Visalia: Tulare County Renaissance Faire, April 24 & 25, 2010

We arrived on site around 4pm. Tory and I had dropped off the trailer at the KOA first, and then headed over. When we arrived, Sir Guy and Dame Alexandria were on site, as well as Don Juan. Set up went fairly smoothly. We had a smallish space off of the playground (adjacent to the space we had two years ago), it was in the shade most of the day however we did put up the shade canopy to ensure that that was the case.

I have to mention that the playground was completely remodeled. It was beautiful…it was also really new to the community, so all weekend we were battling against the playground and losing. We only gave out ¼ of what we usually do, because the kids wanted to be on the playground. As witnessed by Laurie. The entire time Cullen, Gwen and Laurie were in attendance on Saturday Laurie was on the playground. We had the same problem with Sean & Kim’s daughter Riley.

I also have to say that I love this particular faire board. They are sooooooooo accommodating! Saturday Detta & Merrick joined us…a bit late, but that was okay. One of the guys on the faire board walked them through and got them to us. It was terrific. The new folk (Sean, Kim, Riley & Taodgh [Tiegh]) were about an hour later, and were allowed in without have to pay the accommodation fee. Very cool.

Both days were beautiful. A bit warm, but not nearly the sweltering heat of years past. Being in the shade was really nice, kept us cool, and our location had a *very* nice breeze off an on in the afternoons. We were directly across from Castlewood and from St. Mort’s hospitality/information booth, behind and to the side of us was a fairy face painting booth. They were cool, dressed as the fairies that they said they were. They had some children with them, and their son was dressed as Pan. It was a great outfit…probably difficult for him to play on the playground in, though, as the shoes had a bit of a lift to them.

We had tons of people pass by us, as we were in the major thoroughfare for the second bridge. Sir Guy was in his element. He took up a position on one side of the encampment between the trebs and was regaling anyone and everyone about them. Dame Alexandria did a lot of embroidery on Saturday, so much so that she gave herself a headache. Tory and Merrick played bocce ball with Evan (Tina at NSA’s son) on Saturday. We danced a bit on Saturday (Merrick, too), and just didn’t have the bodies to do so on Sunday. Detta didn’t stay down nearly as much as she should have with her foot injury, although she did more on Sunday (see the photo in the photos section of the chat for proof) ;).

Friday night the three of us, Sir Guy and Dame Alexandria had spaghetti, which turned out pretty well. Saturday evening everyone got together at our trailer for dinner (Taco Stuff), and we were serenaded by Sean and his awesome little guitar. He’s a terrific musician. Dinner was pretty good, but the company was terrific.

There was a huge mess up with the noble parade on Saturday. Sir Guy, dressed as a noble, was to be in the parade, but with the screw up between all of the other participants, he ended up standing around (and doing meet & greet) for an hour and a half after it was supposed to have started before they got going. We had a 3pm meet & greet schedule both days. Saturday Sir Guy and I were it. Sunday Sir Guy, Tory & Merrick took the duty. Tory said Merrick even danced with her out there. Closing parade both days was a bit of a joke as well. The only group really doing it (when it should have been every group that was *not* in the noble parade) was Galbraith. We made ourselves present in there both days as well, but that was pretty much it.

As they were trying to preserve the grass (not like they put new grass in or anything), we weren’t supposed to stay on site with our vehicles for any length of time, and with the traffic issues they have, they asked that everyone move their vehicles out of the way so others could pull around. We completely tore everything down and put it on the side walk before we brought the truck/trailer on site. This was noticed and appreciated by the faire board. Steve (M&M) came over to confirm who we were because we were the only group that followed the rules (surprise surprise).

Tear down went fairly quick, we had a slight delay because we took everything down before bringing the truck on, so we made it in an hour and forty-five minutes. Then we all had dinner at DelTaco to finish off the weekend.

School: St. Mary's School, April 16, 2010

It was wonderful returning to St. Mary’s. St. Andrews was there in force. Old faces like Dame Alice Sinclair, Cailin Seaton, Our own Gwen as Mary Queen of Scots, some new faces, Dame Bonnie Gunn & Sir Ryk Tucker (although he was playing some other character for the day), and our own little group of Tory, Detta, Don Juan and I were in attendance.

