Ahoy Maties!

As some of you may know, Saturday (September 19th), was Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Lucky for us, the Pirate Fest was going on in the St. Louis area.

First, the wee lads and lasses were to make a booty bag to keep their treasures in. Loot could be found throughout the day at various merchants.
Here I am tucking Nova's bag into his pocket.

Next up we saw some beautiful parrots and parakeets. This one was looking for a cracker, but Kevin's pocket was empty~

Isn't he pretty? I forget his name, but he is six years old. They can live to be 120, so they are a huge responsibility.

Shake a tail feather!

Avast! It is finally me turn at holding him!
The lighting is weird here and it appears I have no eyebrows... I look like a Muppet~

He liked to play and was a very good listener. He also liked to be scratched under his wings.

I wore me best pirate garb. I don't have a full shot, but I wore the same outfit a few years ago for Halloween, shown here~
Only I couldn't find my coin belt and it was too hot to wear anything on my head...

And instead of boots I wore my funky Demonia coffin heal shoes~ with striped stockings of course!



This couple had exquisite clothing! I had to go in for a closer look. I definitely wanted to sew a new frock after looking at so many fine garments all day.

We were to stop at the Leathersmith to pick up some booty. Here Nova got to stamp a small leather medallian with a scull and crossbones.

I had asked Nova if he wanted to wear his Peter Pan costume, but he turned me down... which was suprising. We looked for a pirate hat there, but no luck within our budget!
You can click HERE to see us dressed as Captian Hook, Peter Pan, and Wendy last year.

We enjoyed the music. These ladies did a fine job! The one sitting played various drums, and in this photo she is playing a sickle. (Some folks call it a kayser blade, but I call it a sling blade...) Err... sorry, wrong blade!

*Ahem*

They are Shillelagh Law.

Follow Me Up to Carlow was a good song.

The song I am playing for this post is The Queen of Argyll, a folk song. (The version playing is by Silly Wizard)
A group called 3 Pints Gone sang it at the fest and I just fell in love with it. They were really good!

Here are the lyrics,

Queen of Argyll
Gentle men it is my duty
To inform you of one beauty
Though I'd ask you of a favor,
Not to seek her for a while
Though I own she is a creature
Of character and feature
No words can paint the picture
of the Queen of all Argyll.

cho: And if you could have seen her there,
Boys if you had just been there
The swan was in her movement,
And the morning in her smile.
All the roses in the garden,
They bow and ask her pardon
For not one could match the beauty
Of the queen of all Argyll.

On that evening that I mention,
I passed with light intention
Through a part of our dear country
Known for beauty and for style
Being a place of noble thinkers,
Of scholars and great drinkers
But above them all for splendour
Shone the Queen of all Argyll

(cho.)

So my lads my needs must leave you,
My intention's not to grieve you
Nor indeed would I decieve you,
Oh I'll see you in a while
I must find some way to gain her,
To court her and to tame her
I fear my heart's in danger
From the Queen of all Argyll

From singing of Silly Wizard
RG
oct97

Here are some scurvy pirates enjoying the music,

We missed the belly dancers, but I've seen them several times during the Renaissance Fairs.

Nnotty Bits put on a fun little show. Two guys did lots of fun juggling tricks.
This guy was on stilts with a wooden spoon in his mouth. The other guy passed out bean bags and we were to *toss* them so that stilt man could catch them on the spoon.

Yeah, he got pelted.

Back home, Nova was eager to sift through all his loot~

....so were the cats...


It was a fun family day!

Arrrrg!!