(Part Two) Mooresville's Victorian Christmas Celebration

We continue making the rounds with our Lithuanian VIP (very important person), "Flat" Dovydas Balčiūnas, at the Victorian Christmas Celebration in downtown Mooresville, Indiana.

Another highlight of the festivities was meeting Father Christmas outside of Biff's Pioneer House Bakery.  Both "Flat" Dovydas and "Flat" Cauli III posed for pictures.

We have BOTH been very good this year, Father Christmas

Anybody who doesn't believe in Santa Claus should watch the movie Miracle on 34th Street (1947). The Spirit of Christmas is alive and well. To paraphrase a line of dialogue from Kris Kringle in the movie, it's as real as the nose on your face.  We cats just know such things.

Just up the block (we're talking East Main Street here) outside the relatively new motorcycle dealership (in a building that once housed the local post office around a century ago) were sitting a couple of motorcycles.  I don't have a motorcycle operator license, so I can't drive one.  Still, "Flat" Cauli III can pretend.  "Flat" Dovydas, too, thought the bikes looked pretty cool.

"Flat" Dovydas & "Flat" Cauli look mighty cool

on that Harley-Davidson

The Lady With the Red Hair declined to sit on the motorcycle for a photo op.  That much coolness would be too tough to handle.

Skulls, but no cross-bones, says "Flat" Cauli III

While we were horsing around on the Harleys, the Martinsville (Indiana) Community Band played close to the Main Street/Indiana Street intersection, which is the heart of downtown Mooresville. (Indiana Street remained open for vehicular traffic, so the band had to compete with traffic noise.) Several favorite holiday tunes filled the air.  It was quite festive.  It was too dark under the tent in which they were playing, so my pictures of the band really didn't turn out very well.  The sign looks good, though.

The Lady With the Red Hair,

"Flat" Cauli III & "Flat" Dovydas

before the Victorian Christmas Tree

on the Founder's Stone

Most American school children learn the legend of Plymouth Rock, where the Mayflower Pilgrims purportedly disembarked from their ships to found the Plymouth Colony (in what became Massachusetts) in 1620. Mooresville has its own founder's rock on the Northeast corner of the Main Street/Indiana Street intersection downtown.  This was the location of the first wood-frame business building in Mooresville:  a general store owned and operated by Samuel Moore, who founded the town in 1824. The plaque on the rock commemorates the store's location, where it operated for much of the 19th century.

"Flat" Dovydas with Old-Fashioned Bicycles

I bet Hoosier-born world bicycle racing champion Marshall "Major" Taylor didn't race bikes like these back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Incidentally, my Library has several excellent biographies about Taylor.  Of course, we have a book trailer.  Would you like to watch it?  Sure you do.

"Flat" Cauli III was mesmerized by a lanky fellow walking on stilts along East Main Street.  He juggled, too.  Amazing coordination there, and then some, I'd say.  Can you imagine Scowl-Face atop those things?  "Look out below!" is all I could say about that.

Shop much at the Tall Gentlemen's Shoppe?  Just asking

There were some cute wild critters close by the tall dude.  These included a burro, a goat, and some other small grazing herbivore--I forget now what species it was.

Cute Little Burro

We'll finish up our photos of Victorian Christmas in Part Three!

Still Stay Tuned,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Holiday Celebrations News Beat

P.S.  Since we began this blog posting with Father Christmas, it seems only fitting that we should go full-circle and end there, too.  The Kinks performed "Father Christmas" (1977) in a rough-cut video montage.  The song pokes fun at Christmas commercialism.

(Part Three) Mooresville's Victorian Christmas Celebration

There was more to see at the Victorian Christmas Celebration in downtown Mooresville, Indiana, and my minions and I were there to cover any breaking news.  Accompanying us on our adventure was our new friend from Lithuania, "Flat" Dovydas Balčiūnas, whose promo trailer you may not yet have seen, but should, by all means.