After some introductions to the children, we broke off into four groups (weapons, dance, games/siege weapons, queen). Tory stepped up and talked to the kids about both siege weapons and period games (she did some voice projection exercises with them, which they seemed to enjoy), until Don Juan returned with more period games (from the trailer). Cailin and Sir Ryk ran the weapons table with some other St. A’s help. Gwen ran the queen group with the able assistance of Dame’s Bonnie & Alice. Poor injured Detta, Debbie, one of the new St. Andrew’s folk and I ran dancing.

The groups of kids were so small that I had to can my plans (I had wanted to teach them Welcome to the Dance), and I taught them the more complicated version of Sellinger’s Round. Each of the groups picked up the dance fairly easily, up until the last group. They were completely different children than the other three groups. Anyway, after the last group we ended up breaking for lunch (it was almost noon and the food was getting cold). As we needed to get out of there by noon, we weren’t able to coach the children through the group dance. I understand from Detta & Gwen that it was interesting.

We’re looking forward to next year.

Workshop - April 10, 2010

The training on Saturday went well. Thanks to Morrigan & Wil for opening up their home for our use during the yucky weather. It was a big help. J

One of the benefits of having the trainings in Sunnyvale during the rainy season is that Morrigan & Wil’s home is nearby, as well as their rec room…and so is my work, so we always have a place to hole up in case of inclement weather.

• We learned (I hope) a bit about Elizabeth and the goings on during the decade of the 1580’s. Big things happened. If you weren’t able to attend you may want to brush up on it (I have hand outs if that would be helpful), as most of the Elizabethan Faires (Tulare, Queen Bess & The Pyrates, SLO, Folsom) that we attend are set in the 1580’s.
• We learned some warm up exercises to help us project our voice.
• We worked on some improv exercises, which were interesting and fun.
• We danced a bunch [Welcome to the Dance, Gathering Peascods, Ambassadorska Taniec, Black Allemande, Sellingers Round]
• We discussed upcoming events, including the school event (see below).
• And we ended the day with a terrific dinner. Thanks Morrigan!

Lompoc: Lompoc Renaissance Festival - March 27th & 28th, 2010

Don Juan, Arya and I arrived at the faire site, to find Sir Orion’s truck buried in the sand up to its back axel. There was a large crowd there trying to help get it out of the sand, which was a good thing. Don Juan found a board to put under the tire, which helped. With the group of folk pushing on the back end, and the group of people pulling on a tow cable from the front and the board under the tire, they were successful in getting the truck out of the sand.

They had already unhooked the trailer, so we needed to empty it out before trying to get it reattached and out of there. After unloading the trailer, the guys got it lined up better and were successful in getting it hooked back up to the truck. Don Juan and Arya, standing on the back bumper of the truck, with Sir Orion driving were able to get both out of the sandy pit without further difficulties.

The faire site was unusual in that there were lots of little branches off of the main line. Our branch had a stage on the end of the main line, with a vendor, then a tavern and then us. We didn’t get a lot of foot traffic, and then when we did the tavern next door would steal them. It was the most active tavern I’ve ever seen, they kept pulling the patrons in to play games. Very cool, but not so good for us.

As promised we had a large area in which we could fire the trebuchets, which was nice. We didn’t need to do a lot of policing prior to firing, and because we were firing produce and they have a large native population of free ranging animals (mountain lions and deer are native, as well as snakes), we didn’t need to pick up all of our mess, just the big stuff. In addition to cabbage we were firing cantaloupe, which was fun (and messy!).

At notes on Saturday the faire board said that there were 5 more vendors and 5 more guilds than last year show up. Sunday notes it was said that the gate was down from last year, but they anticipated picking it up on Sunday. I don’t think that happened, though. The crowds seemed much smaller on Sunday than on Saturday.

About noon on Saturday the wind kicked up and took our precarious sun canopy with it so we were without shade for the weekend. Saturday was very warm. The weather said that it was supposed to be 73, but the base camp thermometer said it was 84. We were on the top of a ridge, so perhaps that’s why it was warmer. Sunday was bright, but cooler.

We really needed another two people (at minimum) to work effectively. The Queen’s Ha’Penny Consort were present and begged us to come dance for them, however we just didn’t have the manpower to do so. Even if a few of us could have gotten away, it would not have been enough for a set. So we didn’t dance all weekend. They were begging for folk to do meet & greet, but even that we had to refuse.

