An extreme weekend

I was so extremely busy over the 4th of July weekend that there was no time to write.  For one thing, Mark had an eye appointment in Greenbay on Thursday so that took the better part of the day (it’s a four hour drive round trip).  We had a lot of campers over the holiday weekend so things were busy on the job.  Also, every chance I had to get on my laptop I was working on the report for Mark’s second mock inspection.  But there were also some fun activities and I got pictures.

Kathy had given us free tickets to see a play at the Northern Sky Theater and they needed to be used by the 4th of July, so we finally went on Friday night.  Unfortunately it would appear that I lost those pictures.  (It’s been a hellacious week with using the camera for business as well as personal photography.)  Suffice it to say we had a good time at the play.  It was an outdoor theater in Peninsula State Park.  The play was a musical about a modern day Romeo and Juliet at a barbecue cook-off.  Luckily for Ronny and Julie, their fate was a lot happier than Romeo’s and Juliet’s.

Saturday night we did our evening rounds early and then went to Gills Rock to watch the fireworks.  We were a lot closer to them at Gills Rock than we were on the summer solstice at Ephraim so it was harder to get the fireworks to fit in my lens.  Here’s what I got:

Mark and I found a place to sit on a rocky pier.

Mark and I found a place to sit on a rocky pier.

The boat that was about to launch the fireworks.

The boat that was about to launch the fireworks.

While we were waiting we kept seeing these orange blobs coming from the opposite shore and slowly drifting through the air heading east.  I took this shot with my telephoto to try to figure out what it was.  Mark said it looks like some sort of miniature hot air balloon.

While we were waiting we kept seeing these orange blobs coming from the opposite shore and slowly drifting through the air heading east. I took this shot with my telephoto to try to figure out what it was. Mark said it looks like some sort of miniature hot air balloon.

There was a couple in front of us sharing a blanket.

There was a couple in front of us sharing a blanket.

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Sunday we were able to go to church and then we went to the Renaissance Faire in Egg Harbor, for which one of the seasonals here had given Kathy tickets and she passed them on to us.  If you’ve never been to a Renaissance faire or any other kind of re-enactment, not only are they a lot of fun, but there is also an educational element to them because the re-enactors do a lot of research for their parts.

We were greeted at the entrance by a fairy.

We were greeted at the entrance by a fairy.

The girl in the pink dress and the girl in the white princess costume go to my church.  Only a few hours before we had heard them sing a special song in church!

The girl in the pink dress and the girl in the white princess costume go to my church. Only a few hours before we had heard them sing a special song in church!

Mark tried on a royal suit top with some help from the vendor.

Mark tried on a royal jacket with some help from the vendor.  I had picked it out for him and he said he looked silly in it.

I tried on a beautiful velvet top that only cost $7, but it was a bit snug on me.

I tried on a beautiful velvet top that only cost $7, but it was a bit snug on me.

A green dragon who also sold ice cream and did a magic show for the children.

A green dragon who also sold ice cream and did a magic show for the children.

A stilt walker

A stilt walker

At 1:30 there was a performance of Celtic music.  This woman was singing a ballad about a girl who was going to make a wreath of flowers for her love.  This woman said that the flowers all had meanings, although she didn't say what they were.

At 1:30 there was a performance of Celtic music. This woman was singing a ballad about a girl who was going to make a wreath of flowers for her love. This woman said that the flowers all had meanings, although she didn’t say what they were.

This harpist was playing with them and she told us a little about the kind of harp she was playing.

This harpist was playing with them and she told us a little about the kind of harp she was playing.

This man played a hand drum and sang a song about a battle.

This man played a hand drum and sang a song about a battle.  He also played mandolin.

Mark found a costume he liked a little better than the previous one and again had the pretty vendor help him with it!

Mark found a costume he liked a little better than the previous one and again had the pretty vendor help him with it!  Hmm… Should I be concerned?

Then he found a costume he liked best of all, and it required no assistance to get into!

Then he found a costume he liked best of all, and it required no assistance to get into!

