August 12, Frankenmuth, Michigan (26 miles, River Place grounds.)
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Happy ending.
August 11, Flushing.
They found her!
Casey and Natalie's dog, Sue, was at the Humane Society all this time, which had probably picked her up within minutes of her wandering off. Casey went back to Ypsilanti to get her today.
They found her!
Casey and Natalie's dog, Sue, was at the Humane Society all this time, which had probably picked her up within minutes of her wandering off. Casey went back to Ypsilanti to get her today.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Patrick Berta 1963-1993 Shooting star.
August 11, Flushing.
My brother Patrick died last night sixteen years ago on the tail of a shooting star.
He was 29 years young.
My brother Patrick died last night sixteen years ago on the tail of a shooting star.
He was 29 years young.
Repeat, only better.
August 11, Flushing.
Same lot as last year with a fabulous wooden whoop, and this year Nicolas can enjoy it too.
Same lot as last year with a fabulous wooden whoop, and this year Nicolas can enjoy it too.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The guys.
August 10, Romeo.
Jaime is the chief electrician at the circus. Fridman calls him Antonio Banderas.
The guys on the crew have nicknames, this one is Pulga (flea, cause unknown,) there's Cuco, Teto.
Thick skin is required, but that they have, or they wouldn't last long in this life of daily pre-dawn wake-up calls and setting up and taking down of a fifteen-hundred capacity, fully rigged circus tent.
Lunch, a shower and they put on their bright red uniforms to go sell cotton candy.
Monday to Sunday.
The workload is gruesome.
I love their smile.
Wash.
August 10, Romeo.
The daily washing of the elephants is always a crowd pleaser.
Someone drove by in an S.U.V. and cried out, "Look Ryan, an elephant! Isn't that cool!"
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Trace.
August 8, Saline.
After the storm the day turned warm and exceedingly muggy. Courtney's makeup ran down her face as she came out of her web act. She wiped it away, leaving a trace.
Clouds.
August 8, Saline.
This morning Casey and Natalie were still there when I stepped out, when they're usually the first ones to leave. Their mutt had run away before they drove off and was nowhere to be found. They let her roam around free most of the time and until now she's always come back.
We waited a while then left. It would break my heart if they didn't find her.
It's stormy today.
This morning Casey and Natalie were still there when I stepped out, when they're usually the first ones to leave. Their mutt had run away before they drove off and was nowhere to be found. They let her roam around free most of the time and until now she's always come back.
We waited a while then left. It would break my heart if they didn't find her.
It's stormy today.
Beehive.
August 7, Ypsilanti.
There is always a crowd at Josie's, kids, family, jostling about, changing costumes, eating popsicles when it's hot, bouncing Max, dashing in and out, and Josie in the middle of it all, running errands, working away for the pie car that night, trying to keep track.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Little birthday girl.
August 7, Ypsilanti.
Dayesca turns three soon but the birthday party was today for the Rosales family, Patsy's parents, are here visiting from the Alain Zerbini circus and leave tonight.
He's back.
August 6, Sylvania.
Josie went and got Giuliano from his Dad last night. Somebody's happy.
Josie went and got Giuliano from his Dad last night. Somebody's happy.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
The girls.
August 5, Woodville.
All the circus kids were at the playground behind the backstage area; Yolanda asked for a souvenir of her girlfriends at Kelly Miller.
Then the girls rushed off to the finale.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Short nights.
August 5, Woodville.
We moved off the island last night and the backlog at the ferry was such that we didn't leave until almost one o'clock in the morning. We arrived here past two.
It was a long day, and an even shorter night.
We moved off the island last night and the backlog at the ferry was such that we didn't leave until almost one o'clock in the morning. We arrived here past two.
It was a long day, and an even shorter night.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Aerial act.
August 3, Kelleys Island.
The mayor of Kelleys Island agreed to take me on his two-seat plane to take an aerial picture of the circus for next year's program. Right before the end of the first show Nicolas fell asleep while eating dinner, Dylan went with Courtney backstage, and I went up in the sky.
It is an unusual setup for the circus (we are parked in the middle of the midway, for example, when we should be backstage, and the rest of the non-performers' trailers are beyond the midway, at an angle, when they should be set back a little on one side of the circus,) but it was fun to see it from above - that and the first Canadian island three miles away.
Circus nation.
August 3, Kelleys Island.
Min (far right) with her three children: "It's part of an American tradition of family gathering."
Kelleys Island again.
August 3, Kelleys Island.
We moved last night to the island via ferry. It would have been lovely by day, the way we did it last year, unfortunately this time we there last of lasts since Fridman drives the tire truck closing the circus caravan.
We got to the lot at midnight and all the welcoming crowds were long gone.
We met a lot of the circus at the beach, and so far it's even sunny. If it weren't for the four shows this would feel like a real summer holiday.
And, as always here, business is great. In many ways this is the high point of the year for the Kelly Miller Circus and all of us working for it.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Circus nation.
August 2, Lagrange.
Bob: "Animals. It's nice to see elephants and real horses and real things that we don't get to see much of."
Arrivals.
August 2, Lagrange.
Little sisters Priscilla and Jo arrived today. They will be with us for a month or so, possibly until the end of the season.
Yesterday Renzo and Zefta also came back after staying with their mother in Florida.
Little sisters Priscilla and Jo arrived today. They will be with us for a month or so, possibly until the end of the season.
Yesterday Renzo and Zefta also came back after staying with their mother in Florida.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Circus nation.
August 1, Richfield.
Mindy: "The circus means family fun to me. It reminds me of when I was a little kid and I 'd come with my parents."
Circus nation.
August 1, Richfield.
Erika: "As entertaining as watching all the performers it's watching all the behind the scenes people that's interesting."
Circus nation.
August 1, Richfield.
I started another project, asking families what the circus means to them and taking a snapshot of them.
Grandmother: "The circus makes me feel young again."
Three shows.
August 1, Richfield.
What a day.
Not only did the sponsor sell fifteen hundred tickets in advance but the circus was packed earlier today and the second show has just started with more people being turned away again, so management has decided to add a third one.
Let the good times roll. And it's finally summer, sunny and warm, and people are everywhere you look, pacing the backstage area, programs in hand, kids in the rides, at the playground, kids eating cotton candy, Mom and Dad taking pictures, summer at last.
What a day.
Not only did the sponsor sell fifteen hundred tickets in advance but the circus was packed earlier today and the second show has just started with more people being turned away again, so management has decided to add a third one.
Let the good times roll. And it's finally summer, sunny and warm, and people are everywhere you look, pacing the backstage area, programs in hand, kids in the rides, at the playground, kids eating cotton candy, Mom and Dad taking pictures, summer at last.
Crowds.
August 1, Richfield.
The sponsor sold fifteen hundred tickets, and a lot of people came out to see the elephants this morning. The show should be just like the rest of the season so far, surprisingly successful, with better attendance than last year, in spite of the lousy economy. During the Great Depression the circus didn't fare so well; the period heralded an end of the heyday of the traditional American circus.
Battery power.
July 31, Sagamore Hills.
An incident that could have been serious turned out to become instant circus kids folklore instead. Yolanda and Channing drank a milkshake tainted with a battery after Dayesca somehow found one and put it into the blender, unnoticed. The firefighters were called but nobody was hurt.
John Moss joked afterward that now the two girls would now go on and on and on and on.
An incident that could have been serious turned out to become instant circus kids folklore instead. Yolanda and Channing drank a milkshake tainted with a battery after Dayesca somehow found one and put it into the blender, unnoticed. The firefighters were called but nobody was hurt.
John Moss joked afterward that now the two girls would now go on and on and on and on.
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