WCMS Renaissance Faire

Not often you get to see Queen Elizabeth's knickers!

Each year the good lady who plays Elizabeth at many Renaissance faires visits our middle school Renaissance Faire and explains to the kids how she makes her own FANTASTIC costumes. This pic is from a few years ago but since the faire is Friday I should have some new ones soon!

If you're local, stop by and see the shows the kids have worked so hard on. More info HERE

Watery Wednesday #34

Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga is the most amazing place. Not only the exhibits inside the buildings, but the amazing fountains that are just gorgeous (this one less gorgeous), and SO perfect to play and wade in. Last year we took my niece Allison there, and I had a grand time playing Auntie (she lives in Ohio so I don't get to play often enough!). I'm not sure mom was keen on me getting her wet, but I know she had fun :)

Don't you miss the time of life when a little line of water bubbling up from a grate (or a lawn sprinkler!) could hold so much wonder?

My World: Artists' Co-Op

This storefront (the brick one) has been purchased by The Fragrant Mushroom here in Sparta and I'm very excited to be a part of the Artists' Co-op Gallery that will be going in here, right on main street in "downtown" Sparta, across from the courthouse.

An artist's co-op is a visual arts association jointly owned and democratically controlled by its members. A monthly membership fee buys space in the gallery, and there will also be available classroom space and studio space. Thor and Cheri, who own The Fragrant Mushroom (Thor makes wheel thrown pottery), have a vision for Sparta: to make it an artist-friendly town that draws tourism. They plan to hold classes to show other people how to do what they have done, so that all these other little buildings (many of which are vacant and getting somewhat run-down, but are quite old and charming) will eventually be galleries, making this a haven for Appalachian artists.

I hope it happens. My and Russ's daydream is to run a little bed and breakfast in this area ; I'd love to have it be one that focuses on creativity in some way, be it a gallery or workshops or both. That's a long way down the road, but one has to start somewhere.

So! At some point in June (date to be determined) my work will be exhibited here and I will do my part to bring art to my little town, hopefully teaching classes on wire wrapping jewelry and chainmaille to young and old.

Today's Flowers #38 & Lack Spring Almanac

A little dogwood at University of Tennessee Gardens.

We've had days of rain and the promise of more days of rain. My outside-loving dog, Dink, is relaxing in the yard in a respite (it's still really wet out there) from it, listening to the birds singing. When it lets up a bit I hope to go for a walk and catch some of the beautiful Tennessee Spring flowers. The neighbor across the road has some gorgeous purple and yellow orchids. And the maples in the front yard are fully leaved. How is it that they're barren, you notice one day that they've got little baby leaves on them, and it seems like the next day they're fully dressed?

I adore spring. Dink does too. Need to get my herbs planted this week too.

Scenic Sunday

To me, this looks like somewhere tropical with the deep blue-green color of the lake and the treed mountains on the other side. Nope. It's right here in Tennessee. Watauga Lake is reported to be one of the cleanest lakes in the nation, and based on the gorgeous color, I believe it. I'm not a big fan of lake swimming, but I'd jump in here. This North Coast (Cleveland) girl misses the water.

Dragon Days Renaissance Festival

Russ borrowed the nice camera from my father-in-law and took almost no pictures with it! So I have no chess match pictures, one not very good pic of my booth... blah. I think I made him take this one, and most of the others he took! Not a single one of any of the three of us.

These are friends of ours who are also involved in Renaissance club. Kris suggested the entire family enter the pageant for king, queen, prince and princess of the festival. Her hubby, son and daughter won king, prince and princess, and she didn't get to be queen! I think they're never going to hear the end of it :) (Love the hmphh! look on her face in this pic). She made these costumes, by the way.

We're doing Robin Hood for the Human Chess Match this year. For those who aren't geeks like we are, a HCM is like a regular chess match with human players, but like Battle Chess too. When a piece would take another, the players have a "battle" for the space (staged, obviously). In our case, the players range from age 10 to... not telling. I'm calling the moves for the Nottingham side and Brandon's the Sheriff. Robin shoots him with an arrow at the end. Someone (obviously not MY husband) got a GREAT picture of his look of disbelief at the arrow sticking out of him, which I will definitely attempt to get my hands on, and share later. For the record, we're using wooden weapons, not live steel with little kids, and we tested the arrow thing thoruoughly so he wouldn't get injured. The kids are amazing, they really get into the choreography. I will definitely do better this coming Friday when we have our middle school faire, and make sure someone takes some great pics.

In Russ's defense, he was hanging out at the booth in which I sell chainmaille and wire jewelry, and selling things for me. Considering the poor attendance this week, I did well. I suggested that Bran make chainmaille hackey sacks. Even though he only had time to make two, he got custom orders all day and made as much money as I did!

Skywatching

I had the impression people posted pictures from today on Skywatch, but reading the instructions, I'm not sure. What's the general policy on that?

Today's pretty gray and boring, but a few weeks ago the sky was BRILLIANT against the plum tree blossoms. Since I wasn't happy with this photo of the flowers and it looks like I MEANT to take a picture of the sky... I'll pretend I did. The color was just amazing.

Maybe I'll get a good sunset tonight and do a today photo.