The end without us.

October 24, Columbia.

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.)

October 24, Columbia (October 24, 2012, Ardmore, Oklahoma.)
Trick or treat at the circus.

Halo.

October 9, Columbia.

Just the morning sun falling on my winter hats, for an instant; then they blended back into oblivion to wait for their time.

What I miss (Looking back series.)

October 4, Columbia (August 13, 2010, Fowlerville, Michigan.)
The ducks.
Just kidding.

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.

Wonder.

September 23, Columbia.

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.

What I miss (Looking back series.)

September 9, Columbia.

The colors.

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!

What I miss (Looking back series.)

September 4, Columbia (July 31, 2009, Sagamore Hills, Ohio.)

The grace.

Toothless.

September 2, Columbia.

First big tooth down for Nicolas today.
Bread did it.

Long nights of summer.

August 29, Columbia.

We're having the summer we never had with the circus.
An uber-summer, all heat and haze and splashes.
The kids' school had a pool party tonight at one of those facilities with slides and sprays, this is our summer, the first week of school, it felt so good after a day in the non-air-conditioned car covering town promoting my business, after days of this, it felt so good, new friends there, carefree sunset in a cacophony of kids, rainbow kids, our school, up with a great party (and free pizza.)
Upper nineties and rising all week, reaching into the hundreds with the humidity over the week end, possible, but still no AC, it feels good to drink in the summer, barefoot on the wood floors, the smells and sounds as the evening freshness descends, memories of childhood summers in the South of France, pine trees and cricket songs and long yearning nights, long gone.
A late summer, vivid memories, the joy of my children making them.

What I miss (Looking back series.)

August 26, Columbia (Lucky Eddie and Miss Vickie, October 18, 2008, Smithville, Missouri.)

I miss my friends.

Summers.

August 24, Columbia (Looking back series - June 18, 2010, Charlestown, Rhode Island.)

We went to the beach today, right in the middle of Columbia, the lake at Stephens Park, there was a spray park too, and it all made me feel we were in the middle of the summer all over again, the summer we hardly had, what wit the cool weather and endless rain.
This picture was taken in Rhode Island, when we used to play there, staying a record of five days and having so much fun in the lake with the kids.

What I miss.

August 23, Columbia (Looking back series -October 1, 2009, Amboy, Illinois.)

Glory!

August 23, Columbia.

Back in the spring I threw a bunch of seeds in the ground at the foot of the porch, wildflowers and morning glory, wild dreams of prairie exuberance in mind. When we left in late May there was miserly leaves showing, promising nothing.
The morning glory is now greeting me every day, inching its way up the wind chime.
This just makes me happy.

New beginnings.

August 20, Columbia, Missouri (719 miles.)

We've arrived in Columbia. Fridman came with us and is leaving today. The trip turned out to be a great time together, I drove all the way so Fridman could get a vacation, no problems on the road, we stopped to grab lunch with our friends in Jacksonville on the way through Illinois, driving the circus route two months early, through Louisiana, Missouri, and on down to Columbia on Sunday afternoon, and we have to thank Tavana and Danny for suggesting we leave a day early because we would have hit morning rush hour traffic in the Chicago area on Monday morning and it would have been awful.
Fridman was there walking the kids to begin their new school year, to begin their first school year, and Nicolas has Ms. Rice, Dylan's first grade teacher, and Dylan has Ms. Ajans, whom I had met in the spring and really liked, so we're off to a good start.
It's warm and humid and the plants have grown into a jungle in some places, so I am happy.
And exhausted.
And fairly anxious, but that's to be expected.

All the circus pictures you've always wanted to get!

August 17, Skidway Lake.

Atttention all circus fans and all Mudshow Diaries fans!
Photo fans of all ages!
All the pictures you have enjoyed on The Mudshow Diaries blog over the years are now available for sale!
Prints will be made through the professional lab I use for my business:
5x7 prints are $15
8x10 prints are $20
11x14 prints are $30.
Gift cards, museum quality gallery wraps, customized prints and cards and other specialized photo products are also available. I ship worldwide, 24/7.
Just message me here or send me an email at valerieberta@vivelaviephotography.com. 
Thanks!

Time to go.

August 17, Skidway Lake.

We're leaving tonight.
Everything is moved and stored. Castro checked and tuned the motor home.
Town life, here we come again.

A trailer with a view.

August 17, Skidway Lake, Michigan (28 miles, Smar park.)

Laughs.

August 16, Au Gres.

Elisa always stops to play with Dylan and Nicolas when they are backstage and she is waiting for the cats to come out.
I'll miss her.
And the rest.