`penny’s parade journal, April 16, 2013

SUN SHINE-ing.  Muchas Gracias!

Yesterday Geo and I shared a nice evening meal after another busy day doing our thing(s).  Several folks stopped in and worked on their masks and costumes, I was able to do more of the necessary BIG puppet repair work on the Sun, Otter and Forest Garden puppets, and among other things Geo continued to kindly, creatively and graciously apply his puppet-building wizardry techniques to those who asked for it.  He truly is a rock-star puppet builder and mask-maker, although a little shy about the title.  After all had departed, except for the puppets of course, we shared a wonderful, nourishing meal in the darkened lobby of Blackbird Arts. We love our parade-building homeplace!

This morning in the sun-shiney light, I found this photo of a sprouting seedling—and realize that in these spring-time—growing warm days we too are asked to become like and remember the ways of little bendable, pliable, changeable seedlings, poking-curling up and beginning a new life. Taking what we can get and making the most of it. Sun, YES! Water, YES! Wonderful Minerals and Microbiotic Minglings with our roots, YES!

Part of our list today includes getting out MORE fundraising letters as we have not even closely reached our budget, working on that magnificent swans’ neck, meeting and greeting children and youth in a couple of work parties from the Children’s Montessori House, and the Leelanau School.  It will be fun to share some of the BIG puppets with the Leelanau School kids, as they were created on-site of their school back in 2002 (I think).

Tonight, @ 6 pm, I’m looking forward to the emergence of many seed-people so that we can fit the puppets, masks, costumes AND give a little lesson in each section of the ways in which to become those characters that are telling the story of the awesome power of seeds. Puppet Movement 101 begins @ 6:00 pm

Just in case you’re reading this and suddenly have the growing, sprouting urge to come and be with us here’s this week’s schedule and parade opportunity list for you to get hands-feet-and heartmind involved: http://www.littleartshram.org/?p=1909

And to finish off my daily doings here, I’ll share a photo of a fine bunch of mushrooms, made by Eamonn and his pals who will be parading in the Earth Section.  Yesterday, while applying his mycellium to his mushroom, Eamonn said, “I’ve learned more about mushrooms in the past two weeks hanging out with you guys than I have in my whole life.”  This makes us very happy about doing our serious, ridiculous puppet and parade work.

O’k gotta go.