Too late to see this.

Took the family to the Mississinewa 1812 reenactment today, but because I was both too late and without a memory card for my camera, I was unable to see, let alone document, the scene here. I borrowed this from their web site just because I thought it looked cool. No names of the photographers are credited on the site, so I can only direct you to the link.

The last of the guns were firing as we made the long walk from the grassy parking lots down to the river banks where, I'd wager, there were almost a thousand tents scattered. Totally different scene from the Johnny Appleseed Festival, which I am more familiar with. More hard core, or hard corps.

I thought it was fun. Very pretty part of the river. Lots of folk dressed as Miami, though I don't think I saw any true Miami. The reenactors actually paint themselves to darken their skin, and that sounds like it might be too much like the old days of people going in black face, but, to me at least, it came across as dignified rather than cartoonish. Actual Native Americans might disagree, though.

On our way in, I tell B "we're going to see some Indians!" and he says "I like Indian food! Rice!" So I say, "no, it's a different kind of Indians" and he goes "Oh--hey I see some different-Indian food!" I thought it was funny.

My favorite part might have been this old-timey entertainment couple called Clockwork and Clown Co., led by a self-deprecating guy who eats fire and a sidekick who plays a mime-ish clown who shows him up a bunch. She was totally cute. That's right, today I developed a crush on a clown, face-paint and all. Somehow, she disappears right in the middle of the act--not like it's a disappearing act; you just get distracted somehow. And then the next thing you know she's literally packed inside the tiny crate you see in the background here. I love stuff like that. The guy opens it up and she's stuffed inside and he winds her up so she can start juggling. She juggled four at once, something that's a lot more difficult than just three, which really isn't all that tough. I was impressed. Good times.