August 17, Port Austin.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Pierrot le Flaco.
August 14, Holly.
With Nellie away Adrian dresses Flaco up for the act and brings him backstage.
The Poemas.
August 14, Holly.
Nellie has been gone a week now; Adrian has the whole family in his care.
Before the Risley act in the second show he and Cathy helped Gordo get ready while he and Mariana bickered.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Steve.
August 13, Fowlerville.
The ducks' names are Ralph (almost white, foreground,) and Norton (background.)
They are five-month-old crested ducks Steve got in Hugo.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The heat.
August 12, Ypsilanti.
The heat and humidity are relentless, it doesn't even cool down at night, but we have nothing to complain about as it is hovering around a hundred and ten degrees Farenheit in Dallas, where Sheyla arrived this week for a short stop in her circus season.
The heat and humidity are relentless, it doesn't even cool down at night, but we have nothing to complain about as it is hovering around a hundred and ten degrees Farenheit in Dallas, where Sheyla arrived this week for a short stop in her circus season.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Patrick Berta, 1963-1993.
August 11, Redford.
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.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Hot and hazy.
August 10, Plymouth.
The day started out humid and hazy and grew worse from there.
Two years ago there were lines all the way into the parking lot in this town; this time around I doubt anyone will show up and I hope I'm wrong.
Department of road signs.
August 9, Wixom.
Leaving Stockbridge this morning, under the sign for the sign for the local park on the main square, a sign with an arrow pointing right after "HELL." Further on outside of town: Hooker Road.
Leaving Stockbridge this morning, under the sign for the sign for the local park on the main square, a sign with an arrow pointing right after "HELL." Further on outside of town: Hooker Road.
Monday, August 09, 2010
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Listening intently.
August 8, Stockbridge.
Looking forward now to Sunday morning drives, listening to Speaking of Faith, and the simply beautiful, lush Michigan landscape of summer completed the mood today (year after year on our circus road I grow fonder of Ohio; it is such a beautiful state, and so is Michigan, although much less diverse; and so the Midwest landscape keeps winning the heart of my eyes.)
Last week a conversation with Rachel Naomi Remen soothed my anxious soul, full of my children's woes and worries; this morning's conversation with environmentalist and writer Bill McKibben enlightened me, delighted me and scared me but left me a better person, again, as any true learning experience will.
Ms. Remen's magical final words on the show:
"The most important questions don't seem to have ready answers, but the questions themselves have healing power when they are shared. An answer is an invitation to stop thinking about something, to stop wondering. Life has no such stopping places. Life is a process whose every event is connected to the moment that just went by. An unanswered question is a fine traveling companion. It sharpens your eye for the road."
Looking forward now to Sunday morning drives, listening to Speaking of Faith, and the simply beautiful, lush Michigan landscape of summer completed the mood today (year after year on our circus road I grow fonder of Ohio; it is such a beautiful state, and so is Michigan, although much less diverse; and so the Midwest landscape keeps winning the heart of my eyes.)
Last week a conversation with Rachel Naomi Remen soothed my anxious soul, full of my children's woes and worries; this morning's conversation with environmentalist and writer Bill McKibben enlightened me, delighted me and scared me but left me a better person, again, as any true learning experience will.
Ms. Remen's magical final words on the show:
"The most important questions don't seem to have ready answers, but the questions themselves have healing power when they are shared. An answer is an invitation to stop thinking about something, to stop wondering. Life has no such stopping places. Life is a process whose every event is connected to the moment that just went by. An unanswered question is a fine traveling companion. It sharpens your eye for the road."
Sale.
August 7, Brooklyn.
If last year was the year of the garage sale traveler, this year is becoming the year of the library sale traveler.
There were all sorts of activities going on in this small town today (a new town for the Kelly Miller Circus,) a "Dog Days of August" dog parade, a carnival (shiny sleeper trailers roaring by,) and an outdoor fair, but it had to include, right there among the shops' displays on main street, across from the dog contest ("The dog is from Phoenix. Are you from Phoenix?") a two-dollar-a-bag library book sale.
