All's Faire

At the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire that is. This was an event we had long thought of attending, but the timing never worked out until this weekend on a road trip to visit family in PA and NJ.

This year (2013) marks the 33rd year for this themed event which occurs over 12 weekends from early August through late October on the grounds of the Mount Hope Estate and Winery in Manheim, PA. 

The Mount Hope estate was sold in 1980 and converted to a winery which then hosted a two-day jousting festival called the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire held in the winery parking lot. The event proved so popular that it was expanded in successive years. 

By 2009, the Faire became an annual event held on a 35-acre site with 90 shows performed daily on 12 stages, hundreds of costumed performers, and a recreation of a 16th century English village with authentic styled Tudor buildings.

Musical performances, Shakespearean plays and other acts are offered. Also, nearly two dozen "Royal Kitchens" serve food and drink and "Renaissance" merchants provide goods on site for a price of course. 

While the adult Faire admission is a bit steep at $29.95 (seniors get a $5 discount) there are numerous events to see throughout the grounds at no additional cost, featuring jesters, jousts, acrobats, magicians, musical performances, and a human chess match. In addition, discount days are offered through the run of the Faire.

 

Our favorite event was The Mud Show which featured three talented and very funny entertainers. Folks sitting in the front rows did get splattered.

There are dozens of costumed characters ranging from English noblemen and ladies to Queen Elizabeth the First and her royal court walking everywhere.

Everywhere you walk,you will see performers in period costumes. Also, many attendees go to the faire wearing their own creative (and unusual) costumes.

We spent a little over 6 hours here and could easily have stayed longer to catch more performances, but ran out of time before meeting family members for dinner.

Smokes Anyone ?

Usually when we're on a road trip, gas price signs are a favorite photo subject for me. However, this weekend when stopped at a gas station in PA on a family road trip visit, this one caught my attention.

When I was a growing up, my father was a smoker and the cost per pack cost in the 1950-60s was under 50¢. As a non-smoker, these current tobacco carton prices are staggering to me.

By comparison, the price of a gallon of gas has been dropping in some places and is currently under $3.50/gal near us. 

Quite a trade-off.

Reusables that Travel

Sometimes, we have a lot of shipping boxes including priority mailing boxes from the USPS.

Often, there's an overflow of "bubble" envelopes as well.

Most of the non-postal boxes and bubble envelopes are from items ordered on-line, Amazon is our prime supplier of CDs, batteries, and some over-the-counter lotions that are not available locally. The Amazon prime membership ($79 annual fee) that's shared between Grenville and myself gives "free" 2-day shipping and it's been tax-free as well. BUT, as of Sept. 1, Amazon is collecting sales tax on orders of new items sent to our VA home. But, that doesn't seem true for used CDs, which I order often (and receive in — that's right, a bubble mailer).

We don't save EVERY box, but some smaller or "odd" sized ones are broken down and stored in a back closet.True, the post office gives some boxes free when using flat rate priority mailing, but sometimes it's difficult to find just the "right" size to avoid paying more for a larger box. Some of our re-used boxes have traveled cross-country. Today, one came from California and was re-purposed for mailing something to Florida.

Bubble envelopes in good condition are always saved. These come in handy for mailing books to friends. Only problem is that mailing a book (even at media rates) always costs more than its original thrift store cost.

But, at least the re-used envelope didn't cost much.

A Selfie for Thomas (aka Triumph)

A friend out in Oregon is always telling us how great the Football Team at Oregon State (the DUCKS) is. And i must admit they have an admirable record. Of course my own Alma Mater, Stockton College of NJ, can still boast that our Football Team has remained undefeated since 1969

He is also the person who seems to have drawn us into the "Selfies" (computers hate this word and always try to correct it) phenomenon.

Well, this morning I received an "Early Christmas present", via our intrepid Pony Express, thanks to my wonderful Princess Beatrice and good friend Triumph. Since it is Friday, and usually Beatrice has a funny here, I felt the need to jump into the "Selfie Fad" and show these wonderful presents off today.

Ready for a "Quack Attack"!!!!

With Duck Hunting Season just around the corner i'm sure i will be a real hit out on the marsh at Mutton Hunk Fen.

Of course living in Hokie/Cavalier territory, i can only hope that someday the Ducks will venture out here (where the Ocean and sunrise are on the correct side) to play. Then i can sit on the visitors side and most likely be the only one there. Just Quacking away!!!!!

Thank you Beatrice & Triumph

A final thought::::: What do you get if your cross a duck and a cow????????

Milk and Quackers of course!!!!!!!

