Weather witches win over doppler radar

[dreamshark]

Why did I ever doubt? Of course the weather was lovely for the parade and the ceremony afterwards. A little breezy, but not so much that the stiltwalkers were blowing over. Richard was dissuaded from bringing his usual trunk and a half of luggage, but did bring a bucket full of bubble machine with which to delight the children sitting on the curb waiting for the parade. The parade itself was the usual combination of happy kids, creative costuming and small marching bands, punctuated by the occasional jaw-dropping gigantic paper-maiche turtle or animated snail or whatnot. Richard was particularly taken with the multi-person jointed .... um, things. I don't know quite what to call them. Like floats except powered by multiple human legs instead of wheels, like the dragon in a Chinese New Year parade. The most impressive was a sinister-looking sewage-burping giant water pipe that was at least a block long. I was blown away by the Dire Wolf, which was off theme, but who cares when it's that gorgeous?

The theme was Water, but beyond that the story line was pretty murky. Universal Good was represented by clean water and cavorting schools of fish and frogs, and this year's Universal Evil was the Bottled Water Industry (a little weak as a villain, especially since so many of us were drinking bottled water that we had purchased at festival booths). In between came a lot of citizens dressed as water faucets, aquariums, bathtubs, toilets, and showers. I'm not sure if the parade of plumbing was supposed to be good, bad or morally neutral but it was different.

After the parade we followed the crowd back into the park and ended up in a lovely group picnic in more or less our usual spot on the south side of the lake. I skipped most of the ceremony, but I understand it was unusually dramatic this year, featuring spontaneous combustion of the old Tree of Life and a man that actually disappeared into the waters of Powderhorn Lake and reemerged as a giant turtle. I just dropped in at the end for the part where we raise the new Tree of Life and sing "You Are My Sunshine."

The picnic broke up about 6pm, and looking out the winter I see that the weather has returned to its earlier threatening pattern of lowering clouds and blustery winds.

Comments

Freudian slip?

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

"looking out the winter"

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

I added my 'calm down and warm up' vibes to the weather witches' so I'm glad that worked out.

I enjoyed the water dragon, and the fish flying above the tree tops, and the fish on roller skates, and the jelly fish! especially. It was a good parade. I always have a little trouble with the good vs. evil theme, though. I'm more into the balance of opposites thing and the love is the way, love thy enemy thing.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

John pointed out that the theme of the ceremony seemed to be "laying lots of water pipes pleases the little woodland creatures." The big bad water conglomerate didn't even show up in the ceremony.

K. [yes, the story there was even more than a little murky]

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Here's a great picture of my girls and Richard, with bubbles.

Re: Freudian slip?

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

*heh* Usually I correct my typos, but I think I'll leave that one.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

You're right, fantastic picture - of Richard, of the bubbles in various degrees of definition, of some of our other friends in the background, and of course of your girls. Thanks for posting it! I'll be downloading it into my family picture directory.

Something I should Do More Often

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

but don't, is say

Thank You

to Richard, just for being Richard.