Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Main Street, Watseka.


August 31, Watseka.

A trailer with a view.


August 31, Watseka, Illinois (24 miles, grounds.)

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Routine.


August 30, Goodland.

A trailer with a view.


August 30, Goodland, Indiana (85 miles, community center grounds.)

Monday, August 29, 2011

Out-take (Nellie and Adrian.)


August 29, Chesterton.

Out-take (Cathy.)


August 29, Chesterton.

Out-take (Carolyn.)


August 29, Chesterton.

Salvage.

August 29, Chesterton.

The salvage RV places are eighty miles away near Elkhart but we go anyway, Fridman a kid in a candy store. He finds an awning for less than a third of its regular price, and Danny finds a truckload of other stuff for the circus fleet.

A trailer with a view.


August 29, Chesterton, Indiana (70 miles, Dogwood park.)

Gordo's big day.


August 28, Hartford.

Grand finale.


August 28, Hartford.

The Poemas gave their last party at Kelly Miller Circus last night.
Barring an eleventh-hour surprise, they are not going to be here next year, and so the big all-circus parties.
It was Gordo's tenth birthday.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Out-take (Arwen learning the malambo drums.)


August 28, Hartford.

Abyss.

August 28, Hartford.

In the grip of a nasty head and stomach ache for the last three days, only the abyss of sleep for relief. It finally lifted some time in the afternoon yesterday.
The fundamental joy of not being in pain, so primordial, as forgotten as breathing in the beat of our lives.

A trailer with a view.


August 28, Hartford, Michigan (74 miles, Hartford Motor Speedway.)

A trailer with a view.


August 27, Grand Haven, Michigan (61 miles, Harbor Island.)

Friday, August 26, 2011

A trailer with a view.


August 26, Howard City, Michigan (50 miles, ball field.)

Thursday, August 25, 2011

A trailer with a view.


August 25, Evart, Michigan (74 miles, airport grounds.)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Last night.


August 24, Manistee.

A trailer with a view.


August 24, Manistee, Michigan (54 miles, Seng's lot.)

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Umbrella.


August 23, Empire.

Empire.


August 23, Empire.

The beautiful little beach in Empire was windy, the sand lashing at your skin. It was crowded, people in the cold water.
The kids ran forever, into the surf, got wet, climbed high into a playground anchored in sand.

Family update.


August 23, Empire.

A trailer with a view.


August 23, Empire, Michigan (69 miles, Eagles meadow.)

Monday, August 22, 2011

A trailer with a view.


August 22, Grayling, Michigan (30 miles, fairgrounds.)

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Evening on a Saturday.


August 21, Lewiston.

The new tent, it is now official, will arrive in the next couple of weeks. The marquis has been here since the beginning of the season and we've been waiting for the rest ever since.

A trailer with a view.


August 21, Lewiston, Michigan (76 miles, elementary school grounds.)

Fall rain.

August 21, Lewiston.

Rain again today, and even cooler, an air of autumn.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

A better picture.


August 20, Oscoda.

The bag lady.

August 20, Oscoda.

Circus and personal news all in one: the recycling has been going stronger than ever, not because we're back in Michigan where you can get money for it, but because I've enlisted Jeremiah and even some of the Mexican crew to pitch in, brought them bins to collect the stuff, and they're actually doing it. I do the rounds to gather up all the recycling every day in between shows and for several weeks now we've had to find a recycling center almost every other day because the van gets so full. More often than not, as in Holly, it's the sponsor who helps us out by taking it all.
Father Notter came by again for a few days, and as I was picking up bottles and cans one evening he asked me if I was the bag lady. He then asked me about what to see in Paris, where he's going to accompany a sick friend in the fall.
Ask the bag lady from France.
Jokes aside, from the little that I know Kelly Miller Circus is the first and so far only circus in America fully committed to doing a small part to leave our world a little better every day. It's a modest part but I firmly believe it's an important one all the same.

A trailer with a view.


August 20, Oscoda, Michigan (55 miles, airport grounds.)

FlyingJ reunion.


August 19, Standish.

Days of summer still.

August 19, Standish.

Heading north on I-75, traffic getting thinner, the air cooler, days of summer to enjoy, already the leaves are turning around here, and the circus ponies are growing their winter coats.

A trailer with a view.


August 19, Standish, Michigan (75 miles, fairgrounds.)

Friday, August 19, 2011

Mass.


August 18, Flushing.

The river.


August 18, Flushing.

A day in Flushing.

August 18, Flushing.

The French bakery is still there, and so is the café next door, and we're still parked at the same location, by the river, and the whoop, and the gazebo, great town, great lot, great bread, a day full of straight happiness.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

A trailer with a view.


August 18, Flushing, Michigan (25 miles, Riverview park.)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A trailer with a view.


August 17, Holly, Michigan (55 miles, corner of Holly and Quick roads.)

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Backstage.


August 16, Westland.

Props.


August 16, Westland.

The baby.


August 16, Westland.

Curtain.


August 16, Westland.

No tent (continued.)


August 16, Westland.

No tent.


August 16, Westland.

Mess with the sponsor here and we sit pellmell on the small parking lot for a long time but before that I get yelled at by a lady cop with an attitude, threatened with a ticket and endangering public safety by idling in front of the court house, waiting for orders to move (they never came, I moved anyway.)
There is no tent, no aerial acts, Fridman does the rolla bola, for me it's time for a different eye on things.

A trailer with a view.


August 16, Westland, Michigan (10 miles, city hall parking lot.)

Monday, August 15, 2011

A trailer with a view.


August 15, Redford, Michigan (46 miles, Bell Creek park.)

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Farewell.

August 14, Romeo.

I left the lot at five thirty this morning with the rest of the circus and went over to park in front of the Whites' house. We had a lunch of corn picked in their four-acre back yard, hamburgers on the grill and home-baked brownies, the quintessential American meal to crown Julie's farewell.
I drove her to the airport on my way here in the afternoon.

A trailer with a view.


August 14, Romeo, MIchigan (86 miles, Lions field.)

The tree house.


August 13, Ypsilanti.

Chance meetings.


August 13, Ypsilanti.

We met Max at the Ypsilanti co-op, my annual health food store favorite, when he heard us speak French. Before we knew it we were invited to stay at his in-laws' house so that I wouldn't have to drive back from Romeo, some eighty miles north, to leave Julie at the airport tomorrow. We spent the afternoon in and around Detroit, then met the White family for the second show.
We ended up staying at the motor home on the lot so that Fridman could have a place to sleep, but went over to the Whites for dinner. It was such a perfect farewell from America, this beautiful family with sons and daughters spread out all over the world, France, Austria, the Philippines, this beautiful family full of songs and love and incredible generosity. They sang grace, and it was like a song from heaven.
Julie was enthralled.

The tooth fairy.

August 13, Ypsilanti.

Dylan lost his first tooth right before the second show.
He was scared, then excited to learn about the tooth fairy. He had loosened it yesterday playing with his legos.

A trailer with a view.


August 13, Ypsilanti, Michigan (52 miles, golf course.)

Friday, August 12, 2011

A trailer with a view.


August 12, Sylvania, Ohio (19 miles, Centennial and Brint roads.)

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Mike.


August 11, Point Place.

Dance.




August 11, Point Place.

Upside down.


August 11, Point Place.

The project.

August 11, Point Place.

I've been working on the Mudshow Diaries pictures project, shuffling images around, adding some, taking others out, and here is the result.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63140412@N06/sets/72157627411039118/

Out-take (it's all dust.)


August 11, Point Place.