Thanksgiving Parade - Preparation, Part 1 of 2, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

I like parades. Especially when there are many loud and colorful marching brass bands with pounding drums. Our parade planners seem to be of like mind. There were bands aplenty for this year's edition of the Thanksgiving Parade in "America's Hometown" - Plymouth, Massachusetts. There were more than 100 entrants which included bands, floats, military, and other interested parties.



This brigade of bicycle police officers was on hand and ready to help keep everyone safe.



The vendors with their rolling shopping carts were stocked and ready along the parade route to entice the children with brightly colored products.



The parade grand marshals welcomed the crowd with rousing cheers. These marshals are the morning television broadcast team from the Boston ABC news affiliate, WCVB Channel 5. By coincidence, I usually watch them every morning and it is odd and slightly jarring to see them as real people, not just as talking heads on the TV screen.



The crowds were arriving for hours before the parade start time to get a prime viewing location on Cole's Hill directly opposite the official reviewing stand and VIP seating area.



Cole's Hill opposite the reviewing stand makes a great place for viewing although I have found that sitting on the steep slope causes a wedgie as gravity slowly slides me downward.  Whoops, that's probably too much information. Maybe sitting on a blanket would negate that effect.  Note to self. Early arrivals who brought chairs and staked out a spot on the flat street level seemed to have the better idea.



And in downtown, the parade route along Court/Main Street was equally jammed with parade watchers waiting patiently for the start.



The reviewing stand and VIP seating section slowly began to fill as start time approached.



There were even Pilgrims in the audience.



Then, at the stroke of 10:30am, the festivities began at the reviewing stand.



And in North Plymouth, the musicians took up their instruments to begin the long march along the mile-plus parade route to the cheering crowds of many thousands.

It takes many unsung heros to put on a parade of this magnitude - thank you to all the behind the scenes folks who worked so hard to make the parade a success for "America's Hometown."

Part 2 will include images of many of the actual parade entrants.

Fall, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Just when I thought that the fall color was over for this year, I stumbled upon a new spectacular scene. This one is in Chiltonville, a village within Plymouth.



This area of rural Plymouth is bathed in afternoon sunlight.



It is such a treat to happen upon an unexpected scene of nature's beauty - a definite advantage to occasional aimless wandering.

Out and About in Downtown, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

I spotted this signboard downtown in the days before the recent Presidential election. It is always nice to see some humor in what has been an otherwise rancorous election season.



The scaffolding has been removed on the downtown Church of the Pilgrimage after its recent facelift.



The steps up to Burial Hill, an in-town cemetery where some of the original Pilgrims who came to the New World in 1620 have their final resting place.



Burial hill overlooks the town and Plymouth Harbor, a tiny sliver visible at right.

Another beautiful fall day in America's Hometown.

Childhood Memories, Ithaca, New York, USA

The young (and the young at heart) may feel compelled to crawl into that tire and swing gently on a sunny fall afternoon.



Or, maybe climb the ladder-like branches of this pine tree, in the process gathering sticky sap on one's hands with each grasp.

Or, explore the wonder of a seedpod covered with serious defense and offense. Ah, the wonders of childhood........at any age. 

A Walk in the Park, Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, New York, USA

Watkins Glen State Park features a raging torrent that has spent the ages cutting its way through the rocky ledges to create a delightful series of cascades. The stone work on steps and railings is pretty impressive, too.



The Gorge Trail features 19 waterfalls and 800 stone steps that make a visit good for both exercise and spectacular visuals.



Although the village of Watkins Glen is today mostly known for its racetrack (and this park), that same track was the scene of a 1973 music concert that was attended by an estimated 600,000 people - nearly twice the crowd at 1969's Woodstock Festival held about 175 miles east of here.



It is quite a photographer's paradise...... with tripod and full frame camera........



....or, more popularly with a smartphone.



Dramatic views are around every corner as you walk through the 400-foot deep gorge.



































The lower end of the gorge has a parking lot and is just outside downtown Watkins Glen (population about 2,000) and Seneca Lake. Seneca Lake is the largest of the Finger Lakes stretching for 38 miles (61 km). The area features over 50 wineries, too. Watkins Glen is about a 30-40 minute drive from Ithaca. The two lakes in Ithaca and Watkins Glen are the largest of the 11 lakes that comprise the Finger Lakes.

Out and About, Ithaca, New York, USA

The rolling countryside near Ithaca is covered with farms, forests, and country roads much like this one.



Fall foliage was still in its blazing glory during my recent visit there.



Rolling hills at this farm give way to small mountains in the distance.



Some of the cattle seemed interested in my approach but, I stayed on my side of the electric fence anyway.



This one, however, was on my side of the fence.  Not sure how or why he escaped but, the farmer appeared quickly to capture him.  Beautiful place Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region.

Rabbit Pond, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Rabbit Pond is a five-acre conservation property within walking distance of my home in Manomet. I made this three-image composite a few weeks ago before the fall colors.  (Click any image to view full width if your device supports that action).



This was likely my last fall visit for this year.



There was still much green remaining but pockets of color also.



The early afternoon sun is lower and lower on the horizon with each passing day - sunset is around 4:20pm now.



The homes outside the pond perimeter are starting to peek through the thinning trees.



A sassafras leave burns golden in the afternoon light.



These especially tall trees tower over the surrounding growth.



It's a brightly glowing canopy against the fall sky.



This was one of those experiments that sounded better than it turned out. I tried to rotate the camera on its axis while pressing the shutter.  Better luck next time.........I need a less bright day so I can use a slower shutter speed for it to work out.