"Flat" Dovydas visits a recreation

of a Civil War army bivouac

American Civil War soldiers, both Union and Confederate, staged a bivouac (well, a reenactment) outside the old Carnegie building that once housed Mooresville Public Library (1916-1988).  Click here to learn more about the history of the library.

Mooresville Public Library (1916)

We have a nice flashcard of this photograph.  Click here to see it.

Just past the old Carnegie Library on West Main Street, the horse-drawn passenger cart passed by.  We would have climbed aboard for a ride, but it was full.  So we decided to visit a couple of slobberdogs we saw earlier.

"Flat" Dovydas with one of his slobberdog buddies

As we were walking toward the old Carnegie Library, we noticed a couple of slobberdogs watching the festivities through the doorway at 11 West Main Street.  "Flat" Dovydas wanted to say hello, and the slobberdogs were quite friendly.  Surprisingly, they didn't give him a big, slobbery kiss, but having the door between them probably was a factor.

11 West Main Street, Mooresville, Indiana

(as it presently appears)

This building, like all of the other historic structures in Mooresville, has a long and interesting history.  That's Scowl-Face's department, so he can tell you all about it, and plenty more to boot.

Pace Thompson's Dry Goods Store

11 West Main Street

(early 1900s)

Given the size of the crowds mulling around the downtown shops yesterday, I'd say that the Victorian Christmas Celebration was once again a resounding success.  Everybody looked like s/he was having fun.  Well, Scowl-Face was scowling, but that's just the way he looks all the time.


We were pleased that "Flat" Dovydas could accompany moi, "Flat" Cauli III, and my minions to enjoy this holiday event.  We hope you had fun, too, reading about the festivities.  Next best thing to being there, so they say (assuming "they" speak in sentence fragments).

Needing a Nap After All the Excitement,


Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Local Celebrations News Beat


P.S.  "Victorian" Christmas harkens to 19th century days when life took a slower pace but was considerably more challenging than today, what with no pop-top lids on canned tuna-in-oil and such inconveniences as no refrigerators or laptop computers.  But the name "Victorian" comes from Queen Victoria of Great Britain, about whom the Kinks sang ["Victoria," from the album Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) (1969)].

Toucan Sammy's Victorian Christmas PSA

Sammy the Toucan "borrowed" Miss Jaymi's digital camera to make a video PSA (public service announcement) inviting everybody to attend the Library's programs and events during Victorian Christmas, which is happening Saturday, December 3, 2011, in downtown Mooresville, Indiana.  I'd show you the video, but somebody marked it "private."  Still, it's kinda cute.

Who can resist a cute invitation like that?  I hope to see you there.  I'll be wandering around outside the Library (and around downtown generally), as there will be much to report.  A roving reporter's work is never done!

Dress Warmly, If You're Outside,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Community Events News Beat

P.S.  Here are three Mooresville High School students (identified by first names only) telling riders some interesting Christmas facts on the Trolley at Mooresville's 2010 Victorian Christmas celebration.  The disembodied voice operating the digital camera is Broadway Gal.

Victorian Christmas at the Library

Yesterday's Victorian Christmas celebration at the Library was a huge success.  Over 400 patrons queued up to see the Silly Safaris Animals of the North Pole program, and many enjoyed the music of the Central Indiana Folk Music & Mountain Dulcimer Society's concert.  Dozens had pictures taken at the holiday photo booth (thanks to MPL Teen Council for running that event), and several families enjoyed making holiday crafts during Saturday Crafternoon.  I didn't see the final door count, but it must have exceeded at least 800.  I couldn't even get near the building because of the crowds, and my minions found it difficult to move around to take photos, but we snapped a few.  As always, click the images to bigify.

