parade the circle #24

eight balloon arches divided the marchers into sections

The first Parade the Circle was held in 1990 to celebrate the Cleveland Museum of Art 75th anniversary. They have held one every year since, and other people and organisations have tagged on. It is similar to a carnival parade prior to Lent, but this particular one celebrates the beginning of summer. Cleveland's founder, Robin Van Lear, was the artistic director for Santa Barbara California's Summer Solstice Parade. She, and her husband, have run this parade. Many musicians, including Caribbean metal drums, masqueraded people, dancers, and giant puppets star in the production.

other festival activity:  lining up on 'Steggie' in front of the Natural History Museum

 peace soldier,  Lou Pumphery

The parade best was Moon Water Spirit, larger than life size puppet was animated by Anne Cubberly, and two friends.

The remaining permanent art exhibit left to be opened is the Japanese/Korean. The parade had a reminder.

 here be dragons

climb my back

superman fence struck

Yesterday, this face of the fence was run over. It is the second time. Two years ago, the center section was hit; this year, the left half.

don't thieve here

on Superman's street, Glenville Cleveland

5-4 split

we will go our way

going somewhere

Euclid Avenue, East Cleveland

The nearby Chevy dealer left, the bus and rail station remains. Years ago Dinah Shore sang "See the USA". A thin, old, bald man adapted that for his commercials.

phantom motorist

This license plate answers the question, "What would a Ninja never say?"

When 'vanity' plates came to Ohio, i found them interesting. Some were humourous, many were with odd spellings. Why anyone would pay an extra $50 per year to advertise the make of the car, i just don't know. Some had their names, some a scripture citation. And generally, i don't photograph and post private people, because i have some respect for privacy, even to the point of identifying their stuff. But as an historian, and someone with respect for understanding and a degree of exactness, i am drawing attention to this vanity for fantasy and error.

Ninja were late mediæval Japanese mercenaries. In historical record, they were called shinobi. There are two readings of the kanji characters that signify the word. Now, folklore and tales grew. Current fiction has spread the aura. Some of the spirit of the cinematic Obi-Wan Kenobi, i think has been added back to the ninja inspiration. Some of the fiction has extended stealth unto mind defying physics and matter. 

Samurai were military nobility and were supposed to follow a code of behaviour (bushido) and honor, and rules in fighting. The ninja were spies and assassins, therefore being anonymous was being effective. They were to operate without being noticed. If anything, their historical record is sketchy and incomplete. Modern culture has expanded their mystique. The shinobi (even those that had been samurai) were far beneath the dignity of samurai.

copper coif

in the background, Saint Vitus Cleveland 

in the foreground, the eighth year of a public art project

for the summer this is one of twenty-five snake sculptures on the near east side of Cleveland

installed 17 May, photographed 20 May

appendages on the sculptures do not always remain intact

people break into houses to steal copper plumbing

cadillac heraldry

similar click here

oil tank

also on the Cuyahoga, and you wonder why a river can burn

overlooking dappledness

forgive me for quoting Jesuits, but 'dappled' went through my mind

Pied Beauty
Glory be to God for dappled things—
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches' wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;
And áll trades, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spáre, strange;
Whatever is fickle, frecklèd (who knows how?)
With swíft, slów; sweet, sóur; adázzle, dím;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is pást change:
Práise hím.
—Gerard Manley Hopkins *1844, 1889†