Grenville (just quacking up all over the place)

Everything Old is New

Antique stores are interesting places to spend time in whether or not you’re searching for anything special. The collections found in these places are connection to the past.
Luckily, we have such a place less than 10 minutes from our home — Market Street Antiques  in Onancock, VA. You never know what you’ll see there from bathtubs to  bathroom sinks, even some kitchen sinks not shown here.There’s not just retro stuff, but also a 2000 square foot architectural salvage yard inside the rear of the store. Fellow bloggers looking for old pieces might find this place a shopping delight.
Maybe you’re looking for a new old light . . .Perhaps a new door or some purple painted window frames . . .Of course, you’ll need some door handles and locks too . . .There are lots of assorted railings, posts and doors to choose from and some really old door fronts too.It’s a great way to spend an hour and usually longer. There’s always something new old to see in this place.

Selfie and Not

Selfies are all the rage on many social networking sites. For those not in the know, a selfie is a type of self-portrait typically done using a digital camera or camera phone. 

This past August, the term debuted in the Oxford Dictionaries Online's quarterly update. It's usually defined as a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone, webcam and uploaded to a social networking site.

Selfie was the Urban Dictionary's word of the day on October 12, 2012 where it was also described as a self-portrait uploaded to social media. There is was more humorously defined as a strange phenomenon usually conducted because the subject cannot locate a suitable photographer to take the photo, like a friend.

Estimates are that selfies account for 30 percent of pictures taken by those aged 18-24. And in a twist on popularity contests, friends can click to "like" or "unlike" it.

So according to the above definitions, this photo I took of myself showing my new glasses is a selfie.

And, this one taken over the weekend by me (and of myself) from the F&P front porch is not.

Our good friend, Thomas, has been practicing these selfie shots regularly. He recently asked my opinion on what it would be called IF there were MORE than 1 person in the self-taken photos. His thought was to call them "selfie+1."

Just wondering — what are YOUR suggestions ?

A light in the tunnel????

In the Railroad world seeing a light at the end of a tunnel was not considered always a good thing. In fact it could well be that you are are the wrong track and light you see was a train is heading straight for you. (I've heard that U-turns in tunnels are difficult).

As many of you know, railroad lanterns are constructed a little different from regular barn lanterns. I started collecting them many years ago BUT only if i could afford them. Back the $25 was my limit, and even today i'm a bargain hunter. (In NC found 4 for $40.00)

Our good Blogger friend Sandra of the Mad Snapper mentioned she liked these types of lanterns so here is my small collection.

The one in the middle is the most interesting. It is a kerosene switch top made by Dressel. Unfortunately there are no RR Markings on it. I bought it 30 years ago for about $10. According to Ebay it could be worth up to $225.00 Not a bad investment.

I may be picking up a PRR lantern and a NY, New Haven, & Hartford RR lantern later today.

Grenville

Pretty in Pink, Yellow, Orange

Labor Day may signal the end of summer for many, especially school children, but blooms remain plentiful and colorful in The Frog & PenguINN gardens.
The wildflower meadow is the most colorful now in full bloom. Coreopsis is the predominant flower here with yellow blooms . . .Coupled with various shades or orange . . .Butterflies, especially Eastern Yellow Swallowtails, are finding this a plentiful nectar source with up to a dozen fluttering by at once. Here on the VA eastern shore, we also still have summer-like temps and high humidity; the mosquito population remains very active.

Has summer come to an end for you ?

Testing, Testing and Spooning

Honestly, that's ALL we were doing after going grocery shopping this weekend. (What were you thinking?)

We brought these two packages home and then this happened. Grenville says he had never heard of "testing" the ice cream until we met. As for me, I've always done it as far back as I can recall buying my own groceries that is. I'm fairly certain it would have been frowned upon when growing up.

You will notice that Grenville NOW joins me in this "tradition" as there are 2 spoons for sampling. After all, we are having guests for dinner Monday and HAD to make sure the dessert would be OK . . .right?

Of course, we were not having company last week when this happened.

Just wondering do YOU test ice cream before putting it in the freezer?

Up On the Roof

It’s the title of the 1962 hit by the Drifters, and reached #5 on the pop charts and #4 on R&B charts. Did you know that it was co-written by singer/songwriter Carole King and lyricist Gerry Goffin who were once married and also both born under the sign of Aquarius (no they did NOT write Age of Aquarius (see below).This young starling was up on a neighbor’s roof early today.

The rest of the family seemed to be singing harmony.

This lone young fledging was also there (finch or cardinal?).

 
And these lookout sparrows.

Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine is a medley of two songs written for the 1967 musical Hair by James Rado & Gerome Ragni (lyrics), and Galt MacDermot (music). It was later released as a single by The 5th Dimension in 1969.This song(s) was one a worldwide hit, and in the U.S.it reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list.