Yesterday I went over to the Community Center early (7 AM) to help set up for our parade. Already it was a scene of complete chaos! The folks in charge had already pulled a couple of all-nighters and were relying on a constant stream of coffee and donuts to keep moving. Bless their wired and stressed-out hearts.
This gentleman belonged to our town’s most prestigious citizen. She was there for the flag raising as I suppose she is every year.
While a group of elderly vets struggled to raise the flag, I watched a girl in a tree next to the flag pole.
“Look at me person!” she said. And then she disappeared. Or did she?
Can you see her? She’s almost as high as the top of the flag post (upper right).
If I zoom in you can see her now. Wood Nymph! That’s what she was. Once up there, she would not come down. Unlike the flag. The vets got it up once, poised for photos and then wandered off in search of the pancake breakfast provided by the Cub Scouts. Next thing we knew, it crashed to the ground. Luckily the Search and Rescue team had a booth nearby.
Here are some other snaps of the actual parade.
A group called The “Funeral Band,” I think. It was hard to hear the announcements over the din of the crowd. Plus, the announcer himself must have been 200 years old.
Also part of the Funeral Band.
This young lady knew how to dress for the occasion.
As does she!
Hopefully this was not the Funeral Band!
“Okay. I’ll pose. But only because this is so boring.”
Poor old Lady Liberty teetering on stilts. Bless her heart. Bless all our hearts.
Saying nothing in particular 
The stilts would scare me too! I spotted the girl’s face in the tree right away. If I hadn’t, I probably would have struggled, as I often do when there’s something I’m looking for in a distracting background. The parade looks great! I would have enjoyed it.
I could never do the stilts either – or climb high in a tree! Heights have always frightened me. There were a lot of dogs but getting pictures of them without getting their owner’s somewhat less attractive legs was really hard!
A lot of work, but a lot of fun too xx
Oh yeah. Those volunteers were having a blast. It’s all amateur so there’s never any real pressure! Good enough is good enough!
Do you remember the tattoo artist and part time prostitute in Bagdad Cafe? She ended up leaving the Bagdad team. They asked her why and she replied, “too much harmony”. That character would have never made it in your town. You, on the other hand, would have done nicely at the Bagdad Cafe. Duke
I haven’t seen that movie in quite awhile! I’m sure the girl was probably related to one of the volunteers as it was 7:30 in the morning. Far too early for a pre-teen to voluntarily be awake on a holiday. I pointed her out to the “official” photographer for the event and she said she was being paid to photograph the same old folks she photographs year after year doing the same old thing and that “sometimes” she takes pictures of kids and dogs. Ah well, I tried.
The posing dog looks sculptural!
I like that kind of dog and yes, he or she did look quite grand!
The tree climber-photogrpher sounds like a chip off the old Jan block.
I wasn’t that into tree climbing but she did look like a bit of a rebel.
Great photos and your descriptions definitely added to the fun. 🙂
Thanks! It was a wacky day but fun!
This is so rare and precious. I don’t see kids climb trees nowadays, you know.
The tree was probably five feet from the flagpole! And it wasn’t that sturdy a tree. Luckily the fire department was on hand. But she was a lithe young thing – giving me hope for the younger generation.
I feel you.
Thanks so much, Jan, for this endearing look at a small-town parade. Your narrative is amusing, especially about the little girl who thinks she’s hidden in the tree when half her body is revealed, classic little kid game. And I liked the part about getting the flag raised and then it crashed down. Really sweet story and photos of this beautiful day of the 250th Independence Day parade. I agree, Bless all your hearts.
It was definitely a free for all that somehow every year works out well.
This is a great post. It lovely to have a peek at your parade.
🙏🏻
Fun! I especially enjoyed the wood nymph. 🤣
She was infinitely more interesting than watching the town dignitaries give their yearly speeches!
Wonderful photos, and the Wood Nymph was awesome. Climbing trees back in the day was so good. Just sitting on a branch relaxing—nothing beat that.
I agree. I love trees.
You have a wonderful voice, Jan. I so enjoy your posts. My hubby and I, newly moved back to the US after so many years away, did little on the 4th. I think we missed out on some exciting celebrations. It looks like quite a day for you. Great photos and narrative! 🙂
Thank you! If we didn’t literally live a block from the parade route, we may not be as likely to get involved.