The Big Top

Tonight the circus leaves town.

Instead of going, I spent the evening looking through my beloved children's book "Great Days of the Circus". Who knew a little dumpy 60's pictorial could have such great original images?

I was a big fan of the circus as a kid. Not so much the ringmaster bit, but the popcorn and elephant rides. It was like a big glittery zoo with men in tights.

At the impressionable age of 8 I saw a PETA expose on the circus that soured the whole experience a bit. I cried. But I still love a bit of circus romance, especially an old timey circus.

You can't forget the sideshows. Here's Lambert, the giant baby.

Side note- Some of my favorite X-Files episodes of all time are the sideshow ones, oh so good!

The actual photos of the performers are just so heartbreaking. This sweet little girl makes me, the stay at home curmudgeon, want to run away with the circus.

So amazing.

And yes, I love a girl in a dainty white Edwardian dress with a whip and a handful of leopards.

You know she was a toughie.