A Creative Weekend

Our weather is beautiful (a little hot, but dry) and perfect for the opening weekend of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival.  This year is a landmark year - we get a Royal Wedding on September 5th, causing us to switch our normal schedule and go to Ren on Sunday the 5th instead of our usual Labor Day (Monday the 6th).  I need to hunt through my CDs tonight and find the appropriate ones that we like to listen to on our way.  It's a 45-50 minute drive to get to the grounds, and I have no idea where they will have us parking this year or where they will have the gates.  The festival grounds are built on land owned by a quarry.  They are always playing around with where they are mining stone, so the staff and cast end up parking in "the pit" and having a fair hike to get to the grounds (with VERY limited handicapped parking - not good).  The public, the people who actually pay the bills because of their admission fees, get to park much closer, but rumors of having to change the location of the entrance gate because of quarry activities have been rampant.  We'll see tomorrow.  It will be wonderful to be out on the grounds again, even though it will be the beginning of seven Sundays that I can't sleep in. 

A contestant in the World Amateur
Highland Heavy Games Championship

from a previous year

We start with Highland Fling!, one of my FAVORITE themes.  Can you say "Men in Kilts?"  Yummy!  They will be holding the 4th Annual World Amateur Highland Heavy Games Championships over the weekend.  That's a lot to say, but it's really wonderful to watch the games, even though it is in a new area of the grounds without shade.  They have 16 lb and 22 lb Stone of Strength, 28 lb and 56 lb Weight Throw for length and for height, the Light Hammer and Heavy Hammer Throw, and the Caber Toss (my favorite).  Combine this with bagpipes, the various contests, and the Free Beer Tasting, and it's a perfect Sunday.  I need to gather my items and pack my sketchbook and I'll be off for a day of sunshine, fresh air, bagpipes (yeah!!!) and fun.  Talk with you on Monday, have a creative weekend.