redroanchronicles

It's possible that I might have a little, teeny, tiny thing -- a fascination, you might say -- for the medieval period. You might assume that it began with Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale, or even with Kevin Costner (shut up) in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which I must have watched about ten thousand times as an impressionable youth.

I suppose I didn't really realize at the time what an English accent was, much less why Robin Hood really ought to have one.

I mentioned being young and impressionable, I hope.

But honestly, my childhood love for all things medieval goes back almost as far as my childhood love for all things dinosaur. I was merely interested, until I found my library's collection of Arthurian legend and picked up a beautifully illustrated copy of Gawain and the Green Knight, and then I was a goner. It's a fascination I indulge to this day, though the more fantastical elements of dragons and wizards that form the basis of so much fantasy and legend really aren't of much interest to me. I prefer the grit and dirt and head lice of the real thing. I probably should've been a history major.

At any rate, while I've occasionally indulged this fascination with all things ye olde with visits now and again to local Highland Games festivals or Renaissance Fairs, I can't say it's ever really been my scene. It's seemed more within the purview of, well, drama geeks. And while, being a geek myself, I understand and appreciate their enthusiasm, it just didn't make my skirt fly up. I've enjoyed exploring my Scottish heritage at the Highland Games and lord knows I love a good caber toss (not to mention a good kilt), but I never felt terribly compelled to attend another Renaissance Fair as long as I lived.

Until I heard on the radio that Humboldt County has its own medieval fair, the Medieval Festival of Courage. And sure, maybe they aren't big on website design or maintenance, and maybe it's still not really my scene, but they were going to have jousting. With horses. And lo, I was compelled.

( Click here for horses and archers and dogs, oh my! )

The Festival of Courage happens in October, so anyone who has an interest in catching it should keep an eye on the usual sources around then for the 2010 dates. For more photos of the event, check out my photography website riiiight over here. You can even buy prints there, that's how awesome it is.

In other news, though stylistically I prefer not to cut-tag my photos, I realize I might be breaking some flists. So I've put them behind a cut tag. If any of you have a preference for cutting or not cutting photo posts, could you comment and let me know? I'm still finding my way a bit with this new blog, but I'd like for it to be a pleasant diversion for you and not a pain in your ass flist.