What can I say, there is still some space in the rear left-hand corner of the truck.
If last year was the year of the garage sale traveler, this year is becoming the year of the library sale traveler.
There were all sorts of activities going on in this small town today (a new town for the Kelly Miller Circus,) a "Dog Days of August" dog parade, a carnival (shiny sleeper trailers roaring by,) and an outdoor fair, but it had to include, right there among the shops' displays on main street, across from the dog contest ("The dog is from Phoenix. Are you from Phoenix?") a two-dollar-a-bag library book sale.
What can I say, there is still some space in the rear left-hand corner of the truck.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Friday, August 06, 2010
My son's eyes.
August 6, Sylvania.
Dylan decided to have my camera yesterday. He was in and out with it around his neck for the longest time and wouldn't put it down, being four years old; in the end he came back with fifty-three pictures.
Here are some of them.
He's out with the camera again right now.
I fear the best.
From top to bottom, Under the table, Trailer patio, Fridge art.
Same old.
August 6, Sylvania.
Same lot, same laundromat, same laundry.
Also, revisiting old garage sale streets, and finding some necessary stuff, for a change (hence late blog duties.)
Same lot, same laundromat, same laundry.
Also, revisiting old garage sale streets, and finding some necessary stuff, for a change (hence late blog duties.)
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Saying goodbye.
August 5, Point Place.
There were tears and lots of hugs as Zefta said goodbye to her friends this afternoon.
When she joined the circus back in Hugo she didn't know Cathy, having only heard about the Poema family, but they hit it off the first time they worked together, training for the elephant act.
With Mariana in tow they soon became inseparable.
Advance sales.
August 5, Point Place.
There were over two thousand tickets sold in advance in this town, and the sponsor had volunteers guiding the crowds coming in to see the raising of the tent this morning.
It should be a good day at the circus.
There were over two thousand tickets sold in advance in this town, and the sponsor had volunteers guiding the crowds coming in to see the raising of the tent this morning.
It should be a good day at the circus.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Zeft, almost gone.
August 4, Gibsonburg.
Zefta, Renzo are leaving tomorrow with Christian and Luciano.
I had planned to take pictures of Zefta for a long time, and here she's going and I have done nothing. Next year she'll be another person entirely.
When I caught up with her late in the afternoon she was hunging out with Mariana.
Mariana' and the elephant.
August 4, Gibsonburg.
Mariana rode the elephants for the first time today.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
An adventure (scare and all.)
August 3, Kelley's Island.
Another visit to the ER, this time spiced with having to take the ferry back to the mainland and spend the night on a Walmart parking lot.
The good thing is Nicolas is fine, and the Little Sisters came with us, making this new ordeal not only lighter for me but an adventure for the kids. We all slept in their van, after stopping for the promised fries, which arrived to much jumping around, despite the late hour and endless wait and bitter medicine. We took the ferry by day, twice, sunset light and foggy morning.
And in the end it was only a bug and Nicolas got a really expensive double dose of Tylenol.
But better safe than sorry is the motto on an island with no doctors and no ferry service during the night.
Monday, August 02, 2010
Kelley's Island, spoiled by kids' illness.
August 2, Kelley's Island.
Dylan has had a runny nose for a couple of days so I was expecting this.
His cough got a lot worse, it was unbearable on the way over here last night, and today it's a full-blown asthma attack. Sara saved me with her nebulizer, as Gigi suffers from asthma too.
Because one is not enough, Nicolas started running a hundred-and-three fever yesterday and we haven't been able to stop it; whenever the medicine wears off the fever rises again.
I was up all night, a repeat of the night before.
Not much Kelley's Island yet then. The beach today was nice but soon cut short; Nicolas didn't want anything with the water and pretty soon started feeling too hot again.
Sunday, August 01, 2010
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