think!!!!!

I hope by her next birthday, she learns to move away from the offensive noise!!! LOL!



All the local fire departments were represented, about 8 of them, I think. Most are volunteer. If I have a fire, this is the department that is most likely to respond. I'm between this one and the one in Nogal, but this one has several units.......











..... Nogal has just a couple, and could spare just one for the parade!! LOL!













Now, I have lots more pictures, but I'll stop here. This is plenty-enough! Linda was driving a pickup truck pulling the float for the local artists group, and I was so involved in being silly waving at her that I forgot to take her picture!! LOL!!

Yeah, I love a parade!

12 comments:

  1. How fun. Looks like you guys had a good time.

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  2. P.S. I need a pic of Sam soon....you haven't posted any pics of dogs in days...are they still wearing their helmets?

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  3. Caroline, we did have fun. Sam has been a bit camera shy the last few days. I'll see what I can com up with. You need to see what I just posted!!

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  4. Oh, yes, they are still in the collars. They're supposed to have them on till Monday, but they appear to be healed, and I'm probably going to take them off soon.

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  5. Looking at these pics made me want to live in a small town...awesome!

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  6. That's fun! Thanks for sharing those pictures. We always think we should go an do fun things like parades, but usually by the time we think about it, it is late. Love the pony poop picker upper--even the decorated bucket!

    Small town parade equals fun. I think we may go to a pow-wow this summer when we are in WI. That will be fun.

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  7. Great parade...I felt like I was there!!! I haven't been to a parade in Way Too Many Years....and I love how covered up the "pooper picker upper" was!!! lol!!!

    As for the Adopt a Pet sign....and then the dog coming to your feet...I'm going to start calling you Dr. D. (Dr. Doolittle!!).

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  8. Julie, I've been here almost two years, not a really long time, but sufficient to know if it was a faze. It's not!! I still love it here for the daily life, not just the novelty.

    Beans, I was dying to know who was in the picker-upper disguise, but no one around me knew!

    Yeah, they are fun! I like pow-wows, too. Have fun, yourself!

    Sherry, we were talking about two things that are very fun that we tend to use kids as excuses to do .... parades and the zoo! At my glorious age, I no longer bother with the kid-excuse!! Of course, I never did, really! I've always been a kook, uh, make that young at heart!

    That dog was just so hot, and I was most happy to share my shade with him! His handler said that next year she is going to carry a small bowl and bottle of water to give her dog a relief along the way, and I agreed with her. It's a short parade .... I think the whole of the main street is about 8 blocks .... but that sun can be miserably penetrating. Dr. D, huh? OK, I agree that dogs seem know a kindred soul when they are around. I'm certainly one. :)

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  9. Daisy, they are the best, aren't they!?!?!?

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!