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i went down to the community garden this morning to clean up my plot before heading down to porter square to watch the honk parade at noon. it was surprisingly humid and warm outside, 75°F. there wasn't much to do, just pulled up some dead plant stalks. i'll come back in a few weeks to cut everything down to the roots, once we have our first killing frost. i may also think about relocating my poisonous monkshood plant. it didn't flower this year because it was eclipsed by the rampant striped mallows.

after stopping by the house to wash up and grab my camera gear, i walked down to the corner of mass ave and beech street (a bit past porter square), where i watched the parade last year. i got there earlier than i anticipated, and growing impatient, i decided to walk down to beech and elm to see if i could see the procession. i ended up walking as far as russell and elm, on the perimeter of davis square, and seeing the parade from there.

once i felt enough of the procession had gone by, i followed behind the parade, knowing that i could walk faster than the procession. i wasn't able to catch the head of the parade, but i was close, and watched the parade again from that stretch of mass ave between porter and harvard square.

compared to some of the other parades i've gone to this year (pride, mermaid, carnival), the honk parade was somewhat more subdued in extravance and spectacle. maybe it's because i've already seen it so many times, it's lost some of its novelty. but it felt like there wasn't as many photoworthy moments as honk parades from years past.

i didn't bother following the parade to the octoberfest festivities happening in harvard square. even though the weather was pleasant, i was actually kind of hoping for the parade to be over so i could go home. afterwards i took the motorcycle to belmont, despite the weather looking like it might rain again (though the weather forecast said it'd be a dry day).

rain wasn't in the forecast but it was so humid and overcast outside it shouldn't have been a surprise. there was still a light drizzle when i rode home. i was better prepared this time, wore my water resistant jacket. when i got back, only the bottom of my pants and my shoes were wet, while everywhere else i was dry.