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| Our friend, Rosemary on the white horse! |
There is nothing like a small-town parade. I don't care where you live ... if your town has a parade you should go see it.
When I was growing up, we attended quite a few parades. My favorite will always be 4th of July parades for no other reason than I just really like the weather in July! Don't be raining on my parades.
Last summer we were passing through Sheridan, Oregon and made an unplanned stop to see my peeps who live there. It just so happened to be the same day as the Phil Sheridan Days Parade. Everybody that came by the house to say hello to us kept saying, "you're staying for the parade, right?" Well, we hadn't planned on it but couldn't say no. My 2nd cousin invited us up to her place for a pre-parade bbq and then we walked a half a block with our lawn chairs to watch the parade go by. Who knew I'd see members from my other side of the family at her house? It was an impromptu family reunion with free entertainment. Nice.
I always get goosebumps when I see certain favorite things. There is nothing that does it more for me than a marching band! If you've ever played an instrument, you must have an appreciation for how hard it is to play and walk at the same time, much less march for what must seem like miles. Yeah, think about that the next time you see a marching band.
The horses. I can't forget the gigantic horses. Last summer I watched my friend Rosemary (pictured here) help train a friend's horse to get it ready to ride in the parade. They put the horses through all kinds of tests so when they ride they don't get spooked by little kids running around, loud noises, sirens, etc. Horses are sensitive.
I also love just about everything else in the parade except during election year. I mean really. Don't the politicians have any pride at all? Apparently not. This will be one of those years. I'd love to see some of my not so favorite politicians poop scooping behind the horses. Wouldn't that be great!
I rode in a parade once when we lived in Yuma, Arizona. I was working for hospice and we had a float called "hospice angels". I wore angel wings and gave out candy. I felt like a giddy child and couldn't stop smiling and waving "Miss America style" as we passed blocks and blocks of snowbirds who came out to see the parade. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
What's your favorite parade? Have you ever been in a parade? Come on ... let me hear about it!
You need to be in portland in June for the rose parade havnt been there since the kids were little bur always enjoed it
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE LOVE LOVE to go to the Rose Parade!!
DeleteGene will remember all of us Easy Does It folks gathering at Mary's house on Main St in Hillsboro on the 4th of July for the Happy Days parade. When I lived in Norwood Mass I believe we had at least 4 parades a year - Memorial Day, Veterans Day, 4th of July and a Christmas Parade the Sunday after Thanksgiving. One year we had an extra parade to welcome home veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Fourth of July was the big one though and because I photographed for the local paper I would usually work about 13 hours on that day. We had a flag raising and reading of the Declaration of Independence in the morning, a barbecue on the Town Common in the afternoon, then a Children's Parade, a 5k run and then the big Parade at 5 in the evening. I usually sweated my way through 3 shirts during the day but it was a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteI did go to one 4th of July at Mary's house before she moved into assisted living. What a great "up close and personal" experience that was! Sounds like you love a good parade too!
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