Ahh! The Greater Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival...sigh

Greetings, my fellow people, and well met!

From this moment henceforth, I have made the decision to speak more eloquently. Life, short though it may be, should be sweetened when possible, and my dear sirs and ladies, this mayhap be one venue of sweetening one's day. Please, I prithee, good people, do entertain my Renaissance tongue, and please do not hesitate to join with me should I shout a good ringing HIP HIP HUZZAH every now and again.


This Festival may also be known as the PGH RenFest...and the sigh was for the noble knight who kissed my hand in parting ;-) His name be Sir Thomas, and unfortunately he had perished about 10 minutes earlier as a result of being stabbed in the back by the knight I cheered on in the jousting (whose name happened to be Sir Ashton). Sir Thomas was only a herald...but Sir Ashton was seeking revenge because he thought his brother (King Richard) had unlawfully taken the throne, and was trying to prevent the King's marriage to Queen Rosalind. The Queen's unfortunate knight, Lord Morgan, Duke of Morelandshire (a.k.a. "Captain" Morgan :-P ), was near defeat and badly wounded by Sir Ashton, but revived enough at the last moment to catch Sir Ashton unawares during his celebration. Well, that was the first joust. On the second day, and second re-enactment, Sir Ashton killed both Lord Morgan and Sir Thomas, but King Richard stabbed him in the back whilst Sir Ashton was celebrating! And, alas, the dear Sir Thomas seemed a bit bloody after having his throat cut by Sir Ashton (I though this was all for play...and Sir Ashton even told me that they were his friends! Pah!) However, I did'st enjoy the jousting heartily.


Not only was there jousting (choreographed and relatively non-lethal though it may be), there were multiple entertainers (jugglers, musicians, acrobats, comedians) and also multiple artisans. I got a spiffy little crown-thingy to add to my elvish wardrobe :-D The Steel Thistle Pipe & Drum band were HOTROCKINAWESOME! No, scratch that. They deserve a good round of HIP HIP HUZZAH's!!!! (Come on, everybody! Ooom-pahh!)

I'truth, I did'st enjoy the weekend very much. Though I saw no men of Sherwood dressed in their Lincoln Green, I dids't have a good time. The portraits painted above by a good friend (i. e. my brother's camera) are the Zany Umbrella Circus, Queen Rosalind and myself, and Sir Thomas on his horse. I am not sure of the exact order, but, my friends, you may know which label be to which image.

I thank thee, and bid thee all farewell. May you live as long as you want, and not want as long as you live. (hmm, now this brings into question another completely different topic. Should we wish for what we want, or durst we stray from God's perfect will?)