MEXICO'S DAY OF THE DEAD

Nothing is quite so surrealistic as Mexico's Day of the Dead.

 I understand honoring your dead relatives with flowers and candles. That is a no brainer but when it gets into ....., Well you will see by the photos, that sometimes the symbolism is just a little obscure.

These are candies and toys to decorate the grave sites

Not at all sure who this character is . Lets just call him mr. CH

 Skeletons of course

 These little highly dressed lambs are very popular

 And who does not want PINOCCHIO on their grave site?? or is that Mitt Romney?

 Flowers and candy. 

 And I love this bloody already dead skeleton. Where did all that blood come from if he/she was already dead?

 A graduating witch????

I want to know what the note in the center says.

 A skeleton who needs protection from the sun?

So ... life  around the Day of the Dead gets even more SURREALISTIC.

THE LIFE OF MY DREAMS

Once, in the middle of one of those 20 below zero weeks in my rustic Wisconsin barn apartment with only wood heat. 

I dreamed of living in a place where there was no cold.


Once, while stuck in a big city traffic jam with cars backed up for hours and angry drivers rushing to appointments. 

I dreamed of a place where I did not need a car.


Once, after being marginalized by a group of hip younger people.

I dreamed of a place where every age group was respected.

Once, after I rushed to get the last of the summers crops in before the first killing frost.

I dreamed of a place where no frost would kill the fresh food.

Once, after months of grey, sunless cold days .

I dreamed of a place color would burst forth every day. and flowers would always be available to me.

Once, I loved all the most beautiful things in my small town to do and see.

I dreamed of a wider world filled with exotic happenings.


Today it occurred to me that all my dreams have come true and Here and Now is the life I dreamed.

THE CLOWN AND THE COP

My town has a main square that is the heart and soul of it. Everything that happens there happens in front of an amazing Gothic pink church, created from a post card in the 18th century.

(photo from 1934)

 That alone sets the stage for surrealism. There in the shadow of the church, old white men sit on benches watching the world pass, shoe shine men buff leather boots of Mariachi band members and passing tourists take photos of themselves with the towering pink church in the background with their Ipads.

 Balloon sellers run noisy toys along the street to attract your kids attention and numerous food vendors and hat sellers hawk their wares.Outdoor restaurants are on every corner and women make dried flower arrangements while their sweet but dirty kids play on the cobblestone streets all day long. These are the "normal" surreal scenes every day but then there are the occasional abnormal surreal scenes. What an oxymoron that is. 

This day the costumed cop was frequenting the main square( Jardin in Spanish). It is close to Independence Day in Mexico so there is money in the coffers to pay for special policemen dressed in colonial costumes to impress the tourists. They ride spectacular horses all day around the central area of town. They are real cops in every sense of the word. They carry guns and ride highly trained horses.

 This day I pass through the Jardin and notice the town clown has just finished his routine in the middle of the street. I also have not seen him in awhile. Independence day brings out many Jardin players not normally on the daily scene.
I notice the clown resting and slowly packing his things when the cop saunters into his territory and "parks".

 The clown walks over, pets the horse and they briefly talk. Both men costumed. One representing a history filled with conflict another silly humor. I am curious about what they spoke of. What did the real men under the disguises possibly have to say to each other. What ever it was, I am sure it was as surreal!