 Sweet sounds from the CIFM&MDS

 Saturday Crafternoon was family fun

Patrons queued up out the front entrance into the parking lot

awaiting Silly Safaris Animals of the North Pole program

Members of MPL Teen Council (center) conducted a

popular holiday photo booth in the Young Adult Zone (YAZ)

Countless other patrons visited the Library, too, for "ordinary" services, such as checking out (or checking in) items, using the computer lab, conducting genealogical or local history research, browsing the stacks, receiving reference assistance, or handling accounts at circulation.  What I found most amazing is that all of these hundreds of patrons were being served by five MPL staffers.  Christmas bonuses, I'll venture.  Just saying, Boss Lady.

Special kudos go to Crafty Gal, who orchestrated the day's festivities.  She was everywhere at once, handling last-minute adjustments, solving problems, encouraging enthusiasm among waiting patrons, and keeping everything moving smoothly.  Crafty Gal is truly made of awesome.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  Since the MPL community room was totally packed with patrons, Scowl-Face had to take photos through the windows, standing outside in the MPL courtyard. Furthermore, since he's a lousy photographer, we couldn't get any decent pictures of the star of Silly Safaris Animals of the North Pole, a real-live elkenfroster (humans call them reindeer).  So here's a photo from the Ghost of Christmas Programs Past.  (That's "Flat" Dovydas standing on the elkenfroster's back.)

(Part One) Mooresville's Victorian Christmas Celebration

"Flat" Dovydas Balčiūnas, our visitor from Lukšiai, Lithuania, wanted to experience our Victorian Christmas Celebration in downtown Mooresville, Indiana. Since this was THE happening event so far during the holiday season, we wanted to see everything.  Accompanying "Flat" Dovydas were our own "Flat" Cauli III and my minions.  I was doing the roving reporter bit and was roaming around getting news stories.


The MPL Community Room hosted "Animals of the North Pole," a program presented by Silly Safaris.  Our wildlife commentator, who was dressed like one of Santa's elves, showed many intriguing animals that live in the Arctic Circle (such as an Arctic Fox and Eurasian Eagle Owl), and some that don't (like a bullfrog and a tortoise).  He was funny and informative, which is a tough combination to master.  The audience of youngsters, teenagers, and adults was enthralled and entertained.

Silly Safaris "elf" with an Eurasian eagle owl

"Flat" Dovydas became quite excited about this bird, since the Eurasian eagle owl is native to Lithuania, and it is on the endangered species list.  These owls live in several northern countries across Europe and Asia.  This particular owl, which was called "Hoosier" (because owls hoot and the State of Indiana's nickname is Hoosiers), was trained to fly when it heard the word wing, even if it were spelled out.  The bird didn't escape, however, because it was tethered to the handler's wrist.  I was impressed by the obvious intelligence in his (or her, not sure about gender) eyes, which are so large (to help with nocturnal hunting) that they cannot move in their sockets, like human and feline eyes.  To compensate owls are able to rotate their entire heads left or right nearly 180 degrees.

But the highlight of the program was definitely the reindeer, or elkenfroster, which is my name for reindeer.  (As I explained to "Flat" Dovydas, I try to invent cute "Cauli" names for animals.  People, too.)  "Flat" Dovydas asked for a celebrity-style photo.  We aim to please at my Library.

"Flat" Dovydas riding a reindeer (elkenfroster)

Next we listened to the Central Indiana Folk Music & Mountain Dulcimer Society performing in the Library's Grand Hall.  Although you can't see me in the photo (below), I'm sitting in the front seat to the right of where "Flat" Dovydas is standing.

Sweet folk and mountain dulcimer music

We then left the Library to attend the festivities downtown.  We were going to take the trolley, but it was such a nice day outside that we decided to walk.  It's only four blocks.

"Flat" Dovydas & "Flat" Cauli III

waiting for the trolley

The Lady With the Red Hair & "Flat" Cauli III

at the trolley stop

Scowl-Face thought he would be clever by giving "Flat" Cauli III a pair of "bunny ears" for the photograph.  It was typical juvenile behavior from him.

"Bunny ears" go behind the head, not the tail,

Scowl-Face (eye-roll)

Along the way we saw a horse-drawn passenger cart.  "Flat" Dovydas asked for a horsey ride, but we were heading in the opposite direction, so he settled for a quick photo.

