Weekend Reflections / Rose Parade Cars

I returned to watch the float decorations yesterday.  It was a thrill to see how far the volunteers had progressed!  It seemed impossible to meet the 4:00 deadline for today, but, when they work around the clock that deadline is never missed.  The beauty just can't be described in words or even photos, but, I will give it my best shot.  I have a lot of photos to post, so I will begin here with the reflections I found on the official cars of the parade.  These are antique cars that will carry the those honored by the Tournament of Roses Committee.

Weekend Reflections

ABC Wednesday / "X"

My ABC Wednesday word for "X" this week is xerophyte.  Xerophyte is any of various desert plants, such as the cactus, sagebrush, yucca, and agave, that store up water or give off very little to the air.

Therefore, this Saguaro is my post for this week.  I photographed this "cactus with personality" just north of Phoenix, Arizona  in late November.

Outdoor Wednesday Part 2 / Float Decorating / Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade

New Years Day is just 3 days away and the preparations for the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California are in full swing!  The floats are being decorated and the public is able to view the working volunteers this week.  What an amazing sight it is!  The floats are decorated with everything natural, such as seeds, beans, grasses, rice and flowers and more flowers.  The floats were surrounded by scaffolding, ladders and various tools today. That will start to disappear tomorrow and taking photographs will be easier.

This is what I saw today and I hope to return tomorrow to see the changes and progress.  Some of the floats are so tall that they have to be folded down in order to fit inside the building.  They will be righted before they reach the parade route. Friday morning will be here so fast!

Click on photos to enlarge!

Outdoor Wednesday

Outdoor Wednesday / Decorating the Floats for the Rose Parade

I went to Pasadena today to view the float decorating for the Rose Parade on New Years Day.  There are 2 locations where the decorating is taking place and I visited both.  Wow!  Buckets and buckets of flowers were arriving and volunteers were preparing them to be placed onto the floats.  There was a lot of scaffolding, ladders, and other tools to create the most beautiful sight you can imagine!  The decorations are all natural...seeds, grasses, beans and, of course, flowers galore.   I watched a lot of seeds being placed today.  The flowers will be abundant tomorrow.  I hope to return tomorrow to see the progress continue.  The floats will be rolled out onto Orange Grove Avenue Thursday evening in preparation for the parade on New Years morning.

I have to stop somewhere!  Flowers and more flowers...flowers everywhere!  Heaven!


Outdoor Wednesday

Wordless / Tuesday Edition...Sky on Fire

Wordless