The Parting Glass


It’s been a few weeks since I bid farewell to the Shire of Mount Hope.  The last weekend of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire was rainy, chilly, and wonderful.  I went both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was cold and rainy the entire day, so much, that my friend Mel and I almost left early.  
A street musician taking shelter from the rain 

We decided to brave the weather and stay until the end. I am so glad that we did even though we went back Sunday.  We visited our shopkeeper friends, saw some shows, drank tea and coffee, and even had a chat with the Lady Mayor.  

Since the weather was so terrible, we didn’t have long lines for food and drink, which was very nice. The meatball sub, tea, and coffee, really warmed me up as we wondered about in the rain.  We skipped the joust and got excellent seats for Finale in Song, which due to all the rain was held at the smaller, but covered Swashbuckler Stage.  The finale was a wonderful end to a wonderful day.
Sunday was still chilly, but was much less rainy. We also had a larger group with us, as Nicole Tim, and Mel’s parents joined us. We followed the story line for the most part, skipping chess since we were too late to get good seats and the ground was far too muddy to sit down.  I took advantage of the cold weather to try some wassail, the hot, mulled drink from the song, “Here we come a wassailing”. It was amazing, tasting very much like apple cider. 
We enjoyed the special Halloween theme, and the heartfelt last finale of the season. The last finale is always tear inducing, the cast thanking us for coming out year after year, thanking each other for their support, and sometimes saying goodbye. 
It’s always difficult saying goodbye to Mount Hope. It’s not just that it’s a fun place to hang out with friends and family and that it’s filled with shops, shows, food, and fantasy tinged history. It’s difficult to say goodbye because the faire is like home to me. I feel as though I belong there, the people I go with and meet there are my people.  And so, I raise the parting glass to you, people of Mount Hope and wish you well till next we meet again. 
Cu Dubh 


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