Rose Parade and Rain - 2026

 The first day of 2026 has arrived, along with a bit of rain, but at least it's not cold like it was.  What a beautiful sky to wake up to.

There was only one thing on my mind.  The Rose Parade started at 9:00, and I didn't want to miss a minute.  You may remember years ago I worked in the flower barn with Barbara and Tom Westerfield.  What an amazing experience that was.  

Unfortunately for the parade participants, it was pouring down rain.  The floats were melting, the bands all wore plastic raincoats and the horses got soaked.  These guys ... they didn't need no stinking raincoats!!!

The elephants were amazing.  These were made with a 3-D printer out of hard cardboard-like material.  Even their trunks moved in and out, up and down.  Sadly, the flowers were sagging and the seeds falling off.

Most all of the seeds and crushed material are put on with Elmer's glue.  They had something like 30 gallon drums of it when I worked there, which they transferred into big soda cups.  We dipped in our brushes, painted the area, and pressed the seeds in place.  Needless to say, Elmer's glue is not waterproof.  

This was by FAR the most amazing float.  Three bald eagles with wings flapping like they were really flying.  What a sight to see.  

Even up close, this guy looked REAL.  Just look at those eyes!!  Whoever designed this should have won the entire show.

I apologize for the blue tint ... I was inside, taking pictures of a television.  It was the most amazing float of all.

The Elks Lodge float wasn't as spectacular this year, but then they don't have the funds for things like this.  I actually missed the description of it, but they always have a patriotic theme.

What I REALLY wanted to see was the Merced County Sheriff's Department mounted group.  They were almost the very last in the parade, and soaking wet by the time they got to the cameras.  Horses generally don't care ... they would rather stand out in the rain than in a nice barn anyway.

There are more, but they wouldn't fit in the picture.  Sadly, they have recently lost a few of their horses to old age, and they have not been replaced yet.  Still, they attend every parade in a 50 mile distance of home, this parade every year, and have been invited to the Presidential Inauguration several times.  

With that done, Patty drove me to Walmart for supplies.  Somehow I ended up with more snacks than supplies.  We timed it just right, because that's when the rain began to fall.  It got pretty ugly for a time, but is finally clearing up.  

I took a tour of the greenhouse, which I'll report on tomorrow.  I'll be packing up in the morning and heading out to Yuma.  I'm cleaning out my fridge so I have a little extra room for ..... wait for it ..... fabric!!  If it's pretty,  I'll stack it anywhere I can!!!