Tuesday, August 7, 2012

I LOVE A PARADE . . .

but only when I can see it. 

Sadly, neither Bear not Bear's camera got a very good view.


It's the beginning of our Exhibition week (OK, most of a week). How can you begin an annual Exhibition without a parade?

Precisely!

But, from our "Corporate Box" (attached to our apartment), the view wasn't so great.

What to do? What to do? Think; think; think.

Hmmmm.

Maybe if I play with the photo a bit.

A real steam-driven Calliope

Not so good. Very fuzzy. Very out of focus. Not acceptable! (Sorry about that.)

You know, of course, what this means, don't you?

(If you don't, then stick around for a few days.)

37 comments:

Chatty Crone said...

I was going to say the Olympics, but not if it is annual. I do know Canada is celebrating something this week.
WHAT I DON'T KNOW!
Sandie

The Bipolar Diva said...

Parades! So much fun! I'm sorry your couldn't see much of it, that's kind of a bummer.

Helen said...

Looks like one of those incredible circus railway cars to me! I have been out of the blog loop for a few weeks ... out of town guests taking every (precious & wonderful) moment! Congrats on the nice award ... you deserve it!

DJan said...

Thanks for your attempt to let me know about the parade, Bear. You did good, and now I've got something else to look forward to... whatever you're getting ready to surprise me with!

Golden Eagle said...

Steam-driven? Oh, wow. That must be old.

Rubye Jack said...

The circus is coming to town?

About Last Weekend said...

What? What? Will return to find out!

Just Two Chicks said...

I love a parade too, and the picture you posted is pretty neat! What is Exhibition Day?

Anonymous said...

I was also going to ask: What is Exhibition Day?

ReformingGeek said...

Exhibitionist Day? Wow....um....that's....um...different.

Oh, wait. Exhibition Day. Got it.

Hee Hee.

Sorry about the fuzzy parade.

That Janie Girl said...

I'm going to be watching so I can figure out what's going on! YAY! I love parades!

Lins' lleisio said...

What is a Calliope? Steam driven or other, is it a Canadian thang? I could Google it but I'll wait for Bear. Hugs. xx

Diana said...

I love parades and have never seen a Calliope! That would be exciting all though my husband would argue that point with me.
Can't wait to see what happens in a few days! Love Di ♥
Oh yeah, we can see the parades from our house too!

J Cosmo Newbery said...

The suspense in killing me. Isn't a calliope a melon?

Nancy said...

Waiting for the next post. Patiently.

Rosaria Williams said...

You will upgrade your camera! Funny how we begin to expect more and more from our machines.

Inger said...

Must confess I have no idea. I don't even know what a Calliope is. I guess this is where I have to blame my ignorance on my foreign-born status?!!

Jean said...

I love parades, any parades, anywhere. Seeing them through the crowd is a constant annoyance but it's better than no parade at all.

susan said...

I love calliopes but haven't seen one in years. I hope you've managed a trip to the fair - one of the best parts of summer.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

That looked like a neat car- you need to get down front and center to see what's going on!

lotta joy said...

Gee. Thanks Rob, for proving that we are both older than dirt. I am more surprised by the number of people who have never heard of a calliope than the fact you had one rolling through town.

I was taught to play the piano by a man who played the calliope on our BELLE OF LOUISVILLE steam paddle-wheeler.

Either you're getting a new camera or YOU will be playing the calliope. Knowing you....I don't care to place a bet.

Grammy Goodwill said...

I would love to have been able to hear that calliope! That was a tradition between my dad and me when we went to the beach.

Hilary said...

I have no idea but I know it'll be worth checking back in for it.

Suzanne said...

Where would us bloggers be without our cameras? Take a fuzzy picture and then paint the picture with your words. I've taken several pictures from my "Corporate Box".
I just might steal your "Corporate Box" reference. Good one.

cheshire wife said...

It is not obvious that the view was not great. I am intrigued to know what comes next!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Rob~Bear, forget the lousy photo (LOL!) look at all those darn awards you've received and SMILE!...:)JP

Cranberry Morning said...

I'm assuming that if your dog is running away from home and you can still see it 3 days later, it must be heading east?

Lucky you - A calliope has never been past our house that I know of. Thanks for stopping in at Cranberry Morning!

Wanda's Wings said...

I love parades. Thanks for visting my blog.

Catherine said...

Does it mean a new zoom lens? :D

I read your profile. If you can see your dog running away for 3 days you must live in the flat prairies ~ haha!
Happy Evening to You!

Mary said...

That is a wonderful save of your distant pic...love the Calliope. What a treasure.

Rob-bear said...

Oh, dear! While Bear was not paying attention, a whole lot of delightful people made comments! Bear will reply.