At 2:15 a jousting match was held.  The man on horseback was the herald and the king and queen welcomed everyone.

At 2:15 a jousting match was held. The man on horseback was the herald and the king and queen welcomed everyone to the jousting match.

I chose the green knight because my birthstone is an emerald.  Besides, he had a great sense of humor!

I chose the green knight because my birthstone is an emerald. Besides, he had a great sense of humor!

Mark chose the blue knight because blue is his favorite color.

Mark chose the blue knight because blue is his favorite color.

Here you can see three children along the fence, each holding up a ring.  The green knight sped towards them and lanced all three rings.  The blue knight couldn't do it.  So far, so good.

Here you can see three children along the fence, each holding up a ring. The green knight sped towards them and lanced all three rings. The blue knight couldn’t do it. So far, so good.

Here the green page held out two rings and the blue knight lanced them.  Boo!

Here the green page held out two rings and the blue knight lanced them. Boo!

The green page tossed a hoop and his knight was able to lance it mid-air.  Yay!

The green page tossed a hoop and his knight was able to lance it mid-air. Yay!

Then both knights paraded around the arena with the herald following.  The green knight has someone's favor on his lance.

Then both knights paraded around the arena with the herald following. The green knight has someone’s favor on his lance (the ribbons).

With the help of his page, the green knight prepared for the fight to the death.

With the help of his page, the green knight prepared for the fight to the death.

The queen said a prayer.

The queen said a prayer.

Then the jousting began in earnest.

Then the jousting began in earnest.

My knight was unseated.  Get up, Sir William!

My knight was unseated. Get up, Sir William!

In a loud stage whisper, the blue knight devised a plan to poison the green knight.

In a loud stage whisper, the blue knight devised a plan to poison the green knight.

However, a young faun intercepted it and thought it looked like something good to eat.

However, a young faun intercepted it and thought it looked like something good to eat.

Sadly, it wasn't.

Sadly, it wasn’t.

The two knights got into hand-to-hand combat.

The two knights got into hand-to-hand combat.

The green knight was wounded and his page tried to defend him.

The green knight was wounded and his page tried to defend him.

The blue knight killed his page, so the green knight took the eye of the blue knight's servant boy.

The blue knight killed his page, so the green knight took the eye of the blue knight’s servant boy.

The blue knight stabbed the green knight...

The blue knight stabbed the green knight…

...and was declared the winner.

…and was declared the winner.

It was almost like a Shakespeare tragedy where everyone dies.

It was almost like a Shakespeare tragedy where everyone dies in the end.

Happily, they all stood for the curtain call!

Happily, they all stood for the curtain call!

All the excitement made us hungry, so we found a food vendor where Mark was able to get a smoked turkey leg to eat.

All the excitement made us hungry, so we found a food vendor where Mark was able to get a smoked turkey leg to eat.

I went to visit the horses after lunch.

I went to visit the horses after lunch.

A boy and a flag

A boy and a flag

A potter selling his wares

A potter selling his wares

A couple of Scots

A couple of Scots

Mark stopped to play with a toy at the woodworker's booth, and was so proud that he got the little ball into the cup!

Mark stopped to play with a toy at the woodworker’s booth, and was so proud that he got the little ball into the cup!

An impromptu belly dance in the breeze

An impromptu belly dance in the breeze

A beautiful grayhound...

A beautiful grayhound…

...and two wolfhounds.

…and two wolfhounds.

The royal entourage going for a stroll through the woods.

The royal entourage going for a stroll through the woods.

I wouldn't buy any apples from this woman no matter how enticing they looked!

I wouldn’t buy any apples from this woman no matter how enticing they looked! 

But Mark bought a root beer from her and lived to tell the tale.

But Mark bought a root beer from her and lived to tell the tale.

They even had unicorns!

They even had unicorns at the faire!

A very young jouster in training

A very young jouster in training

A couple of guys who stopped when they saw I wanted to take their picture.

A couple of guys who stopped when they saw I wanted to take their picture.

We had so much fun it was hard to leave.

We had so much fun it was hard to leave!

 

 

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