annual night of frights...

as the days ease their way through september, my anticipation for the "Circus of the 7 Dawns" grows exponentially in its keenness.   Halloween night 2011 draws near.

in each of the past four years, a different, themed, halloween march has been staged along congress avenue and 6th street, austin,tx.; with its credo "keep austin weird"  big a town is never without spectacle of one stripe or another. halloween night in austin has to be seen to be believed. 

the usual austin fright night weirdness has been taken to a whole 'nother level with the goings on of the Krewe de Couer Maudit.  moving from the sidewalks into the streets of Austin in 2011, this years themed march is "Circus of the 7 Dawns".  members of the krewe and special guests are being encouraged to let their imaginations run long in finding circus, or carnival themed, costumes with an eye toward the weird, the macabre if you will.

                                                           

from the site www.krewedcm.com (and the fertile mind of Chris McMillan) --

"It has been said that every few years, once Autumn arrives, when days are still warm but the wind blows cool at night... if you turn your face to that chill breeze, take a deep breath and listen closely, you might hear the sounds of a far off carnival.  The cries of long dead beasts from exotic lands, the fleeting smell of sawdust, the snap of canvas on rigging... they come on the late October wind and anyone both wise and wary knows the Circus of the 7 Dawns will soon roll into town.  When the new moon dawns seven days from the end of October, from 7 dusks to 7 dawns, the spectre grows stronger.  On the eve of Hallowmas, the apparition is finally visible and anyone brave enough to attend is amazed by the sights and sounds of the only circus of its kind in the world.  From the Brass Orchestras, the Human Marvels, the Illusionists, the Travelers and Fortune Tellers, the Coterie of Clowns...  all are there to perform one last time, reminding us all to enjoy life's wonders while we still can. At sunrise the Circus of the 7 Dawns disappears... leaving behind only the myth and mystery that brought them in with the Autumn wind."

If I've piqued your curiosity even a bit, you can check out some amateur video of past years marches at www.myspace.com/krewedcm  , listen to songs for  this year's march at www.youtube.com/krewedcm or make a donation to the cause at www.krewedcm.com  (look to the tope of your screen for a link to these sites, when you left click on an address)

aio   

10 years ago today...

                                                                     

America and the world pause today to remember the events of a decade ago.  today's agn has multiple articles from local folk with a more direct connection to the horrors of that day.  i have no personal connection with anyone who died, or who lost loved ones on that awful day.  still i am in tears watching, hearing those left behind as they recount their loss and share memories of that day and the days and years since.

safely ensconced in the anonymity of little a town, i watched in horror as the events of that day continued to unfold.  i am grateful for the relative isolation of small town America and the relative safety that comes with it.  certainly there are targets of potential interest to terrorists here.  yet being ensconced in the heart of this great land, the isolation inherent to our location remains a buffer against an attack here.

after 9-11-2001 there was an upsurge in patriotism.  i expect that will be the case after today. the light at the base of the flagpole here at 7420 burned out weeks ago. old glory has not been flown here in the interim.  watching coverage this morning moved me to raise the flag again, to replace that bulb in order that come dusk our flag can continue to fly, in memory of 9-11 heroes, and in honor of the men and women here at home and abroad who serve to keep this great country safe from those who would do us harm.

it is important to hold on to the feeling we had on that awful day ten years ago. we must never forget the images etched into a collective psyche.  the past years must not lull us into a false sense of the security.  the big bad wolf is there-- planning, conniving, busily plotting the next move.  hate is the fuel terrorists will use in their search for a way to hurt our nation, to strike another blow against all the United States of America stands for. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i426pbQJZ_g&feature=player_detailpage

pray for those whose job it is to find these terrorist schemes, for those who man the guard towers of freedom around the world. pray for the US of A.  Pray for us all.        aio