Category Archives: Massachusetts

Neds Point Light

Posted on by

This post is for my sister. Sandy likes lighthouses.

 It was such an unseasonably warm day that I didn’t want to spend it indoors. I was meeting a friend to photograph her cat for the pet calendar and the we were going to lunch at the Olive Garden.  I love their salad. I don’t know why I like it so much…it’s just iceberg lettuce, some onion slices, a couple of sliced  tomatoes and cheese and croutons. It must be the house dressing because I can’t get enough of it.

But anyway after our little photo shoot and a nice lunch I turned my car south to the little coastal town of Mattapoisett. I wanted to see if I could locate Neds Point Lighthouse and if I was successful I wanted to see if I could get some sunset pictures.

So I don’t have much more to say. I’ll let you decide if my mission was successful or not.

Check  the tiny moon!

The setting sun was casting a lovely, rosy glow.

Of course I had to get at least one picture with the seagulls.

Itchy Feet

Posted on by

No it’s not athletes foot. I’ve been around home too much. I’m getting restless and need to go exploring. Luckily it won’t be long before I’m making the Christmas Decoration rounds. I hear Edaville is going to be open again for its Festival of Lights. That’s great news. I was very sad that the owners had planned to close after last season.

Of course LaSalette is a must visit again this year but I’d also like to make the trek north of Boston to go to the Stone Zoo in Stoneham. I’ve heard that they do a wonderful job at Christmas.

Oh and I never got to Boston last year to photograph the lights in the Boston Public Gardens so I will have to make an effort to correct that omission this year.

In the meantime I need to think “Thanksgiving”. I might go back to Plimouth Plantation again or there’s Old Sturbridge Village. I haven’t been there in years.

Last year there was a walking tour in Plymouth based on the Native American’s point of view. I missed it last year. Maybe I should see if that is being done again this year and put that on my “to do” list.  It’s not like I have anything else to do. (Ha Ha)

It seems like Thanksgiving is becoming a “forgotten” holiday. I touched on that in my post Christmas Decorations Already? I mean, seriously, do we see many Thanksgiving decorations? not really, a few here and there but compared to the Halloween close outs and the incoming Christmas crush they are  squeezed into half a row at best!

And what do we do for Thanksgiving besides having an excuse to enjoy one of the best meals of the year? Maybe a football game, probably the local team in the morning and then the “Big Bowl Games” on TV in the afternoon. what else? Oh I know, a favorite of mine, I put Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade on the TV while I get the Turkey ready for the oven. I think last year there was Macy’s on one channel and Disney’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on another. But unlike Christmas I don’t see a lot of events to attend and things to do.

Every place goes all out with Holiday Light Displays (I’m being PC ) and the NutCracker Ballet is a big event. Many locations that had Halloween now break out the hay rides and sleighs (when there’s snow). But I googled for Thanksgiving Themed things to do and struck out. I guess eating too much and warming the couch are the traditional things to do on Thanksgiving Day in the Modern Era.

 

Sights, Scenes from King Richard’s Faire

Posted on by

To wrap up my series on King Richard’s 30th anniversary faire, I leave you with a few more images.

One of my favorite costumes…Puss – In – Boots

My Favorite Jousting Picture. I think it captures the speed and movement.

Pensive knight

Stilt People

Now where did we put those beer steins?Spock’s little Sister?

Kitty Kisses?

Snowy Tiger

And that’s a wrap for another year.

Joust to the Death, the Final Chapter

Posted on by

Well I can’t just end the tales from the Court without telling you about the last joust of the day.

 This was the Joust to the Death. I have no idea why all four knights had to joust when the challenge had been issued just between the two main characters but when I arrived at the field for Part 3, all four knights were present and accounted for.

No wooden rings or jousting dummys this time. The knights and their steeds squared off, lowered their lances and charged.

There were several glancing blows before the first knight was unseated.

 That’s when the fighting moved to the ground.

 That’s also when it got really confusing.Something happened that I missed because the “Bad Knight” was winning when all three of the other knights came after him.

There was much yelling and I couldn’t make out what they were saying but as the scene wound down it became clear that the “Good Night” was cleared of the accusations and that the real thief (surprise, surprise) was really the “Bad Knight”. He was dragged off to be put in chains.

The Good Knight took his bows and no one died. The crowd began to disperse and make its way to the exits.  It was a really good day.

Well that about wraps up my posts of my day at King Richard’s Faire. I have a few more images to share  and then it’s on to the next adventure.

Pomp and Circumstance ~The King’s Tournament

Posted on by

The Knights and Jousting at King Richard’s Faire certainly follows the most ritualistic formula.

The “ring master” announced the King who mounts the viewing stand,

then announces the Knights who gallop in and take a run around the field before lining up in front of the King to pledge their loyalty. Then the King commands the games to begin  and each Knight heads to his place in the field.

On command they race full tilt at a jousting dummy or spear rings that are thrown in the air by their squires.  These are the games and sort of set the stage for the last meet in the afternoon when the “real” joust takes place.

Every year there is a back story to the jousts. It is played out in 3 parts. The morning games lay the groundwork and determine the “champion.” Usually it is also when you find out what the thing is that went wrong. Maybe it’s two Knights vying for the same Maiden or this year the Gold Prize for the games was missing.

Since I was lingering at the Tiger Stage so I could get the picture with the hawk, I missed this show which was called  “The Challenge of the Champions”.

It was now 2:30 and  I was ready at the field. The title of this installment was “The King’s Tournament”. This was when I was brought up to speed with the story.

When the Knights were introduced the “villain” Knight was argumentative and accusatory. It was pretty clear he was the “bad guy” but he was also the most popular. He got loads of cheers.

Two other Knights seemed to be there just to fill out the cast. They rode and performed the stunts but with little banter.

 The last Knight to be brought in was announced as the Champion. I assume he must have won the morning Challenge to earn the title. It was clear the Bad Knight had it in for the new Knight even accusing him of stealing the prize.

As the Tournament progressed the war of words intensified and “Bad Knight” was disqualified for cheating. Finally  “bad Knight” accused “Champion” of the theft and challenged him to a fight to the death.

The King allowed the challenge and everyone was to return to the Tournament field for the  last installment of the story the “Joust to the Death.”

The dismissed Knights galloped out of the arena but not before Bad Knight attempted to engage Good Knight (yes, I know, bad pun) in some hand- to -hand.

As the crowd began to disperse the squires returned with the horses, now unsaddled. Immediately each of  the horses picked out a favorite place and dropped and rolled. You could just tell how good that felt to them. 🙂 Nothing like a good dust bath to get ride of that sweat.

I’d seen as much as I wanted but I was curious about the afternoon joust so I wandered back to the picnic area where I spent the afternoon watching the crowds until it was time for the last installment.