You would have seen several of these horse-drawn conveyances a century ago in downtown Mooresville.  Here's a picture of one from the early 1900s outside Day's Grocery when it was located at 10 North Indiana Street (until 1909).

Horse-drawn delivery carriage outside

Day Grocery, 10 North Indiana Street

(photo before 1909)

Coincidentally, a new cafe and catering service, Ralph & Ava's, had its grand opening today at 10 North Indiana Street.  "Flat" Dovydas posed outside the restaurant, as the place was packed with lunchtime customers.

"Flat" Dovydas & the Lady With the Red Hair

outside Ralph & Ava's Cafe & Catering

at 10 North Indiana Street (2011)

I'll have more photos of the Victorian Christmas Celebration in my next blog post.

Stay Tuned,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Holiday Celebrations News Beat

P.S.  Since we usually close each blog with something musical, here's something appropriate for elkenfrosters.  It's "The Reindeer Herder's Song," performed March 11, 2010 by the Alash Ensemble at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts (Arts Council of Princeton).

Victorian Christmas Coming December 3

Click to Bigify

Saturday, December 3, 2011.  That's a mark-your-calendar moment if ever there were one.  Mooresville, Indiana is having its annual Victorian Christmas Celebration, and you know you want to be there, or be square.

Details are available in the handy, dandy notice (above).  You don't want to miss the fun.  We'll be participating in the festivities at the Library, so you'll be sure to drop by to see what's happening.  You already know about the North Pole Critters program.  Here's some music you'll want to hear, for sure.

Click to Bigify

It's guaranteed to be a great entertainment value for your money (ADMISSION IS FREE!), so come one, come all.  Maybe I'll be dressed as Santa riding a sleigh.  Or not.

Love Celebrations With Food; Just Saying,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Local Festival News Beat

P.S.  Here are two of my Library's book trailers combining Victorian and Christmas.  Great books, if you can get them.  Thanks to Evergreen Indiana, you can!  Click here to place holds using your E.I. library card.

Christmas at the Zoo (Part Une)

Last night "Flat" Cauli III, my minions, and I visited "Christmas at the Zoo," a special holiday evening program at the Indianapolis Zoo.  Be forewarned:  night digital photography is not Scowl-Face's long suit.

Elkenfroster at the Zoo Entrance

Outside the front entrance of the zoo was an elkenfroster.  This one was much larger than the youngster that visited my Library during Mooresville's Victorian Christmas celebration.  We weren't able to get a photo with "Flat" Cauli III posing with the elkenfroster, because the audience was too large.  So we paid our wooden nickels (that's an old family joke) and entered the zoo grounds.

Holiday Lights Were Everywhere!

First thing we noticed when we were inside the zoo was the glorious spectacle of holiday lights that shone everywhere we looked.  It was a beautiful sight to behold, to which Scowl-Face's shaky photo does little justice.  "Flat" Cauli III then began clamoring for a photo op, so we took her picture to quiet her down.

"Flat" Cauli III poses beneath a light-strung bush

Some discourteous dude made a crack about how he couldn't believe Scowl-Face was taking photos of a "cardboard chunk" out in the cold.  The dude's leg made an ideal scratching post for moi.

There were several wild critters in lights all around the zoo.  The photos are blurry when bigified, but they don't look too bad in the smaller scale (below).

Love My Big Cousins in Lights! 

It's Morgan the Library Bunny in Lights! 

Glow Bear on the Prowl 

"I am the Walrus, goo goo g'joob"

In Part Deux of our holiday zoo visit, we'll see some real wild critters with moi and more silly poses by "Flat" Cauli III.  Stay tuned.

"I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together,"

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Holiday Zoo News Beat

P.S.  Now I've got "I Am the Walrus," by the Beatles, running through my head.  Somewhere on the Internet there's this song from a clip from the group's television movie, Magical Mystery Tour, first broadcast (in black-and-white) on December 26, 1967, on BBC1.

