30 minutes in the Life: Feb 2014

In the life of a photographer, whose art is created in tiny fractions of a second, thirty minutes is a sustained thought.  Thirty, minutes, the length of a child's ballet class, a quick sauce's simmer; a commute, is long enough to witness change and short enough to be over before you know it.  We offer you here our monthly results of thirty minutes of watching and waiting and recording, of rendering permanent those fractions of a second that slip past in the time it takes to watch a television show.  Thirty minutes in the life ~ Sara Kelly

In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay

Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage

To Caunterbury with ful devote corage

At nyght was come into that hostelrye

Wel nyne and twenty in a compighye

Of sondry folk by aventure yfalle

In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle

That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde

~ Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales

Here ye, here ye to the fair we go, Suzette, Sebastian and I.  Come all, come all, come wander in, through the gates and into the revelry ahead.  See Kings and Queens, and maidens fair.  Greet Lords and Ladies, and minstrals.  See knights upon their steeds, jousting for the favor of the queen and her waiting ladies.  Watch out for those naughty nuns, pirates and wenches. Stay clear of the privy ladies. And don't cross paths with the court jester, you may walk away feeling foolish.  Today we enter the 14th Century, and in my mind the times of "The Canterbury Tales".

My love for medieval goes back to my school days.  I am passionate about the days of Kings and Queens and Knights in shinning armor.  I love sword fighting and off with the heads, and gladiators and the times of Robin Hood. The history is rich and I am convinced that I could quite easily have lived in those days.  

Having studied the heaviness of Shakespear's "Merchant of Venice, Richard 11, Othello, and Romeo & Juliet" in school, it was a joy to head out the following year, with my childhood friend, Myles, to spend an evening watching the merry antics of the characters of Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales".  They were a little bawdy, a little suggestive, and oh what a laugh. That play sets the scene for what we witnessed at the fair.

This was my first visit to the Renaissance Fair, and quite honestly, I will be going back again. What started out as potentially a 2 hour visit to the Renaissance Fair turned into a 6 hour stay and a whole lot of fun.  Sadly for this blog I can only show you 30 minutes of the 6 hours.  My memories of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" had me sliding back a few centuries as I walked about the fair today.

"Hey ducks, mind where you was going, we got us a whole lot of goodies on board here.  I can sell you a sponge if you need one, just won't tell you where it was last". "Watch out Milday, we're coming through, mind you don't get splashed on your pretty clean finery.  We're privy cleaners, you know, on account we have no larning, you see".

Privy Cleaning is a necessity and these two ladies did it with style. In true Cockney character these privy cleaners played their role to perfection. 

Selling your wares is hard work.  Merchants are in competition. Buyers line the streets, haggling over corsets, and peasant shirts and skirts.  Fine bracelets, and rings are on display. Beautiful masks for the upcoming balls.  Stoneware, pewter and glass are bartered.  

No wonder he needs to take a break every now and then.  I was just a little envious of those beautiful outfits, not so much on the cost of them.  Suffice to say I did forgo, but took a informational just in case.

"Come on by and join me for a while.  "

"So here's a health to the company, and one to my lass

Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass.

Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain

For we may and might never all meet here again" 

~ Health to the Company, Pub Song

And of course, if you take a break, what finer way to do it than with an ale in your hand.  Ale is a-flowing, folk are merry, food is a-plenty and a bard is sharing his bawdy tales of distant places in times long ago.  

"What will you have me play lass?" he said,  "Greensleeves would be my choice sir" I answered.

Alas my love you do me wrong,

To cast me off discourteously

For I have loved you well and long

Delighting in your company.

Greensleeves was all my joy

Greensleeves was my delight,

Greensleeves was my heart of gold,

And who but my lady greensleeves.

"Greensleeves", a traditional English folk song by Richard Jones, was registered in 1580 at the London Stationer's Company.  

One of my favorite stopping points was with this gentleman, James O'Clair, who has built a musical instrument out of a gord, a stick and guitar string. The music he played was just stunning. He adopted the traditional position of holding the single string equivalent of our modern day violin. I was spell bound and in love with the haunting melody and beauty of the song on this simple handmade instrument. 

Naughty nuns, somewhat risque, a little bawdy and a whole lot of fun.  One of them happened to comment to me that she thought she had lost 4 pounds due to the costume and the heat of the day.  I am sure she did.  

"Come ride the sea dragon".  

This man was awesome, reminding me a bit of Johnny Depp in looks and in character.  He worked that dragon, swinging it high and lo, climbing all over it doing creative acrobatics. Jumping to the ground from the head, and ducking under the hooves as the pounded towards the ground.  Fearless in his actions, endearing in his words.  

"Is there any one of you who is willing to challenge me?"

Jousting was on the the plan for the day, and this was indeed a fine treat of Queens, and maids and knaves and knights. Jousting, Archery, presenting of swords, and flowers was part of the act.   This fine knight became Sebastian's hero.  

This knight's horse got spooked and took off across the grounds.  For the briefest of moments, I felt like the rider got spooked as well.  

Oh my...Knights in shining armor, beautiful finery, rich history, great story telling, engaging characters, heart tugging as well as feet stomping music and an array of splendor and wares.  

"Knights die in battle", Catelyn reminded her.  Brienne looked at her with blue and beautiful eyes.  "As ladies die in childbed.  No one sings songs about them"

~ George R.R, Martin, A Clash of Kings

30 minutes was just not long enough to post the happenings of the day. What fun we had. Good times, good fellowship, and the opportunity to spend time with a fine young man, Sebastian.  If there is a Renaissance Fair in your neck of the woods, take time out to go and visit, you will leave a little lighter in spirit and richer in history.  

We have decided we will definitely go back next year, and who knows we may well be wearing costumes.  My take away for the day was a henna tattoo of a mockingbird.  

Come back and look at subsequent blogs, I am sure there will be more stories out of this day.  

Don't forget to go and see what my friend Karen Hunt, Warrenton, Virginia Photographer has for you this month.