® Chatty Crone: What Canadians were celebrating last weekend was "Civic Holiday," in most provinces. Basically, it's an excuse to have a long weekend in the hot days of summer. Brilliant idea from some politicians, who are not prone to brilliant ideas.

® The Bipolar Diva: "Sort-of" seeing a parade is not the same as seeing a parade. Bear was miffed.

® DJan: Sorry. I've been so busy visiting, and trying to answer my mail, that I haven't had time to tell the rest of the story.
Patience, please! Thank you.

® The Golden Eagle: The calliope is from long before you were born, m'lady. But that doesn't mean you cannot enjoy it now. Sometime, I should try to get some video of it. If I do, I will post it.

® Rubye Jack: Naw, the Exhibition is just starting for this year. But the parade is so people will feel that something exciting is happening. That usually works.

® About Last Weekend: Come by just after the beginning next week (Tuesday or Wednesday) Jody. I promise the conclusion of the story. And maybe some other stuff, too. (You know about the "interesting" kinds of things into which Bear gets.)

® Just Two Chicks and Donna Hosie: Exhibition Day? The day the annual Exhibition starts, I suppose. Sure; why not?

® ReformingGeek: Whoa! This is a family-rated blog; none of that kind of language.
I think your problem is that you have been listening to Oreo and Evil Twin waaaay too much. They put that idea in your head. I can tell.

® The Janie Girl: Glad you like parades. But two pictures is all you're going to get. That gets a bit boring after a few minutes. At least it does for me.

® Lins' lleisio: Shw mae. The calliope (steam organ or steam piano) is a musical instrument which makes its music by sending steam or other compressed air through a number of whistles. Originally train whistles. It was developed by Joshua C. Stoddard of Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1855.
If you check wikipedia, you can even hear a recording of the "instrument."

® Diana: Glad you like parades and can see them from your house. I think the view of this parade from your house would have been only marginally poorer than the view from our "Corporate Box."
Hope you have a great weekend with Ginny.

® J. Cosmo Newbery: Calliope. Melon. As always, J.C., you're close — so very close. But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades; this blog is neither. Likewise, yours.
Perhaps Lee, your chemist friend, can help you.

® Nancy: Thank you.

® rosaria williams: Like J.C. (above) you're very close.

® Inger: Nothing to do with foreign born. Just lack of experience, fun, and general joy on this side of the Atlantic. I'm sure there must be at least one calliope somewhere in Los Angeles. You just need to take some time and hunt it down. Perhaps Samson could help.

® Jean: Best view of the parade is from the front row. But you've been to enough parades in France; surely you understand the significance of the first row.

® susan: Too bad you could not have been here. The sound was much better than the view.

® Terri Buster: Welcome to Bear's blog! Such fun to have new visitors.
Down front would have even much better. But, well, next time.

® lotta joy: Me? Older than dirt? I resemble that comment! Oh, wait; resemble isn't the right word. I represent that . . . no; that's not right, either. Hmmmm.
You're one up one Bear. I've never been on a paddle-wheeler with a calliope. Sniff.
And with rosaria, you're in the ball park, as Humans say, sometimes.

(I'll have more replies, later. Thanks, again, for your notes.)

family affairs said...

Loving your corporate box birds eye view! Thanks for your comment and great to meet you L x

laurak/ForestWalkArt :) said...

well, maybe the view wasn't the best, from your 'corporate box'...ha! BUT you didn't have to push through crowds of people. sometimes a birds eye view is the BEST!

the photo looks dreamy...

(thanks for leaving a note at my blog...so that i could find you here) i'll be back to wander more...

kj said...

i think this means a new camera.

which would be plenty swell!

love
kj

That gentleman's lady said...

you and me both! i love parades :D


bear hugs to the bear! xxx

Rob-bear said...

® Gammy Goodwill: Welcome to the Bear's world. Thank you for coming by.
The calliope was more fun to hear than to see, I must admit.

® HIlary: I'll await your return.
Til then, watch out for those mink!

® Sue: HI, and welcome to Bear's piece of the planet.
Painting a picture with words is an interesting thought, as a substitute for photos. But it would take a long time for, say, 30 pictures. About 30,000 words. A bit much.

® Cheshire Wife: The view was not bad, but a bit distant. I could not read some of the signs on he floats and cars. Neither my camera nor my eyes are that good. Sigh!

® A Quite Corner: Another visitor! This is such fun!
Shiny things (like awards) are nice. But I would rather accomplish the goals I set for myself.
And to answer the next question (perhaps), I have half a glass of whatever.

Anonymous said...

Fuzzy or not, that's a gorgeous calliope.