Renaissance Festival: Fifth Weekend 2010
A weekend of absolutely delightful weather. Saturday started off a little on the too-chill side, even with my coat, but it soon warmed to perfection. Didn’t have to take my coat off either day. Oh, bliss. Maybe if I’m very lucky, it’ll stay like this for the last two weekends of the run.
Highlights -
- Glorious music abound. Lorelei was visiting on Saturday and kindly sang the “Meadowlark” song for me - my Fest season is now complete. (In general it was wonderful catching up with her; I miss having her around the Cottage twice daily.) The Canterbury Travelers came in to serenade the Cottage as well, and I must say I miss the transcendent harmonies of proper madrigal songs. On Sunday a couple of Molly and Da’s friends were visiting, which also filled the house with lovely music.
- Dregs in the Dark. I know this falls under the “glorious music abound” category, but as they were kind enough to put on a more-than-two-hour show for their devoted Ren family, I feel I ought to call it out separately. I sat in the window facing Upson Downs, BJ and Hawkins on the bench below me, and reveled in not only the music, but the sense of community that filled Mac’s Pub. (Also, the lovely 12-year Bowmore that Hawkins kindly shared from his flask. Mmmmm my favorite.) Their new fiddler is awesome, and I can’t wait to hear more of her. Their set list spanned from what Tim so frighteningly dubbed “blowing our zombie wad all at once”, to originals (which includes the zombie wad), to more traditional stuff like “Lukey’s Boat” (“Lukey’s boat is painted gold - happy birthday, Tim, you’re fucking old!” would’ve put us all on the floor laughing if we hadn’t been squished together like very happy sardines) to more modern stuff like “Hotel California”, to traditional mixed with modern (I’m still not fond of “Old Dunn Cow” - but it’s much better with the addition of “Eye of the Tiger,” some of the score to Star Wars and the theme to Inspector Gadget - you know you’re among geeks when the whole crowd chimes in with the “oo oo!” at the appropriate time). I still haven’t seen the actual Firefly series (just the movie), but my goosebumps get goosebumps listening to everyone sing “Burn the land and boil the sea - you can’t take the sky from me!” With the quarry expanding to slowly eat our parking lot (and who knows what after that), buildings falling to age and neglect and being replaced by tents, and people we’ve called family for years leaving our ranks through death or disillusionment or circumstance… it felt like an anthem as we huddled in that stone building amid candlelight, packed too tight to feel the night’s chill. I saw people with camcorders, so I’m hoping this gets put either on a CD (because I’d totally buy one) or offered free on their website they did with Angelina’s farewell concert (we miss you, lady!!).
- Good food. Molly made beef barley stew on Saturday and Ulster stew (contains beets, turns your hand red - hence the name) on Sunday. Nom Cottage food nom. And perhaps it says sad things, but I enjoyed the hell out of scrubbing the pots after.
- Watering parade. It’s cool, we didn’t go through much - but hey! We’re there to serve!
- Entrance gate in the evenings. It’s slow, sure, but I like slow. Exit gate makes my head explode.
- Contact juggling. I’m starting to suck less. Marginally. Brilliance will not happen by the end of the year - but in the meantime I’m apparently one hell of an awesome advertisement for the stained glass booth on the corner where I got my marble. Each day I get at least half a dozen people asking where they can get one.
- Unlosting patrons. I still did a decent bit of this, though I spent most of my time entertaining folks in Cottage.
- Shopping. I finished off my list. GO ME!
- Full moon site wander. ‘Nuff said.
The only downside is that I started coming down with the ick on Sunday - everyone was going a bit slower and sounding a bit lower, and by the end of the day I was getting that feeling like I’d swallowed crushed glass.
Fest crud. Boo. Not as if I’m surprised - but still. Boo.
Highlights -
- Glorious music abound. Lorelei was visiting on Saturday and kindly sang the “Meadowlark” song for me - my Fest season is now complete. (In general it was wonderful catching up with her; I miss having her around the Cottage twice daily.) The Canterbury Travelers came in to serenade the Cottage as well, and I must say I miss the transcendent harmonies of proper madrigal songs. On Sunday a couple of Molly and Da’s friends were visiting, which also filled the house with lovely music.
- Dregs in the Dark. I know this falls under the “glorious music abound” category, but as they were kind enough to put on a more-than-two-hour show for their devoted Ren family, I feel I ought to call it out separately. I sat in the window facing Upson Downs, BJ and Hawkins on the bench below me, and reveled in not only the music, but the sense of community that filled Mac’s Pub. (Also, the lovely 12-year Bowmore that Hawkins kindly shared from his flask. Mmmmm my favorite.) Their new fiddler is awesome, and I can’t wait to hear more of her. Their set list spanned from what Tim so frighteningly dubbed “blowing our zombie wad all at once”, to originals (which includes the zombie wad), to more traditional stuff like “Lukey’s Boat” (“Lukey’s boat is painted gold - happy birthday, Tim, you’re fucking old!” would’ve put us all on the floor laughing if we hadn’t been squished together like very happy sardines) to more modern stuff like “Hotel California”, to traditional mixed with modern (I’m still not fond of “Old Dunn Cow” - but it’s much better with the addition of “Eye of the Tiger,” some of the score to Star Wars and the theme to Inspector Gadget - you know you’re among geeks when the whole crowd chimes in with the “oo oo!” at the appropriate time). I still haven’t seen the actual Firefly series (just the movie), but my goosebumps get goosebumps listening to everyone sing “Burn the land and boil the sea - you can’t take the sky from me!” With the quarry expanding to slowly eat our parking lot (and who knows what after that), buildings falling to age and neglect and being replaced by tents, and people we’ve called family for years leaving our ranks through death or disillusionment or circumstance… it felt like an anthem as we huddled in that stone building amid candlelight, packed too tight to feel the night’s chill. I saw people with camcorders, so I’m hoping this gets put either on a CD (because I’d totally buy one) or offered free on their website they did with Angelina’s farewell concert (we miss you, lady!!).
- Good food. Molly made beef barley stew on Saturday and Ulster stew (contains beets, turns your hand red - hence the name) on Sunday. Nom Cottage food nom. And perhaps it says sad things, but I enjoyed the hell out of scrubbing the pots after.
- Watering parade. It’s cool, we didn’t go through much - but hey! We’re there to serve!
- Entrance gate in the evenings. It’s slow, sure, but I like slow. Exit gate makes my head explode.
- Contact juggling. I’m starting to suck less. Marginally. Brilliance will not happen by the end of the year - but in the meantime I’m apparently one hell of an awesome advertisement for the stained glass booth on the corner where I got my marble. Each day I get at least half a dozen people asking where they can get one.
- Unlosting patrons. I still did a decent bit of this, though I spent most of my time entertaining folks in Cottage.
- Shopping. I finished off my list. GO ME!
- Full moon site wander. ‘Nuff said.
The only downside is that I started coming down with the ick on Sunday - everyone was going a bit slower and sounding a bit lower, and by the end of the day I was getting that feeling like I’d swallowed crushed glass.
Fest crud. Boo. Not as if I’m surprised - but still. Boo.