Cinco de...

Flamingo! This is the same neighborhood flamingo that I blipped on Valentine's Day. He (or she) appears in front of one of the neighborhood homes at different holidays, dressed appropriately for the occasion. So far it has always worn the lavender boots, but other items change according to the specific holiday. For Cinco de Mayo, the outfit includes a sombrero and colorful scarf. There is also the larger sombrero, presumably for the Mexican Hat Dance, and a pottery bowl holding the obligatory chile peppers.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates an unlikely victory of the Mexican Army in the state of Puebla over French invaders back in 1862, when they were greatly outnumbered. A year or so later, after significant reinforcements, the French were victorious. A short-lived triumph. It is not the celebration of Mexico's Independence Day, which is held on September 16.