adventures in aerial artistry

Rigging

The rigging is up at 30 feet . If you live in Florida and have uprights in your yard you usually do some gardening and tree trimming while setting up . Our very nice friends Jodie , Erwin , Katia , Jovi and Alyssa came over for the fun . I thought the rigging would clear the potato vines and dead orange tree . The guy lines got hung up so we needed an extension ladder , power saw , a rope and trimmers . Erwin climbed up the scary tree and cut away. Jodie was on ladder , Marshall on being tall and pulling vines and branches , Jovi on generally very useful and I was on pulley block with some peanut gallery ! The rigging is up and we had a sweet visit . I am thankful for a sunny healthy day with friends .

October 10th weekend

We spent some time in the St Louis , MO area . Friday night Jessica , Rosa , Elliana , 8 Arches and a huge group from Circus Harmony came to the show , the Arches performed , opening the second half with juggling ,tumbling and pyramids . High energy , youthful , circus , spirited fun ! On Saturday we had a fun time at the City Museum with Jessica Hentoff and Fresia as tour guides . We climbed 10 flights of stairs , slid down big slides , went on the roof and explored the school bus that hangs over the roof . We returned to the circus lot at 12.30 am !!! Our friend Clay is visiting and we boogied to the movies after Sundays show to see "Gravity" in 3D !! , he will be hanging out till Wednesday the 16 in the early morning .

16 more days to get it right-the trip of October 9 ,2013

Today we drove on a small highway for a while , we drove through lots of small towns and had to slow town to 35 mph a million times . When it was time to get on the big highway it became multi lane and some kind town person alerted me to a flat . I pulled over and waited for
"the rescue rangers" . The mechanical department fixed me up and off I motored . The route slip said to take a left on historic us 66 . I saw the warning arrows and I saw historic us 66 BUT MUCH TO MY SURPRISE , there are 2 of them .. I knew right away I was doomed. I was on an OLD frontage road , I had to drive 15 miles extra . I turned around finally and very cranky I arrived . My day improved when we foraged at thrift stores and I stumbled upon a store called Glick or Glik or something like that and scored a pair of $100 Missme jeans for $33 !! woo hoo .

Tent raising

I have the best children at tent raising . Yesterday and today , actually many days these little children just start clapping after my little story of the circus . I talk about a typical day on this circus .I tell them how we we get up at 6am, We hop in our trucks and we drive to the next town. I talk about the 24 hour man and the arrows. The mechanics , otherwise known as the rescue rangers, the cook ,the school teachers, the tent crew , the animal care, the water man, the electrical department , the trumpet player , the drummer and the sound effects guy , the fact that at least 8 people weld , the costume work ,the laundry , the people who pull permits , all the people , the work , the history of the circus as I know it . I talk about regulations and laws , how lucky we are to just look at these magnificent animals . I try to explain how it is to work with animals.. Believe me I can go on for a lonnng time , there is a lot to tell . I talk about our history . I make some jokes . I take credit for the elephant going to the ladies room in the big top . I tell them about running away with the circus and I share the facts that we have some families that are 10 generations of circus . I talk about the family deal. We are a big extended family of 96 persons , together day in and day out for 38 weeks , 500 shows..200 set ups . We come to your town to entertain you and your families . How cool is that ? The circus is for everybody..maybe you are here with a friend or your cousin and your folks ..You could be watching families together performing .Someday when you come to the circus when you are older you can bring your children ..I guess that is one of the differences between nouveau circus and traditional circus..family
Some days I have a future in story telling , there is boatloads of money in that . Yesterday it was a little chilly I was somehow inspired to look fashionable . I wore maybe Ella's or Doris's or Lillian's or Alice's or Rose's small pillbox mink hat . When I walked by the children- a 6th grade boy said your hair is so cool . How fun !! It is the little things in life . Oh yes and of course I tell them about the show ! The shiny , sparkly show..

I don't have to look , I have to see

Star date September 27 , 2013.This morning we had the luxury of sleeping , we traveled last night . In the am we made our stove top espresso, Marshall walked the dogs and I shuffled Fresia into our bed because I wanted to make her bed into the dinette so we could sit and have coffee all civilized . I put my silver coffee chalice on the white slightly beat up Formica table .Marshall opened the door and it was magical ! Light and shiny stuff makes great visuals , just like a sparkly circus costume with good lighting. Even the black duck tape that is holding the Formica down makes sense . I love how the coffee steam is blue tendrils on the bottom image .

Ode to Joy

A big day for the Catholic Church on Kelly Miller Circus .We had Baptisms and first communions and confirmations all in the tent . Father Jerry Hogan flew in from Boston , always a joy to see this guy !! Sister Bernard and Sister Dorothy have been working with the people who practice . I really know very little about Catholicism , being Jewish , but I have friends of all religions and I was there in friendship cheering them on and taking photos !!
Of course us huge hams had to do a selfie type snapshot before the festivities began .