Wednesday, April 02, 2014
Summons.
March 25, 2014, Nashville, Arkansas (Learning Center, 41 miles.)
Late call this morning and the kids are wide awake for the whole jump and it's a giant muffin for them and coffee for me at a gas station in Locksburg, population 711.
Down the street, on the high school announcement board, "God Bless." Separation of church and state comes hard in some parts of this country still.
Down the street, on the high school announcement board, "God Bless." Separation of church and state comes hard in some parts of this country still.
The mundane beauty of the Arkansas back roads in the early morning, again. Blinding sun, again.
Reading with the kids, French documentary children’s magazine for Dylan, school book for Nicolas. We have settled into Fridman’s quarters in the old shop truck, outfitted with bunk beds, one now a dinette table too, and a shower we share with Jason, a new recruit to the circus. It’s cramped and uncomfortable but we’re cosy. There is no toilet but I stopped at an RV place on the way down from Columbia to buy a porta-potty for emergencies and the kids. It feel alike old days when I came to visit Fridman on Carson and Barnes for the week end when they traveled through the Midwest and I was working as a photojournalist at The Jacksonville Journal-Courier.
Late call this morning and the kids are wide awake for the whole jump and it's a giant muffin for them and coffee for me at a gas station in Locksburg, population 711.
Down the street, on the high school announcement board, "God Bless." Separation of church and state comes hard in some parts of this country still.
Down the street, on the high school announcement board, "God Bless." Separation of church and state comes hard in some parts of this country still.
The mundane beauty of the Arkansas back roads in the early morning, again. Blinding sun, again.
Reading with the kids, French documentary children’s magazine for Dylan, school book for Nicolas. We have settled into Fridman’s quarters in the old shop truck, outfitted with bunk beds, one now a dinette table too, and a shower we share with Jason, a new recruit to the circus. It’s cramped and uncomfortable but we’re cosy. There is no toilet but I stopped at an RV place on the way down from Columbia to buy a porta-potty for emergencies and the kids. It feel alike old days when I came to visit Fridman on Carson and Barnes for the week end when they traveled through the Midwest and I was working as a photojournalist at The Jacksonville Journal-Courier.
The sun is up.
With the sun it feels like we're finally back at the circus, back home. The kids play outside after a quick reading session, then join Nathan and play ball and practice juggling; the grounds are neat and dry, I sit down with a book.
The jump went fast this morning despite being blinded most of it as we head due east on state highway 70. We get breakfast at a gas station right off the lot, donuts and croissants, bad coffee and an annoying door chime.
Same old.
March 23, Idabel, Oklahoma (corner lot, 41 miles.)
Same lot as always, beautiful in quiet way, except today it is also soggy, making for the usual slow parking ballet and attached inconveniences.
I stay off the lot so as to be in the way.
It is chilly, even though it would have seemed balmy just a week ago in Columbia, and maybe it is because I am away from what has become my home I feel unhinged, or maybe it's the chill. I feel a little sick all day and sleep for most of it, before going to see the second show. The kids are playing video games at Sammy's house, then at Nathan's.
The tractor trailers have left bug scars in the field, there is a pool of water by our door, good thing I thought of bringing the rain boots.
After the shows and Fridman's work hitching the trailers we go out to eat and find ourselves back at the circus at the Chinese buffet restaurant.
Same lot as always, beautiful in quiet way, except today it is also soggy, making for the usual slow parking ballet and attached inconveniences.
I stay off the lot so as to be in the way.
It is chilly, even though it would have seemed balmy just a week ago in Columbia, and maybe it is because I am away from what has become my home I feel unhinged, or maybe it's the chill. I feel a little sick all day and sleep for most of it, before going to see the second show. The kids are playing video games at Sammy's house, then at Nathan's.
The tractor trailers have left bug scars in the field, there is a pool of water by our door, good thing I thought of bringing the rain boots.
After the shows and Fridman's work hitching the trailers we go out to eat and find ourselves back at the circus at the Chinese buffet restaurant.
Goign down.
March 22, 2014, Hugo, Oklahoma (fairgrounds, 485 miles.)
I left Columbia a little after seven this morning. It was dark and cold. I had to stop at Lake of the Ozark to check the pressure on the tires after the light went off on the dashboard, scaring me, and kept stopping periodically throughout the trip to recheck them as the light came coming back on. We made it to Hugo at the end of the first show, at five o'clock, and there was Marcos' truck, and there was Tavana at the office door, and there was Rebecca as we made our way to the back, and the whirlwind of familiar faces in the mud and rain and the descending night.
I left Columbia a little after seven this morning. It was dark and cold. I had to stop at Lake of the Ozark to check the pressure on the tires after the light went off on the dashboard, scaring me, and kept stopping periodically throughout the trip to recheck them as the light came coming back on. We made it to Hugo at the end of the first show, at five o'clock, and there was Marcos' truck, and there was Tavana at the office door, and there was Rebecca as we made our way to the back, and the whirlwind of familiar faces in the mud and rain and the descending night.
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Carnets du Pérou.
February 5, Columbia.
Finally got around to putting together a photo album from our trip to Peru:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=257345761107835&set=a.257345644441180.1073741830.174081499434262&type=1&theater
Finally got around to putting together a photo album from our trip to Peru:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=257345761107835&set=a.257345644441180.1073741830.174081499434262&type=1&theater
Sunday, February 02, 2014
Thursday, October 24, 2013
The end without us.
Today was the last day of the 2013 Kelly Miller Circus season, the first season we're not an integral part of, the first season of our on-and-off the circus life, and soon our first year off too will reach its end. It has turned cold; winter is coming.
The loneliness of town life is grinding my bones, distilling its spleen; bitter, silent scream.
It is what it is, the kids, the cats, the dying garden, the loud house, and sometimes it can be happy.
What I miss (Looking back series.)
Trick or treat at the circus.
Halo.
Just the morning sun falling on my winter hats, for an instant; then they blended back into oblivion to wait for their time.
Sunday, October 06, 2013
What I miss (Looking back series.)
The ducks.
Just kidding.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Worms and all.
Columbia, September 24.
It was a good week end away from the circus, the outdoor classroom workday morning at the school going perfectly, weather included, and so many good people involved, a small community of sorts coming together for me in lovers of nature, slow food and dedication, taking roots; and then we headed for the farm, the University of Missouri Extension farm's annual event, and the kids tickled a cow's stomach and ate some worms.
It was a good week end away from the circus, the outdoor classroom workday morning at the school going perfectly, weather included, and so many good people involved, a small community of sorts coming together for me in lovers of nature, slow food and dedication, taking roots; and then we headed for the farm, the University of Missouri Extension farm's annual event, and the kids tickled a cow's stomach and ate some worms.
Wonder.
Intimations of godlike spirits in the unnerving perfect beauty of morning glory flowers. My friend Tiffany finds proof of her god in the intricacies of a flower whose name I forget, similarly beautiful.
I'll stop short but will always wonder.
Monday, September 09, 2013
Circus pictures on sale.
September 8, Columbia.
A reminder that all the pictures you see on this page/on the Mudshow Diaries blog are for sale.
Just email me or drop a comment!
A reminder that all the pictures you see on this page/on the Mudshow Diaries blog are for sale.
Just email me or drop a comment!
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
What I miss (Looking back series.)
The grace.
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