We went to Mule Day on Saturday, near Calvary, just over the Georgia line. I have never been to Calvary, and I still haven't, since Mule Day was held in a field outside of town. It was essentially a harvest festival. Demonstrations were given of the milling of corn and the grinding of sugar cane for syrup. People could be seen carrying stalks of sugar cane.
Sugar cane and cane syrup are not foreign to me. My father used to cut a stalk of sugar cane into bite-sized pieces for us to chew. My mother served cane syrup on our pancakes and waffles.
There were not a lot of rides for children at Mule Day, but the mother and child at the bungee ride were having a blast.
Here is a sort of "choo-choo train" that doesn't require tracks. Are the cars made from oil drums?
Arrangements of silk flowers for cemeteries. Lots of the usual things were on offer: clothing, crafts, baked goods. I've never before seen cemetery flowers for sale at an event like this.
The Cairo High Marching Syrupmakers majorettes! Having been in marching bands, I have a weakness for majorettes.
The parade began with the procession of the flags.
Many vintage tractors were on display. Two men behind me remembered them all.
Mule-drawn wagons with splendid harnesses rolled by. The mules do actually make a "hee-haw" sound.
The Land. The people are very close to the land: getting a living from it in a way that I am so removed from.
