Hats!

In Kennebunkport. Maine that is,

there's an interesting take on this holiday biz;
they hold a parade, absolutely that's..
..the pride of the Town, it's all about hats.

There are trees, fish and lobsters, a couple of cats,
two yellow dogs and some large top hats;
it's all in fun for the people that go,
and they have a better time...when there's no snow.

On "top" of things

Little trees

Big trees....Watch out for the dog!!

Photos by: Portland Press Herald/Portland Sunday Telegram

Boy! Was that a long time ago.

When I was about ten, and my brother was older,

old Santa Claus got bolder and bolder,
he was trying to hide and I wondered why;
we already knew Santa was just pie in the sky.

But my father, was tricky and so he persisted,
with some help from mom, I'm sure she assisted;
signing the tag on the present we got,
with Santa Paws or Santa Claws, whether we liked it or not.

But, most of all, it was the thought that counted,
and there was no reason to have temper mounted;
it was part of the deal, it was just that way,
and it always made Christmas...a special day.

Santa Paws

Santa Claws

C'mon, c'mon!

I might just be going crazy, don't you know?

  Now I hear them on the radio, talking about snow,
  and I'm thinking about shovels, snowshoes and such;
  'course I don't do none of that, so I don't worry much.

 And I'm thinking about Christmas, what it used to be like,
  do you think I'd get a sled, some skis or get a bike?,
  Ice skates and airplanes you make from a kit?
  or maybe something like a snake, hope I don't get bit.
 

But Christmas is coming, it won't be too long,

  all of those imagined presents, right where they belong;
  now it doesn't matter, that all these years have passed,
  hang on a couple of weeks, gee!  It better get here fast!

It's hard to....

...tell who is or isn't a U S Navy sailor anymore.  I was confused recently when a guy walking toward me had on a Marine Corps shirt and black pants.  I wondered if the Marines had switched from blue to black trousers.
  Now, I'm a retired sailor, I knew, no longer know, what a Navy uniform looks like, we had blue ones (crackerjack style) when it was cold and white ones when it was warm.  We worked in dungarees with chambray shirts, or we worked in blue or white uniforms that resembled the dress uniform.  I can remember, sometime back in the '60's, when we replaced the white jumper (pull over your head) with short sleeve white, button-up, shirts.
  Over the years the Navy toyed with different fabric for the working uniform, cotton twill instead of denim, and restyled the "ball caps" a couple of times, but now..........it's watch out Marines!

Dress Blue Uniform (0ld) or maybe Old and New

...and white in the summer.

Dungarees and chambray shirt - old work uniform

The new work uniform, worn by Admirals all the way down to Seaman Recruit.

The new "Marine" style uniform.

She met me......

...me in the parking lot, her face in a grin,
took time to ask me, where I had been,
she had big plans, it was an important date;
so much to do, no time to be late.

Straight to Wal-Mart, a CD on her mind,
one magazine, two Cd's later-Staples we find,
lot's of instructions, trim this one not that,
off to a restaurant, no..she won't get fat.

A meal with some leisure, a little small talk,
a phone call from Mom, she won't look at a clock,
a long ride home, or it just seems to be,
and on top of that, a longer ride for me.

But she was happy, ol' dad paid the price,
but it's this years birthday, it won't happen twice.
Or...maybe it will, what's in it for me?
Oh no. Just once. Twenty-seven? Oh, I see.

Whats up there?

The other day, while out running errands, Linda and I had an opportunity to see a stunning exhibit; way up in the sky Crepuscular Rays were making the whole southeastern sky look like a lace curtain.  Of course we have no photo, it's hard to stop in traffic near a large regional mall at this time of year.
But, there are photos I have found that will show a few other things you may witness from time to time; and maybe some will be once in a lifetime events; for me that's with ever increasing odds.

Lenticular clouds

Lenticular clouds look like a flying saucer, wind, temperature inversion, and a weather front may all play a part.  One thing is certain they are usually seen over or near mountains.

This cloud appeared over Mexico City...

...just before an earthquake hit the area.  Although the two events may not be related; if I lived in Mexico and say a cloud like this I'd be worried.  To me it look like I made a mistake while painting with watercolor with too much water on the paper and cobalt blue bled into an area where I didn't want it.

Storm clouds, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

I don't have a name for these other than Storm Clouds.  This photo was taken right before a severe thunderstorm.  I'm thinking they may be more familiar to those in the west and midwest. Wilbur?

Not really a cloud at all.

This "cloud" is a result of steam rising from cooling towers of a nuclear powered electric plant.  I guess there is a time when pigs do fly!  Very interesting to say the least.

The visitors

Linda had been out for a walk with Tasha, the next door poodle, when she said to me "they're here!", and in they came.  Frodo, Gizmo aka 'mo, and Babs, the three grand dogs.  Their "parents" Jon and Darlene came in behind them.  Grammy had prepared with the water bowls, and I presented my "newest creation" a picture of Babs, who used to be know as Babe, but that's another story.

After we had some nice conversation we all decided to go walk on the Bangor Waterfront, a nice park on the river.  Soon there will be a dog park at the far end where dogs can go off leash, but it's not done yet.
We walked up and down the walkway, I went to the car after my leg became numb, Jon came with me.  Darlene and Linda went further down the trail to the gate.  After the gate the crews are still working on (1) a new outdoor performance center, and (2) continued trail work and a dog park.

What we didn't know before we got there is the Bangor Festival of Lights parade, and floats and some staging was going on already.  Jon and I drove down and collected the rest so we could head home, before we would have to wait three of four hours trapped by the parade.

Linda and I came back home and the "rest of the tribe" headed back to Old Orchard Beach while the sun was shining.

Top to bottom: Frodo, Gizmo and Babs