Parchment Paths

As a fan of the 1982    Jim Henson movie, The Dark Crystal , I was both excited and apprehensive about the Netflix prequel series, The Dark Crystal : Age of Resistance. My apprehension came from knowing what befalls the Gelfing race since that sad fact is outlined in the movie. I also was unsure of how the movie would translate to a modern series. Don’t get me wrong, I love the movie, but the world building is a bit lacking. Perhaps this is an intentional device to show the devastation the Skeksis have wrecked upon Thrall, but it does leave the story feeling a bit empty. The characters, likewise seem a bit flat, the brave but clueless hero, the brave, smart hero, and the evil villains.   I need not have worried one bit; the series took all the missing pieces of the movie and gave them life. The first season was breathtakingly amazing, the puppetry, the scenery, the music, the characters, and the story. All of those wove together an incredibly rich and vibrant world, something

The PennsylvaniaRenaissance Faire is always a magical place but this past weekend the grounds were even more magical than usual. The reason? Wizarding Weekend, of course.  While the Harry Potter series was emphasized, complete with a Horcrux hunt, The Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, and other magical stories were also celebrated.  A wizard looking through D&D dice I attended the Saturday with my Dad, nine year old niece and twelve year old nephew. We all had a, dare I say, magical time?   We participated in the kid’s Horcrux hunt, which after a shaky start, ended up being pretty fun. We followed the clues to pieces of a spell that later on we used to help destroy the Horcruxs. Garrett found a clue! Destroying the Horcruxs  There were mermaids, a unicorn , amazing food, a joust, and a visit to the dungeons, as visitors of course.   It’s always a great time taking the kids to the faire and experiencing a side of the shire I don’