Lenkaland

Sunday we went to the big Mardi Gras Parade in Nevada City.  We lucked out with parking.  We met with family to cheer for horse carriages, old cars, and lots and lots of beads.

We were woefully unprepared with costumes (oops) but my family had great masks to share.

Ian wasn’t sure about the big crowds and loud noises.  He needed reassurance from sister.  This is fun, right?

Nevada City hosts the best small-town parades!  Behind the old fire truck is the Nevada Theater, one of the oldest theaters in the west.  I think Mark Twain once performed there.  Like me .  I was a townsfolk in Romeo and Juliet my senior year of high school.  Lots of history

Like I said, my family brought great masks.  Next year I’ll know better

Anika caught lots of beads.  She gave all of the red/orange beads to Ian.  Because that’s the kind of sister she is

Ian’s favorite colors are orange and red.  He was thrilled with his collection.

Grabbing for the camera, again

The scene street-side.  I’m not sure who she is, but I loved the sun on her hands.  She caught plenty

Lots of motorbikes.  Masked bikers.  These two made their statement with Anonymous masks.

Mila watched the parade from her dad’s shoulders for awhile.  The sun and breeze caught her perfectly.  

The parade had plenty of drama.  Fire from a hot air balloon basket.  Not sure what their group was called.  Not sure it matters.  Fire is cool

And many protest floats, like this one from the local Occupy group.  Speaking for the 99%.

Nevada City was packed!  The weather was gorgeous!  Couldn’t ask for a better parade.

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Two days of wild winds and our backyard is a strewn with leaves.  The pool . . . good luck seeing the pool through the leaves and pine needles.  I couldn’t resist a little trip to the backyard with the camera.  This was my favorite photo of the day.  I love how I can see the water bending around the leaf.  Holding up.  For now.

The sad deep end of the pool.  The water isn’t even under trees.  It’s just the wind.  Blowing in strong gusts and flinging leaves everywhere . . . I found the patterns beautiful.  My husband just walked in saw a lot of work.  ”What a mess,” he said.  Oh my.

I tried to catch a sense of the wind, but I wasn’t having much luck.  I caught the end of a gust, or a beginning, but it all seemed too still in the photos.  The trees swayed and danced themselves naked

My favorite leaf of the day (and the yard is covered in leaves).  This one caught my eye, all darkness and fire.  A song of nature, alive and dying and lovely.

I photographed a big tree in the yard.  Tried, unsuccessfully to catch a leaf midair on film. Then these little jewels caught my eye from tthe shadows.  Perfectly striped green on red, catching the last afternoon sun.

Magical.  The best part?  The whole time I was outside (which was only about ten minutes because I can’t handle cold at all anymore, and Ian has an ear infection, and Anika had a giant stack of homework, and, and, and . . . ) oh, yeah, the best part?  Getting out there.  Having the energy to make the effort to capture these wild fleeting days. That was the gift.  My feet hurt like crazy today, but the fatigue wan’t so bad.  Maybe the medicine is working after all

Happy last days of Autumn.

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Today we visited the horses.  The horses are in stables and barns.  I’ve gone for years, now, and I’ve never seen this many horses.  Black and brown, painted and gray, dappled and white.  Giant draft horses and playful miniature horses.  All beautiful horses.

Giant, 200+ pound pumpkin!  The kids were amazed!

They have a hall for artists featuring horse themes.  There were many signs asking not to take photos, otherwise I would have more to share.  Incredible artists.  This scupltor was very sweet and let the kids touch her bronze baby horse.  They would love to take the statue home

Anika moved so quick, I hardly got photos of her today.  She was off to visit one horse and another and another.  My niece, Mila, moved at my pace

The baby draft horse.  Even the babies are giants:)

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I entered paintings by my students and Anika’s class in the local Harvest Faire and Draft Horse Classic.  Entering gave us free tickets to the show tonight.  So after teaching-day (which was busy, of course), I met up with my Mom and we took the kids to see the horses.  That brings a smile to Anika’s face every time.

Ian was happy that we found a bubble machine.  Attack of the bubbles!

The Draft Horses are majestic and beautiful.  They are enormous.  We’re taking the kids tomorrow to see the stables, so I’ll hopefully get a photo with one of them to show the scale.  They are giants.  Yet so graceful.

The first competition that we saw (we only stayed for two before Ian was done) involved these elaborate harnesses.

