Alaska and the Ren Faire

So I’m in Alaska!
Actually, I’ve been in a Alaska for about 4 weeks now, sorry for not blogging but I don’t have internet at the campground we’re currently staying at >.<

Spring has sprung here in AK. All around Anchorage dandelions, lupine, forget-me-nots and a little white flower I’ve yet to identify are in bloom. Sadly my camera is broken and I’ve yet to get another one so I can’t show you the beauty all around me…yet!

I’ve done a lot since we’ve been here though. I’ve learned to crochet, got a job as a Front Desk receptionist at a local hotel, been out harvesting wild edibles, had close encounters with moose and black bear (and lived), and I’ve been to the Anchorage Renaissance Fair!

I know, it’s a lot for 3…4 weeks, right?

There’s so much to talk about but for now I just want to tell you about the Anchorage Renaissance Festival.

The Three Barons Renaissance Fair is not as big as some of the other fairs I’ve been to but it was very well laid out and each area seems to be designated to the 3 barons – 1 from Italy, 1 from England, and 1 Moorish Baron. There was plenty of entertainment from the Circus of the Damned to the Alchemist’s Magic Show and tons of vendors from blacksmiths (one was a cutie in a kilt) to the local wenches guild to food galore.

I was very impressed.

One of my first stops was at a vendor booth called Hedgewitchery (surprised?). The owner, Brend M. Beck, was a welcoming lady who was dressed as a peasant herbwife and going about her business making tinctures and liniments in the shop window. She was surrounded by dried herbs and her wares – soaps, liniments, salves and teas.

She welcomed us to the fair and to Alaska and we talked about local herbs in the area and how it compared to Tennessee. She then invited me to a class she’s teaching next month on local plants and herbs – I’ll post the information when she gives it to me ^_^

Another vendor I stopped at was The Renaissance Raven (www.renraven.com). Darlene Cullor is a jewelry artist who specializes in creating “Torch & Kiln Fired Enamels, Repousse, and all times of metals: sterling, copper, Brass.” She had so many beautiful pieces, I was depressed at not having much cash on me to buy a leather rose for a hair piece or any of the other jewelry there.

The vendor that I had the most fun with is definitely the International Wenches Guild – Alaska Local chapter. These bawdy and friendly ladies were offering a variety of items from hand-made masks to moss covered fairy houses to beaded jewelry. While I browsed I heard one of the ladies call out to a scalawag passing by teasingly then turn to another wench and state that she had received a hug from him earlier and he was by far one of the cutest young men here at the fair.

I got a card from them and want to share its statement:

What is the wenches guild? – a loose (not necessarily literally) yet powerful confederation of women who share beliefs:

• ·         A wench is not afraid to stand on her own
• ·         A wench is beautiful, regardless of size, shape, or color
• ·         A wench is unafraid to use body, brains and brawn to get what she wants
• ·         A wench doesn’t need anyone to tell her how to live, love, look or dress

For more information, or if you think you or someone you know might be a wench, go to www.wench.org.

I did as the card bid, thinking I might be a wench too, and learned that the guild is actually quite large. To become a member there is a $43 fee for lifetime membership plus $4.30 shipping for the items they send you – a pin with their motto, a booklet, a certificate to verify you are a certifiable wench to be framed, and cards that offer 1 free kiss to be given to skalawags and other kissable men. I think this is very cute and plan to become a wench as soon as I get the funds together.

In all the fair was wonderful and I look forward to next year when, hopefully, I’ll have more time and money to spend. I did notice a lack of gypsy fortune tellers…maybe I’ll have to correct this ^_~