The circus came to town!

The Kelly Miller Circus came to Mount Vernon a few weeks ago. It was a small but impressive operation. They set up the "big top" and a couple of smaller tents for vending and pony rides at the Knox Countly Fairgrounds. I took the kids to watch as the crew set up on Thursday morning. We were told that everything would be taken down after the show that night as they were due in Mansfield for two shows on Friday. We got to watch from inside the half-constructed tent as an elephant helped in pull the large support poles up. We also saw a camel, some donkeys, ponies, and horses as they were unloaded and cared for. The kids had a great time.


The very thin rope (no electicity added) was all that seperated us from the well-trained elephants.
John and his friend Ella testing the sturdiness of the construction, as they were asked to do by a kind crew member who saw they needed some entertaining. It's hard to see, but this is where the elephant was harnassed to the tent support pole. With the elephant not more than 25 feet away from us, my son was at this point sitting on the ground with a boy he had just met watching a worm. It was a long morning, but still well worth it!

Later that night Nana and Papa Humphrey took John back for the show. He came home still with the widest eyes and immitated the ring mater for days after. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!"