Monday morning when we were tearing down, Justin Le Chevaliar came over and I asked if we could disregard the rules next year and put in 24” stakes, and he said that would be fine. If we come back, we would then have a shade canopy. Don Juan made some other suggestions, which I didn’t hear. He was very open to any/all feed back. I think it would be a good thing to attend next year, if we could have more than 4 adults and a wee one committed.

Sonora: Sonora Celtic Festival - March 12, 13 & 14, 2010

If I had to use a word to describe Sonora it would be … crazy!

The school event on Friday went very well. We managed to have enough time to set up the pavilion and the shade canopy, pull out the rugs, the chairs and the trunks before the day began. There were lots of kids, but it wasn’t packed. According to Marti on Saturday morning we had 1,000 kids, but they certainly didn’t make it down to our neck of the woods. We were all alone down south.

The sky was overcast, but it wasn’t too cold. On our end we had Orion, Gavin, Gwen, Detta and myself for the entire thing, and Don Juan for much of it (he had to park the trailer at the RV place as there was no street parking for it, so we lost him for about an hour or so). We had the traction treb set up and were using water balloons for ammunition. Early on Orion was the counterweight with Gwen loading the water balloons and Detta bracing the base. Once Don Juan came back Orion & he were pretty much operating it.

I was either firing Orion’s treb with the kids, loaded with golf balls, or filling water balloons with Gwen & Detta’s help. As I said, crazy. Gavin was being sweet and would fetch the balls for me some of the time. Otherwise he kept himself entertained, which was a big help.

Around about 12:30pm the rain came in, we kept thinking it was going to go away, but it decided to stay. Fortunately for the crowds (and for us), most everyone was in the stands watching the joust. I must say I’m pretty impressed that the Knights of Avalon continued to perform even in the rain. We decided to call it a day at 2:45ish, as the rain wasn’t letting up. We decided to not remove anything else from the trailer and to deal with it in the AM.

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Saturday arrived quietly. The rain stopped during the night and the sun was out. It was very cold, though. Upon arriving at the faire site we found that the shade canopy had collapsed during the night. It had been heavily saturated with the rain and then when everything froze over during the night, the wet ground released the stakes and the entire thing fell. Detta, Merrick and I had the pleasure of trying to move it to the back of Don Juan’s truck. It was nearly solid. When I say ‘frozen solid’, I mean literally.

At this point the ground was starting to thaw, and it was getting really nasty. Our green carpet got the worst of it, I think. We ended up with a large puddle underneath the carpet between the chairs and the pavilion. You didn’t really notice it to look at it, until you stepped there and the carpet would pool. We unloaded some more of our things, but not nearly as much as usual, so it was a weird weekend in that we didn’t have all of our ‘stuff’ to occupy our time. We did get the kitchen out, which helped fill out our encampment (as well as Killian’s chain mail ‘guys’) this really helped since we looked so plain without our shade canopy.

The way things played out we had Detta and Merrick for half the day, Killian, Kieran, Robin, Don Juan and myself. Sir Guy stopped by on Saturday (he’d come for the cardinal-ing of Chris Morgan, however that has been postponed until Tulare) with his grandson and his two daughters.

Lord Bothwell (from Saint Andrews) came up with a gig where he was going to have gentlemen together for lunch in their encampment to throw food at the kitchen staff (or something), however he didn’t limit it to members of St. Andrew’s as it played out he ended up absconding with four of our members (Don Juan, Killian, Kieran & Sir Guy). When we only have eight people in attendance, this was insane. So, I discussed it with him…particularly after I had found out that he was planning on doing the same thing on Sunday! Everything worked out in the end and I got the queen on Sunday…

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Sunday was beautiful…if cold starting. We arrived on site at 8am and were loathe to get out of the truck it was so cold. Eventually we did and trekked up for some hot chocolate and some hall shopping, as I was wearing hoops I knew I wouldn’t be welcome in there later on. Detta was with us all day, which was terrific. One more body is always nice.

At meet and greet I was taught a new dance by St. Genivive’s (however you spell it). I started calling it ‘An Ode to Sonora’ as I taught it to folk later on. I was planning on teaching it to HRM’s Mary’s alas the only one in attendance in our encampment wasn’t adventurous enough to fully try (she gave up after the 'mud' refrain). But that’s okay, later in the day I challenged Dame's Brittah and Annabel and they both bucked up amiably and took the challenge. It was quite fun. Ask me about it and I can teach it to you. I’ve even added two verses...er refrains...er whatever those things are called!