I have more photos, but my hand started complaining and I am tired tired tired.  Teaching is enough for one day.  But the kids loved the show.  That makes the effort worthwhile

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A teaching day.  A farm day.  Driving to the farm, I felt every step of the day tighten ribbons around my legs.  I ached.  And walking the farm path was a stretch.  Between one step and the next, the muscle burn set in deep.  Strange how my muscles get tight and stiff when I’ve been walking a lot.  It’s a new thing, this quick reaction to a busy day.

I had the camera in the car for crafts that never got crafted (one of those school days where we practiced listening and teamwork while handwork plans were shelved for next week ).  I brought the camera on the farm path.  Why not?

Why not indeed?  And that burn between one step and the next, the overstep, the finish line for the day . . . faded as I noticed the gorgeous growing all around us.  I do find it gets tricky to get photos I want when my hands aren’t so steady, but I do all right .

I’m still stiff, achy, and dreading tomorrow a bit (must admit).  But that’s the struggle.  Because I do not want to give up the moments that surprise me.  Flowers I never knew bloomed.  These purple beauties.

It can be such a challenge, to balance the things we love with the rest we need.  I love teaching.  Which is why I go through this roller-coaster every week.  It’s all part of the journey.  And I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.

Which is a wonderful life lesson for all of us.  Enjoy the day.

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It’s fair time again in Nevada County!  Anika entered Pumpkin in the fair, so we go every day to take care of him.  He won third for mini-rexes, first for fur, and Anika won 6th for Showmanship.  She was brave.  We’ll build on her skills for next year.  She had a great time, which is the most important thing.  We did a little loop around the attractions last night.  Here are a few of their favorite things.

Anika made a presentation to share what life is like with Pumpkin.  Her favorite thing?  Her bunny is cuddly.

Pumpkin staying at the fair.  He is making bunny friends.

Anika’s Oomee Bear won First Place!

Watching before getting close.  They both stood for awhile.  Something in the way they stood compelled me to take a photo.  Shared energy.

Ian just before he says, “No you take picture of me.”

An African Porcupine, which I really wanted to take home.  Really.

Baby alligator.  They have a plan for when he gets bigger.  They have a few already at their zoo away from the fair.  This little fellow was very mellow.  For now.

About the cutest thing ever- a baby miniature donkey only one month old.  Yes, he is as soft as he looks.  We want to bring him home, too.

We visit him every day on the way into and out of the fair.  He is incredibly sweet.

Many more adventures to come!

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Friday was the annual Children’s Festival at Pioneer Park in Nevada City.  The Children’s Festival is a summer tradition where a Renaissance Faire meets a kid’s craft fair.  Amazing volunteers work all year on craft stations from wands to soapstone carving.  Adults dress up in feathers and pointy ears and long gowns.  Anika has learned to join in the fun.

She brought a dollar from her piggy bank for her big treat.

A troll guards the little bridge over the creek.  His toll is a stick or rock.  His eyes are red.  Really red!  He has metal fingers that he drums on the wood of his cage.  Clatter, clack clack.  Brave kids come right up to him.  Less brave kids hide behind their parents to cross the bridge.

After a $3 entry, all the projects are free.  Ian made a lovely butterfly ring.

Anika’s big treat.  A lemon with a peppermint stick straw.  You suck the lemon juice through the peppermint.  Super yummy and a Children’s Festival tradition.  You can see that she has already collected her stick-toll for the bridge.  It’s best to be prepared

Another craft is painting pillowcases for tunics.  Ian is a brave knight

Anika smoothing soapstone with sandpaper.

Ian gluing yellow lentils to a wooden medallion.

Ian when a friend gave him a wood sword built at the wood/nails/hammer table.

Ian’s wood sword!

Ian painting a giant cardboard castle.  Kids paint all day.  Of course, the castle needed more orange

Anika and her friends with their shields and wood swords in front of the dragon.  Etalia was the Earth Knight.  Anika was Water and Gwynna was Air.  Ian was Fire except he was more interested in painting the castle . . .

Looking through windows was hazardous since the whole thing was covered in wet paint (luckily, all washable).

Ian inside the castle.

The fire-breathing dragon!  He is a years-long sculpture by a local artist who brings him to the fair every year.  He is big, made of bits of scrap-metal and wood.  Truly amazing!

Ian’s face when they made him give the paint back since it was long past 8pm.

We always have next year!  Ian’s happy to share his painty hands

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