Today was our biggest celebration Parade, in honnor of the largest gold nugget found in (at least California!)..it weighed in at over 54lbs. The event is The Gold Nugget Days, but unfortunately it rained all day..what fun! Here are a couple strangers  I saw.

Got to have a few of these.

Wish we had more of these.

We could lose some of these.

I got a lot of shots, and I might post some later....but this ones for

 SG. And I saw one for  Jeffrey too. All in all, the day was kinda like this.. Wet!!!, I'm glad I was only there for a short time...I had to get back to Work.

Well the week long event has ended without a bang, just a big amount of rain. Most of the events this past week were cancelled so I did not get to take the pictures I looked so forward too. Only around half of the people came to town to show the cars maybe 1500 or so. But at least we still had the event. On Friday night I stood at the edge of the road and shot 100+ cars as they pulled up for me or drove by. DESCRIPTION_HERE These people put so much into the work with these cars and are so very proud, they smile and wave and are happy to stop and talkDESCRIPTION_HERE and show off what they have done. Of course they show off the power of the engines alsoDESCRIPTION_HERE and the streets do rumble.DESCRIPTION_HERE . I went to a Show-n-Shine mid week to shoot some of the cars and fell in love with this truckDESCRIPTION_HERE . Hope you all enjoy the view.

The "Blizzard of 2006" is raging outside, but my thoughts are on the Annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade.  Here is last summer's Mermaid Parade.

 1. The spill out from the parade is right in front of where I live.  If you were driving this float, which person would you listen to, the police man or the circus ring leader with wand?  The shark bridge in the background leads directly from the subway to the boardwalk.

2. She sang beautifully and really enjoyed having her photograph taken,woman with mike and backup band.
   
3. Faces in the crowd watching the parade.  It was a very hot day.
   
4. Mermaid, rated M walking in the parade.   Note the two photographers surrounding her.
   
5. Astroland shot from the boardwalk.  I live in the condo to the far right.
   

Every year the small town I live in puts on a grand Christmas parade. It travels down main street and usually has about 70 floats or so. It's not unusual to see tractors, fire trucks and even a pontoon or 4 wheeler driving down the main street. We have a 60 foot tall Elmo balloon and a 50 foot tall cow jumping over the moon. All the lights in town are turned off so the spectators can enjoy the holiday lights on the floats. Christmas music is playing throughout the streets and hot chocolate and cookies are on every corner. This event generally brings in about 6,000 people and that's alot for our small community. After the parade everyone gathers at the park in town and watches a beautiful display of fireworks. The children get to see Santa and view the floats up close. It's a great way to start off the holiday season and catch up with old friends. We tried to stay warm but with the temperature being about 15 degrees that was hard to do. I'm learning that taking photographs at night is very difficult but photographs at night on a moving object with lights and frozen numb fingers, next to impossible. So out of 600 shots this was about all that turned out. I did get some fireworks shots but didn't want to be laughed out of Photographica for posting them. So I hope you all enjoy and I also hope you and yours have a very Happy Holidays!

Float  Firetruck  Tractor  Cinderella's carriage as my daughter called it   Elmo flew over  Float  Float  Is that the Moon  There's the cow  Float  Looking down the parade route  

There he is......the big guy himself....Santa!

  Kay brought me to Busyb this past week, and BB has just not had time this week to go many places with me, but one morning we did go out for breakfast--there were so many choicesto make that I decided not to eat breakfast---But I did meet a new friend, her name > Emily  --she is realllllllly nice.
  BB took me Bowling with her--kept looking at the Scoreboard but did not see anything--her friends told me she was a pretty good bowler--Maybe I'll find out next week.
  You know what else BB did, wanted me to see a   Hairdresser, sure glad she did not have time for me.
Had a special trip today--we went to a Parade--got to meet Wallace and he held me in his lap to watch some of the parade--we saw horses,  Giant Buggy,  Fire Truck, and Santa, (it was raining so Santa tried to stay dry with a umbrella, are you believing that)--oh, and we also saw some Heroes.
  I've just got to tell you this, when BB brought me to her house, you will never guess who was there--a friend who has been with her for over 40 years--I do believe she may be one of my relatives cousin.  Don't you think she looks like me.  
   Now we've got to decide what to do next week.
       

Hi, All !

Well it was the Sat. after Thanksgiving and that's when the little old town I live in has its Parade Of Lights ! The town where I live only has about  998 people living here. Its in way NE Montana 12 mils from Canada. I feel sorry for some of you who live in the big city as you never know about small town life. There is no crime here at all ! I have never taken my car keys out of my car, and there's never a reason to lock my home as all are welcome ! Everyone knows everyone by first names, and if you drive around town everyone will wave at you to say hi !! I love it here ! Well these are just snap shots nothing fancy. Well the Parade was to start at 6pm I want out about 5pm and what do you know its 25 out. Only thing to do was to go into the bar and warm up then the other bar and the other feel better now and warmer to !! He He ! Then outside with the others And then it started ThenSanta showed up !and the Golf carts and a truck with FIRE !!! then a word from the Church and you have to have a snowman or two ! then more came down the street.Then a real big snowman on the milk truck ? I was the milk man here for a time good job you keep the milk cold and the ladys hot !! LOL and yes they still bring it to your home. and abus and another snow man Then I heard something  BIG comming ! And it got closer and closer Then back to the bar !! and the other ! maybe it's time to go home !!

Hope You All Enjoyed My Little Town !
My Head Hurts !!!

A wonderful artist by the name of Robin Van Lear came to Cleveland in 1990 from Santa Barabara, California.She has establised the most unique parade ever and it has been my pleasure to be part (as a submarine that blew up) of and or just to watch.This years theme was "Inside Out" Take a Look! Camel and Girl on Slilts Portraits Dinosaur 1 Dinosaur 2 Emperor Musical Chairs Red Head Identify yourself if you are one of the many photographers? Photographer 1 Photographer 2 Photographer 3 Couple more, I messed up and can not place these within the other group and I'm not doing this all over! Belly Dancer Seahorses