The first cabbage we threw Sunday morning exploded it was so cool. We really needed to have that on video! We think it was because it was frozen...we'll have to try that again! Whatever the only part that was really left was the core.

As I mentioned before Her Majesty came to visit bringing a small entourage. She got a break to eat and then we were able to dance a bit (Hearts Ease) before the other Mary’s caught up with her.

Don Juan drug me out of the encampment in the afternoon kicking and screaming (okay well maybe not kicking and screaming on the outside). He caught me so off guard I didn’t have my cup, but did have my embroidery with me. We stopped by the beekeepers where I got to teach them the new dance along with my first added verse. They’re really good people I’m sad that there wasn’t more time to spend with them this faire. Then we stopped to talk with Justin (Knightlighting).

We stopped by Obsidian Moon so I could ask them how we could best help them with their business. They seemed intrigued by my question. They said that we should be aware of the patrons around us and step out (as in the way we would speak to the queen, with our body half turned towards her and half turned out towards the audience) if there were a patron there to see their wares. There were a few more suggestions, but I don’t want to put them in writing, as I don’t want them to be misconstrued. This is something we should definitely talk more about.

We also stopped to talk to Joyce Roberts (The Queens Favor) and a new vendor that was set up across from them. We got the new vendor hooked up with her to discuss her faires. Last stop we, of course, stopped to talk to New Sterling Arms.

Sunday was hot, I think everyone got sunburned. I’ve still got the chills from mine.

Tear down went well, we’ve got some items that will need to be dried more (like the rugs), but otherwise it appears as if everything weathered the weather okay. We have some new red streaks down the sides of the pavilion, but it held tight through the worst of the worst.

Workshop - March 7, 2010

Here’s a brief overview of the topics we were educated on:

• Review the items we discussed at our last training for folk who missed it.
• Reviewed some new character building spreadsheets, and heard Sir Guy's story. We were all encouraged to draft up a family tree going back to our grandparents.
• Danced: Black Allemande, Gathering Peascods, and attempted Cuckolds All In A Row
• A word search was handed out with key people and places in the life of Mary Stewart, with accompanying art and photos of some of the items in the search.
• Sir Ryk Tucker instructed us in heraldry. If anyone would like assistance in designing their coat of arms he has offered his assistance.
  

Team Building Event - Second Harvest Food Bank - Saturday, February 6, 2010

Thanks to everyone that participated in the food sort on Saturday. Through our efforts, 440 boxes were packed (14,560 pounds of food) and went out to the needy! Good job team!

Second Harvest is always in need of volunteers, in fact the majority of their workforce *is* in fact volunteers. If you ever want to do something that makes you feel good, this is it.


We received this follow up message from Second Harvest:


Thank you for your time and consideration while volunteering on Saturday, 2/6/2010, 9:00
AM to 12:00 PM.

Your group of 9 people sorted food to be distributed to families struggling with low-wage jobs,
growing housing costs and homelessness. Your efforts helped feed low-income seniors, as well
as low-income volunteers who are helping others while helping themselves. Volunteer
support is essential for Second Harvest to maintain efficient and cost effective services.

Because of you and other volunteers, over 236,000 people a month are able to receive food.
The food is distributed through our partnering agencies, their satellites, and through Second
Harvest Food Bank's direct service programs.

We want you to know how deeply we appreciate the time you have taken out of your own
busy lives to help us achieve our mission, "Providing food for people in need in our
community." Your gift of time has made a difference for many in our community. Please
express our appreciation to the members of your volunteer team for giving their precious
time and hard work while at Second Harvest Food Bank.

Year round, the Food Bank is always in need of volunteer help and we hope you will be able to
join us again. We look forward to our continued partnership with Olde School Renaissance
Productions, Inc.. In San Jose please contact Colleen Murphy, Volunteer Services
Administrative Assistant, via email at cmurphy@shfb.org, or by phone at 408-266-8866
ext. 247. In San Mateo please contact Rita Guntern, Volunteer Manager, via email at
rguntern@shfb.org, or by phone at 650-610-0800 ext. 415.

Warmest Regards,
Kristin Sulpizio