Smilin' Jack: Othello Park International Music and Arts Festival 8/17/14

Or - Dancing the Night Away.

It's been a busy weekend and we ended it with a home-grown festival at a nearby park. Oh, yes, it was time for the Othello Park International Music and Arts Festival. It's only appropriate that it be called an, "International" Festival, given that this zip code is THE most diverse zip code in the United States of America.

There it is!!

And when we started out for the Park, we saw this guy, sitting up on the top of the house. We have several bird feeders out in the yard and the sparrows and other birds splatter a lot of the feed on the ground so the pigeons can come in and eat, too. He's been hanging around for over a week, now.

Unfortunately, our feeders, well, more accurately, the birds visiting our feeders have attracted the attention of a Hawk. We're still trying to figure out what kind of hawk it is. But he showed up a couple days ago, lighting on top of our hedge to enjoy his lunch.

So, you've all been warned!! You birds eat here at at your own risk.

And after a short walk, we arrived at The Othello Park International Music and Arts Festival. At Othello Park.

Looks like a Scout Camp Out.

It was fun. They had a bunch of places for neighborhood agencies. We filled out something for Link, who then gave us two passes to ride on the Link. Then we answered questions for a Neighborhood Improvement Organization. I made several rude comments about the bike lanes there.

They had lots of free things for the kids and games and activities for them, too.

And they had jewelry, too.

Some of the rides for the kids. Well, not so much rides but blow up and jump in kind of activities for the kids.

And they had this…which was very popular. Long lines here.

Kids come up, pick out a tattoo and then…well, we'll come back to this in a little bit.

Jumpy things. I was wondering about the fun in these things and then I thought back to when I was a kid and they introduced the trampoline. That was a huge fad in the late 50s and everyone wanted to jump on one. Pretty much it's duller than dishwater, jumping up and down but to a kid it's like a magic carpet ride. For a moment, it's like you can fly.

So, I quit questioning them. I understood.

And, with understanding, I could appreciate how popular these silly things are. Maybe in 60 or so years, these kids will be shaking their heads at some new, nonsensical fad and remember back when they were excited about these jumpy things.

Hahaha, philosophical Jack. Doesn't get much deeper than that or I get myself into trouble.

We were both kinda excited to see the Parks Department's tent. They had a couple volunteers there and this display with a Heron and a Hawk.

We spent about 15 minutes there, talking with the volunteers and swapping stories with them about our sightings of Herons and Hawks. Well, Carol did. I sorta stood by and watched.

We came up on the backside of the Tattoo Tent and could see how the Tattoos were applied. Once the kids pick their design, the artist pulls out a stencil and holds it over the kid's arm and then sprays it with different colors.

Here's the finished product.

Now, I can understand the kid's fascination with getting a tattoo. I just can't understand the parents getting them and then letting their kids get one, even a temporary one, like this. I just don't understand today's fad of getting permanent markings all over your body.

Beyond me.

But, letting kids get them and treating them in such a cavalier manner makes them acceptable and…there you go again.

Well, there ya go. Glad my kids are grown and I am not making these decisions for them.

Then we stumbled on to the Magpie Mobile Boutique.

I had wanted to walk over to see what was being sold on the food trucks and…too late.

I took a seat outside while Carol went in and shopped.

The lady sitting runs the Mobile Boutique with her daughter. They spend their weekdays making jewelry and then spend their weekends on the road, selling.

It was a hobby and it grew into their business. In fact, business is so good that they're selling the little school bus they bought and renovated and they've bought a 32-foot RV that they're going to renovate and then take on the road.

This way, she explained, they'll be able to drive somewhere and then have a nice place to sleep until they go back home. Now, they're sleeping on the floor of the school bus when they have to stay overnight.

And Carol got a new pair of earrings. More on that later.

We figure the days of the Taco Bus are numbered and so we look for opportunities to drop by and enjoy their cuisine. It's good food at a reasonable price.

Today was chicken quesadilla day. And it were goooooood!!!

And the earrings? Well, Carol did get a chance to show them off while we dined al fresco in the parking lot.

Hahaha, I am a classy guy.

After lunch, we walked back to the Festival. They had promised a Camel would be there. He wasn't. But we got to walk around again and then watch some of the performances.

The back side of one of those jumpy things.

This group was waiting to go on. Carol swears they're the same group that was in the parade during the Renton Rubber Ducky River Days. Could be. They look familiar but there were a lot more of them in the parade.