I don't usually make resolutions since my track recording for keeping them is not great. I did promise myself that this year I would resurrect by Blog. I started this Blog on Slow Travel in 2006, a wonderful online community that I discovered while planning a trip to Italy for 2007. With 2 kids in college, our travels have been curtailed. Though I remain a part of the Slow Travel Community and live vicariously through the trips of many friends, I decided in 2010 to use Blogger.Com for my Blog since my travel adventures are limited these days :)!
First order of business is to wish all of my friends and family a very Happy and Healthy New Year filled with joy, peace, and laughter.
I love the celebration of the New Year. After Thanksgiving it is my second favorite holiday. As I have done for most of my life on New Year's Day, I attended the 2012 Philadelphia Mummers Parade. I love tradition and you can read about the long tradition of this parade on Wikipedia. I love the Mummers Parade - it is as much a social event as it is source of entertainment in South Philadelphia. A time to catch -up on gossip, reconnect with old friends and offer everyone best wishes for the New Year. Many who live near the Parade route host open houses on January 1st so parade goers have access to warmth, sustenance and a bathroom!
As a child, my parents took us to see the unofficial parade along 2nd street in the early evening as it was only a few blocks from home. As a teenager, my friends and I would gather along Broad Street, the main route, from early morning until the end of the parade at dusk - in all kinds of weather. In my 20's I was way too cool to be seen at the Parade and was probably recuperating from the NY Eve celebration. But then I was a young parent in my 30's, bundling my kids up and dragging them to the parade between naps.It was easy to do since we live only 2 short blocks from the main parade route. Suddenly tradition was once again important to
me. Now my kids are too cool for the parade. Joe & I still go and love every minute of it - although we only go to see the Stringbands and only if it is not frigid! Wonder if my kids will resurrect the tradition when they have children (assuming that they are in the area)? I hope so!
Yesterday was a perfect day for a parade. Sunny and 55 degrees with no wind. The crowds were great and all of the Stringbands were wonderful! I am glad that I wasn't a judge. Woodland Stringband took first place and they had a spectacular performance. I grew up and remain a fan of Frailinger Stringband (old loyalties die hard). They are the "winningest" band in Parade History. This year they came in 5th!
The crowd was great
The band members were happy to stop and pose for pictures
The fans, like this woman celebrating her birthday, had a great time and were quite entertaining!
The costumes were fabulous!
The music and dance routines were wonderful and you can find dozens on you-tube. Just enter Mummers 2012. Look for Woodland, Quaker City, or Frailinger - they all had great routines and music. Pretty soon I will learn how to upload a video to my Blog. If you've never heard Mummers Music, check it out!
