Renaissance

Ich was in one sumere dale;
In one swithe dighele hale
I-herde ich holde grete tale
An ule and one nightingale.

The poetic debate of The Owl and the Nightingale is my favorite Middle English piece. When I uncovered middle English poetry, I was fulfilling a convenient scheduling credit, but I fell in love. The intellectual renaissance of the twelfth century intrigued me as the owl and nightingale debate their philosophies of life...inconclusively.

Renaissance–noun 1. the activity, spirit, or time of the great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe beginning in the 14th century and extending to the 17th century, marking the transition from the medieval to the modern world.

Thus, when the local Renaissance Festival came to life, I dragged the kids and husband through the woods and mud to the village.

From the modern world we travelled back...smiling!

The blare of horns heralded our entry into the renaissance era.

Royalty comes and goes, but the kids affectionately tagged this gentleman the "troll," as his character and personality demanded notice in the streets he traversed.


Chayse was grinning as happily as the street performer, as she attempted to learn the art that looked so easy!


Of course, weary travelers must pause in the village square to enjoy authentic cuisine...Chicken on a Stick!

Exploring the fashion for the era with guidance from a Cavalier, I was mindful of my humble place.

Finishing touches!

Just in time for the Queen's arrival...

Setting sail requires some rope work and team work!

Skillful archers prepare to join Robin Hood.

The king rests with his little Princess.


The world of Shakespeare and Chaucer came alive in all the characters we met. The wenches at the well (follow the link) had to be related to the Wife of Bath. Though Kade commented that while all the performers were funny, they were not always appropriate...which led me to explain the humor of the time was often "bawdy," which required additional explanation, and the best I could come up with was humor about the body.

The jester is so familiar in each Shakespearian work, and he was equally important in the village to keep us laughing at ourselves!

Fare thee well.