I've made a few mentions of working on a project the past week.  I was working on a church float for my town's Labor Day parade.  The last three years now we've had a float in the parade.  The theme 3 years ago was Fishers of Men.  We had a few kids on the float who acted as fishermen and what not.  Last year our theme was Blossom in God's Love. 



All those "flowers"...all folded by hand.  They were tissue paper.  You take a few sheets and fold it accordion style and then tie a pipe cleaner around the paper and the fold it out.  I can't teach art.  Anyway I could make one of those with my eyes closed.  I can't remember how many of those we made but there were so many man hours involved.  I think there were a few nights when I went to church from 7PM to 11PM and just worked on making flowers.  In the flowerpots are the fruits of the spirit and the watering can on the cross represents God showering us with whatever you think God showers us with.  We won for best religious entry and the grand prize entry.  No money, just trophies.

This year's theme was "God's Word is Our Treasure"

See that...this was my project.  I worked with a guy on those "treasure chests".  He took some old plywood and put some old wood paneling on the sides and glued some ropes for the handles. He put a false bottom on the inside and then propped it up at an angle.  Well I spray painted a bunch of poker chips, huge novelty pennies, shower curtain rings, and some cups I found at Dollar Tree.  I glued in a sheet of gold paper and hot glued the pennies, poker chips and some gem stones to the sheet of paper and then we laid in the cups, beads, shower rings, and a crown inside.

Here's the others:





They really gleamed so I had to take my flash off.

Here's an upclose shot of the treasure chest.

That's the guy acting all secretive.  We had it parked in the shade so it wouldn't sparkle so we could work on it.  Also notice we re-used the flowers from last year.


That's what it looked like in line-up.

Matthew 6:21...the flowers sort of block it.

And in case you couldn't make it out, we put a crown around the cross.

After the parade I went to 3 cook-outs.  I was only invited to 1.  This family next to the church was having a cook-out and they were grilling up some brats so I just walked over and had a couple and then the pastor had a cook-out for his family and I drank some of his fancy beer...a smoked rye ale...damn tasty.  Then I went to my parents' and ate pulled beef sandwiches.  After lunch my aunt wanted to go for a ride so we took off and went out to see the countryside.



We even came across some Amish working.  They don't observe Labor Day but then every day is a labor for them.


That kid was totally wearing wrap-around sunglasses.  How can those not be considered technologically advanced?

They were cutting wood and I can only presume that the wood would be used to make a barn.

They even had the kids out mowing.

Can anyone tell me what this building is?  Hint: it was located at the end of a driveway.

I came across a Catholic church in a small town, population 25, that had a tree in front of the church.  It had this little sign in front of it.

A local grocery puts this up and people flock to the store but when I hang that sign outside of my house I get arrested for prostitution.

I love it here.