PARADE TIME!!!!!!

Subtitled: Why is Ridley Pearson afraid of the Giant Leetie Head?

(please step carefully, you may slip on some community pride that is in abundance here)

This is the season of the small-town festivals, and this weekend is Kirkwood's Greentree Festival. The theme this year is "Kirkwood: A Storybook Town!" (with Mr. Pearson serving as the Grand Marshal)

And, in my humble opinion, Kirkwood is a storybook town.

We have our picturesque City Hall



which sits across the street from Station's Plaza; a condominium, retail and restaurant complex. I can be found here one or two evenings a week outside on the plaza enjoying dinner, wine and/or an open-air concert.




Station's Plaza is katy-corner from; what else, the Kirkwood Train Station.




Whis is just down the street from the Kirkwood Farmer's Market.




Also in the neighborhood is this street corner park




And the OK Hatchery. (note; big difference from an ok hatchery; it is THE OK Hatchery.)


The Bug Store.......


And Moonbeams.





















This was the setting where people waited for the Greentree Parade,





Including the local contingent of the Red Hat Society.




I had the Giant Leetie Head with me. She had travelled around the country in one form or other, or or other or or another.... and attended several of the booksignings for Peter and the Shadow Thieves. I had one version of her with me today, hoping to catch Ridley's attention.





Imagine my dismay when it appears that Ridley sees the Giant Leetie Head, and proceeds to take evasive action!!






And then just totally ignores it!! Either that, or he was ordering snowcones for his daughters from the enterprising young men with the snowcone stand in their front yard.





And then he makes his escape.



It was then that my camera batteries gave out, and I had to use my camera phone.

The Kirkwood High School Marching Band.



Lucille Rapp Dance Studio (That girl is not about to fall on her butt; she just successfully completed a flip)


The Moolah Shriners and their teeny tiny cars



Our community band, AIM (and some day I'll learn what "AIM" stands for. Right now, they are sitting.)



The Kirkwood United Methodist Church Jubilee Band (my church, by the way)



And then the memoy on my camera phone was full. I didn't get to take any pictures of the great entries for "Kirkwood: It's a Storybook Town!"

Phooey!

I'm now heading out to get fresh batteries and go get some pictures of the Great Forest Park Balloon Race.