Cleveland's 1st parade of the year

We were delayed. The city blocked off St. Clair early. A lot of parking spaces were snow covered, and some of the sidewalks were tamped down unto corrugated ice. The parade route was condensed. Better fotos are taken before a parade starts, when people are standing still, and are approachable. For many years, St. Patrick's parade was the first of the year. Since Kurentovanje has started up, it is the first. Lunar New Year would be about the same time, in Cleveland they have indoor activities; certainly the weather is a consideration.

Škoromati from Hrušica posing with Karma & Perun. These carnival characters are from nearer Italy. Scaramatte made appearances in 14C manuscripts. The Alps cross Slovenija and Italy. Perhaps these masks came from nearby Friuli (Furlanija), and became naturalised in southwest Slovenija. Venetians have carnival masks too, perhaps they are part of the same spread of phenomena.

Spearmen going about in circles, before they were marching double file. Not looking too martial.

Black plague doctor, Il Medico della Peste, from the modern Venetian carnival. 

Krampus, now this character is found in the north of Slovenija (Štajerska), and in neighboring Austrian Steiermark (Styria). Similar characters are in Bavaria, and elsewhere. But, they are active on the eve of St. Nicholas (6 December). But they are also anthropomorphic ethnological figures.

Whippersnapper

Kurenti with a young Kurent.

A red devil marches on.

also see past years click 

winter bleakness

Lakewood Solstice Steps. February 3rd.

a view of  downtown Cleveland over frozen lake

Air not so clear. The last half of January was frigid. One morning it hit -10°F.   Several days consecutively the high was below 20°F. There was goodly snow before, and during.  Winter came and has not relented in harshness.  Going outside to snap pictures is not too inviting, and not much color.

 [graphic not mine]

 

Volleyball nets are up.

 

This cowhound stays alert in Old Brooklyn, Cleveland O. 

2026 Miscellany #1

 

Eileen Dorsey has painted a few brick walls in Old Brooklyn Cleveland.  This was on Broadview.

This is to the right of the entrance. Some masking tape still attached when photographed in December.

part of a very long mural on St. Clair & E.75ᵗʰ Cleveland by Raffg Studio Team:  Garrick, Tom, Steve

One of the most corrupt companies in America is this particular electric virtual monopoly we have in this part of Ohio. They have owned the state government, and have fought off their indictments and sentences over illegal activities with political intervention. They are corrupt, dishonest, disingenuous, in short—quite evil. The Public Utilities Commission grants nearly their every demand. They try to fool their customers with heavy handed, or light propaganda. In this attempt, they give me a "tip" to save on their charges to me:  drink coffee in a thermos. I drank coffee in a thermos on the job for years, including their Ohio Edison plant in Vermilion on Lake Erie at 15°F. What they want me to sit on a bucket in the garage and drink it now. I am pretty sure their management teams will be asking for ice water in Hell.

road closed 

Theophany is another term for Epiphany & Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, which is to-day, which is also Three Kings. St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox, Parma O.

I think the ice cross was constructed Monday, also for Theophany.

Parma saloon dropped a pierog (right) for New Year's.

Fixation

The unfortunate word of the day/year is — Fixation. I read an essay the other day in the plejn djilar. The writer mentioned Orange Caligula. He was right, it goes a long way to explain him, his voters, and his wretched party. His party has always banked on, and encouraged fixations. The journalistic patois speaks of wedge issues, and one issue voters. Corral them on that one thing, and they are yours on everything. That explains the gun nuts, and the abortion nuts. Of course the biggest one is race. Biology tells us race does not exist, but socially it does, and it therefore can be used politically.  

Fixations can be mental, and psychological problems. Racism is a form of insanity. Trumple-thin-skin is cruel, evil, demented, insane, and unshakably fixated on many, many things, and he is stupid. And on this America is governed.

[this was written before the attack and invasion on, and occupation of Venezuela]
[i planned this as a longer essay]