Have you ever been to a Renaissance Faire or a living history museum? I’ve been to both, and I find them fascinating. At the Renaissance Faire I attended with my family many years ago, my son was knighted Sir Scooby of Doo (because he was wearing a Scooby Doo shirt) by the queen. In lieu of a sword, she used a plunger. Minstrels played unusual instruments—one even played crystal water glasses. I talked plays with William Shakespeare, watched a chess match in which the playing pieces were human, and wandered through booth after booth of wares. The costumes were beautiful, fun, or both.
The living history museum we visited was a working farm set in 1791. We learned about eighteenth century cooking tools and techniques in the log cabin’s kitchen. A costumed tour guide spoke of President Washington and asked what we thought of that upstart Andrew Jackson. I said I believed he’d become President one day, and the woman scoffed. We attended demonstrations of weaving, learned about the dye, medicinal, and culinary plants grown in the garden, and saw the Cotswold sheep.
In WICKED STITCH (an RT Top Pick!), embroidery shop owner Marcy Singer is thrilled to be taking part in a two-week Renaissance Faire. Tallulah Falls residents will be able to reside in the time of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The RenFaire’s attractions are centered around the play, even down to Hecate and the three witches who are on hand to divine the future for faire-goers.
Clara, a petty woman who has opened a competing shop next door to Marcy’s shop, the Seven-Year Stitch, has been assigned the booth next to Marcy’s. When Marcy comes to set up her booth, she peeps into Clara’s spot and realizes that something isn’t right. Clara is lying on her side in an overturned rocking chair. She has been strangled to death with the scarf she’d been knitting. Now Marcy has to get to the bottom of this most deadly yarn.
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Oddly, every time I return to my childhood home its a step back in time. Furniture from other eras, records, old gaming devices, books, magazines, memories of days gone by.
I always felt that way when I visited my grandmother’s house!
I love going to renaissance faires and seeing old costumes and seeing what they did many years ago. I also love watching the public channel where they have Downton Abbey and other shows such as that so much fun and sometimes their comments shock you!Love the interview and the snippet of the book..
I love Downton Abbey too. Something that surprises me when I visit museums is how tiny the clothes are. I was at a Civil War museum and asked the tour director, “Was this uniform made for a child?” I thought maybe he wanted to look like Dad or something. She said, “No. That’s a young man’s uniform.”
Hi Peggy, your comment was chosen as the winner of Gayle’s blog contest. Please forward your contact info to susan(at)writerspacemail(dot)com and I will in turn forward it to Gayle so she can send your prize. Thanks so much!
I will never forget going to my first Ren Fair! I didn’t know which way to go or look first. I loved the whole ambiance of it.
Me too, Diane! I’d love to go to another one and have been trying to find one nearby. Fingers crossed! 🙂
My 2 daughters attend the same schools I did. So every time I go into either school, I have a sense of stepping back in time. I have visited some of the classrooms that I was in, and the elementary school even smells the same!
I feel you, Sharon! My children don’t go to my old school, but they’ve had events there. I even went back to my old high school and spoke to a group of seniors. It was intimidating!
visiting old houses
I love to visit old houses. It makes me wonder about the people who’ve lived there before.
Never been to a ren faire, but would love to. Been to a Medieval Times for dinner and over 100 historical homes and buildings. I’ve also been to Colonial Williamsburg a couple of times. The reenactors do a great job and usually stay in character.