The Festival of Life

As previously noted, each year, fall rolls in with much fanfare at our house.  For us, the ritual includes FESTIVALS...The Renaissance Festival & The Pumpkin Festival.  We could attend the Renaissance Festival when it begins in the summer, but we wait for the last weekend.  We wait for a chill to hit the air and the humidity to go on vacation.   It is a day trip for us, never a few hours.  This year, a friend gave the girls authentic costumes from her earlier days as a fest employee.  This has earned her rock star status with my girls…and me:) But look at her…she is a rock star…

some girls idolize pop stars, mine idolize dragon slayers...awesome.

Real fairy dust...

I want this to be the color of my makeup...my hair...my nails...my life

My little "Puck"...

And my "Arwen".  My apologies if you aren't fluent in nerdese:)

And of course there is the food.  Is there anything more sinful and decadent than "festival food?"  All bets are off on the healthy life style when I'm in a festival environment.  There are no food rules at all...giant turkey leg?  Yes, please (vegetarian? me? not today.)  3 or 4 halved oranges filled with Italian Ice?  Absolutely!  Chocolate, wine and pickles...OH MY! Sangria...several.  And of course...the ale.

Food glorious food!!

And a little hay...why not?  

I have this theory...that there are "State Fair" people and there are "Renaissance Festival" people.  Both love people watching, both live for festival/fair food and both have a  deep passion for the event. And while "State Fair" people enjoy the thrill of the ride...the adrenaline rush...us "Renaissance Festival" people love living in another time for a day.  Whether you completely geek out and role play, or just enjoy those that do, you still get to escape modern day noise and commotion for much more organic kind noise and commotion.  Flutes and fairies, drums and dragons.  Everything surrounding you demands your attention...the colors, smells, sparkles, fire, music and of course...the people. 

There is a kinship among those inside the gates, a sense of community.  Every year as we dance to the drums at the end of the day, we talk excitedly about how wonderful it would be to just live this life always.  Pick up the accent and a marketable trade skill and live a beautiful Bohemian life!  

But inevitably the sun goes down, and we begin the long trek to the car... pushing a very tired baby across a bumpy field , our girls realizing  that they've been on their feet for 10 hours...walking around.  And we are suddenly hit by exhaustion,  we finally feel the dirt in our hair and on our feet, stomachs churning from the quantity and variety of foods we've enjoyed.  The ride home is silent as little festival bodies pass out and slip into a sugar coma.  Once home, there is a mad dash for the showers, followed by the pre bedtime show of all the cool trinkets from the day.  And it's at this point every year that I say a silent prayer of thanks for the sweet little bohemian life we've created right here in our home.


Up next...PUMPKIN FESTIVAL...South Dakota style baby.