Our Slobberdog Christmas Display

The Decorinator has brought out her slobberdog Christmas display.  As always, click the photos to bigify.

That slobberdog knows a comfy spot to nap--right next to the faux fireplace.  I'd lie there moiself, but I'm not allowed in the public areas of the library (actually, I'm not even supposed to come inside, but sometimes I do, even so).  Anyway, it's faux fire, so there's no actual warmth (but there is psychological warmth).  Not that our slobberdog would notice the difference.

This is probably my favorite display of the Decorinator's.  "Flat" Cauli, however, is scared of it.  Here's why.

Today (December 5) is Mooresville's Victorian Christmas celebration, so this would be a nice day to visit.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

Rhythmically Return to Your Roots

The Mooresville Roots & Rhythm Festival will be held this Saturday (August 27, 2011), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in historic downtown Mooresville, Indiana.  Here is the basic info.  You should attend if you can.  It's a lot of fun!  My Library will have a booth, with lots of great giveaway stuff.  You might even see me there!  I'll be roaming around somewhere.

Event Dates: August 27, 2011 - August 27, 2011 Location: Mooresville, Indiana

5th Annual Roots & Rhythm Festival CAR,TRUCK, & BIKE SHOW LIVE American, Blues, & Roots Music Delicious FOOD Art & Artist Demonstrations Games & events for the kids! AUGUST 27, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Downtown Mooresville, Indiana. (Main Street & Indiana Street) Various visual & performing artists, vendors, and food will be in the Hadley Mini-Park area. Sponsored by The Mooresville Revitalization Group. Proceeds from the event benefit downtown revitalization efforts and events such as Victorian Christmas. __________________________​__ Contact Rosemary Rogers at 317.437.0102 for information about registration for cars for the event. Contact Jeff Whitney at 317.441.1808 for information about registration for bikes for the event. Know My Roots, and Got My Rhythm, Cauli Le Chat MPL Roaming Reporter Mooresville Festival News Beat P.S.  "Saturday in the Park" (from the 1972 LP Chicago V) is one of Chicago's many hits.  The song recollects summer days spent amidst festivals and public gatherings in the Windy City.  The band performed the song live at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago, Illinois (November 1972), which was captured on film.

Trying Out Lithuanian Pronunciations

You may have wondered how our new "Flat" Stanley-style Lithuanian friends pronounce their names.  Well, thanks to the Internet, you can hear some examples.

"Flat" Dovydas (pronounced Do-Veh-DAHS)

(Click here to listen to the pronunciation)

"Flat" Geidre (pronounced GEE-der)

(as per this online translator)

"Flat" Aisté, as seen in Miss Jaymi & Toucan Sammy's video

(pronounced ICE-Tee)

(Click here to listen to the pronunciation)

Maybe some readers wonder how to pronounce MY name.  Well, in English it sounds like CALL-lee.  As in cauliflower, like my bad ear.

Try the pronunciations for yourself.  It's fun!  Sorry if we sound sort of strange, but learning to pronounce words in other languages can be tough at first.  But we learn a little bit more about other cultures, and that, my friends, is always a good thing.

Speaking of which, "Flat" Caulis (there are many "Flat" Caulis, as you can tell by the Roman numerals we assign to each one) are talking about traveling to Lithuania to visit our "Flat" friends' school!  Would that be super-exciting, or what?  I'll have my minions get started on the paperwork.

If you missed my previous blogs about our Lithuanian friends, under "Blog Archive" on the right side of the screen, under the "2011" and "December" headings, click the titles to the blogs featuring "Flat" Dovydas, the Victorian Christmas Celebration, and "Flat" Geidre (which included "Flat" Aisté).

Having Lots of Fun With Our "Flat" Stanley Pals,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Lithuanian Travel News Beat

P.S. InCulto performed "Eastern European Funk" as Lithuania's official entry in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest.  Want to visit the group's official website?  Sure you do.