Parades, Geese, & Blooms

If you're wondering what everything in the post title has in common, the answer is nothing except that all happened here in May. So, on this last day of the month, here's some recent goings on in Nashua, NH. This will be a long-ish post with many images as there have been many good happenings here. Hope you will enjoy them too.

Most folks, like ourselves, like a parade, especially a home-town event. Nashua is a city of about 90,000 residents and hardly a small town. Its annual Memorial Day parade was welcomed back this past Monday for the first time since 2020.

Nashua, NH, Police & Fire department members at start of Memorial Day Parade

Because of we-all-know-what, this annual event had been cancelled the past 2 years and the weather cooperated with plenty of sun and blue skies. Starting from the city's Holman Stadium baseball field, the parade continued a half mile route to Main Street and City Hall.

School marching bands in Memorial Day Parade, Nashua, NH

Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday set aside to honor military personnel who have died while in military service. From 1868 to 1970, it was observed on May 30, then in 1971, Congress changed its observance to the last Monday in May. Veterans Day, observed in November, celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, deceased and living.

School and Boy Scout groups walked in Memorial Day Parade, Nashua, NH

Participants included the marching bands from the city's three high schools as well as several middle schools and other groups.

Most parade viewers waved or saluted as the groups passed by them. The parade had very few vehicles and there were no truck floats. Fire engines signaled the parade's end with flashing lights. Growing up in Plainfield, NJ, holiday parades included truck floats and emergency vehicle sirens. Did your home town host holiday parades?

Holiday attire of Laura (L) and Grenville (R) at Memorial Day Parade, Nashua, NH 

In addition to the flags being waved or displayed, many parade goes displayed colorful attire like Laura, a neighbor in the mill apts and Grenville (who only wears this shirt twice a year).

Some of the recent goslings seen in Nashua, NH

In recent weeks there's been a population explosion of Canada geese on the Nashua River near the mill apts compared to far fewer in previous years. Canada geese lay between four to nine eggs per year; five is average. Yes, they are very sweet, but many folks here would be more than willing to have them return to our northern neighbors — or anywhere else.

Last week, we counted four families with from 3 to 9 goslings among them (18 young ones in total plus 8 or more adults). As you can imagine, walking on the pathways and grassy areas has become a major challenge when trying to avoid the messy evidence of their presence of which there is an abundance of late. 

Several families of Canada geese seen in or near the Nashua River

Canada geese are among several species, predominantly birds, that mate for life. Geese can live between 10 to 25 years and, when they partner, they stick with a partner until one of them dies. Adult geese bring goslings together in flocks called creches. The goslings are looked after by all the adults, like an animal kindergarten. This is done for the safety of the goslings as more adults watch for dangers.

Adult Canada goose on banks of  the Nashua River

The aggression exhibited by adult geese in the form of hissing is often the result of humans getting too close to the family. Until goslings can fly, about 10 weeks, parents usually remain on the ground. Geese typically nest near water as they sleep on the water at night. This is safer because coyotes and foxes can’t swim to get them; there's little danger of such predators here. They also flock together to keep watch, always a good plan.

Recent blooms in Le parc de Notre Renaissance Française, Nashua, NH

The Canada geese families have been making their home in a pocket park that's locally known as the French Park or Renaissance Park. This small park officially named Le Parc de Notre Renaissance Française is between a parking area and the bank of the Nashua River. It commemorates the first wave of French-Canadian immigrants who arrived in Nashua between 1870 and 1872. By 1936, some 15,000 of Nashua’s nearly 32,000 residents were immigrants working in the city's textile mills, like the one in the background of the above photo.

Blooms around grounds of Clocktower Place Apartments, Nashua, NH

There's also a number of colorful tree blooms in and around the mill apt building. Gardening contractors will be adding ground flowers in the next week.

A week ago, I posted my thoughts on several recent shooting incidents and invited your comments. Thank you to all who shared what was in your hearts. If sharing is truly caring, you are a very caring group. 

(You can trademark a logo, slogan or company name and the phrase, SHARING IS CARING, is a trademark of the Salvation Army, which has had it trademarked since 1950.)