Big Bear Faire, Highland War, and a pool table

Did the Big Bear Renaissance Faire again this year. It was the best year yet. I took the dragons. It was Kaida's first REAL faire. She went to Market Night in Redlands a couple times for practice, but this was her first full-on faire/camping event.

We weren't there the first weekend.

SECOND weekend went really well, except that I tried a new kind of heat supply for the dragons, and it ran out during the night. They were fine, no ill after effects, but they were VERY happy to be left out in the sun for a bit in the morning. I put them on the little folding stool I re-furbished using the scraps from Kevin's vest.

While they were out on the little stool in the guild yard, Tia thought it would be a good idea to go on a little adventure. She attempted to walk off the edge of the stool, but Smaug stopped her. He put one of his big dragon-hands on the base of her tail, then flopped his head down on the middle of her back as if to say "No, you stay HERE!". It worked, she stayed. Smaug keeps his girls in line.

Gallows Humor's CreEPy CD: Gypsy tested, DRAGON approved!

THIRD weekend was much better. I brought backups and more backups of the heating stuff, and they had lasting heat through the night. Tiamat popped out of the travel carrier like a little Jack-in-the-box in the morning, followed by Kaida. Smaug is a lazy bum and didn't want to come out right away. He isn't a big fan of mornings. They also had wings for third weekend. During second weekend, I had a little girl tell me that they couldn't be REAL dragons, because they didn't have wings... well, I solved that.


Smaug wanted nothing to do with the wings, but Tiamat wore hers for a good 45 minutes before she stepped on one, and decided they weren't so great.

Kaida is still too little for hers. Once I had them finished, I realized they probably weighed as much as she did. Maybe next time when she is a little bigger.

That CreEPy CD was the last one we had for the weekend, and was auctioned off. It went for $40. I should have had Smaug do an ink-print of his foot on it... Everyone ELSE signed it, and he's kind of become the official un-official mascot for Gallows Humor.


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Went to Highland War (an SCA event) in Victorville over the weekend.

Yes, I took the dragons. Of COURSE I took the dragons. They would never have forgiven me if I left them home.

They got a LOT of attention. So many people came over to love on them, and snuggle them, and carry them around camp. It was great.

And Smaug got to pretend to be the Pirate King.

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I finally got a pool table. Highland War didn't have a lot of booths for shopping, so when I got home, I still had pretty much all of the money I had set aside for shopping over the weekend. I hit up Craigslist and found a nice pool table for cheap.

Craigslist rocks!

Pirates and sabers and... dragons? Oh my!

My church had a murder mystery dinner a few weeks ago. Pirate themed.

I took the dragons. Smaug is no stranger to the people at my church, he has been there several times - but it was Tiamat's first time.






She handled it quite well








She had a great time meeting all the new people, and had to explore EVERYTHING. At the end of the night, though, she was completely worn out.


She really did like my hat  :)







On another, not entirely related note, the dragons ALL seem to be fans of World of Warcraft...

Smaug wants to play

The girls like to watch

Graduation Mandolin

I Graduated.

I walked on June 8, 2012 in a stuffy burgundy cap and gown and everything.

My mom, stepdad, sister, and a bunch of my friends were there. A couple of them were even walking with me... There were four of us graduating together.

My grandma got me a mandolin for my graduation present.

Did I play the mandolin 2 weeks ago? Nope. Not even a little bit. The only time I had even touched one was when Zach had me hold his for like 2 minutes at the Big Bear renfair.

My mandolin arrived Monday afternoon. I knew how to play 2 songs by the end of the evening.

Today is Wednesday, and I play mandolin as well as I play the guitar... Better, in fact. It is a smaller instrument, so the frets are closer together. This means that chords that I couldn't play on the guitar because my fingers didn't reach are no longer a problem.

I love this thing!

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Big Bear Pirate Faire, June 2-3, 2012

Was a blast.

My band had 5 sets a day for 2 days and started selling our first full(ish) length CD.

I met new people, hung out with my friends in Gallows Humor, had hot tub time and hotel room parties after hours. What more could you ask for?

Northwoods Resort in Big Bear is amazing, by the way. If you're ever looking for accommodations in Big Bear, go with them.

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Big Bear Victorian Faire, June 9-10, 2012

My band was only up there on Saturday. We had 5 sets again, and sold a few more CDs.

Most of the band was costumed out of my closet. Perks of having a band mate who makes costumes I guess.

We stayed at Northwoods again, had more hot tub time Saturday night, then a few of us invaded Denny's.

Sunday was awesome too. It has been a long time since I had a whole day at a renfaire that I had NO obligations, and could just run around and do what I wanted.

So I filmed Gallows Humor shows.


OH. My band's website is now up and functional... although a bit skeletal still.
Pardon My French

Frazier Mountain Renaissance Faire

Spent 2 weekends up in Frazier Mountain for the new little Renfaire up there. It was great. There were oak and aspen trees everywhere and the weather was lovely. If the sailboat thing doesn't work out, I would SO move up there instead.

Spent most of the time over at the Gnarly Oak Alestand. It was kind of the musician's hub of the faire. I had my drum and my guitar, and I got to play with a lot of other people. I was talking to one of the minstrels, and I mentioned that I can pick up most instruments and within 20 minutes or less play them like I've been playing for years. He pulled out this really cool looking thing that I had never seen before, and asked if I could play it.

It was a stringed instrument.

I asked what the tuning was, and he said it was in the key of C, lowest string was an octave below middle C. I started playing The Rose. His jaw dropped. I started playing a medley of whatever came into my head, and he just sat there staring. It was way cool. I forgot what the thing was called, but if I find one, I'm so buying it. I loved it.

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He called it a Cantella. Saw him again at SLO

Vyrago: The Beginning

Not exactly sure where I want to go with this thing yet, it just sounded fun. Kind of playing with a piratey theme, at least for now anyway. I've been using the pseudonym Vyrago for a few years now - it's a deliberate misspelling of the word "virago" which is defined as "a strong or willful potentially warlike woman". Seemed like a good name for a me, as I have an unhealthy obsession with pirates, weapons, and explosives.

Spent the evening with a gypsy the other night, was the best time I have had in a long while. I highly recommend it.

Set up for the renaissance faire in Irwindale starts this weekend, I can't wait.

Not a whole lot else on my mind tonight, so I leave you with some literary art:

            Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

        In the fell clutch of circumstance
        I have not winced nor cried aloud.
        Under the bludgeonings of chance
        My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

        It matters not how strait the gate,
        How charged with punishments the scroll,
        I am the master of my fate:
        I am the captain of my soul.
                ~ William Ernest Henley (1849–1903)