more horsing around
May. 2nd, 2003 10:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rowanfLast evening we went over to the medieval village of Dunster to watch the Hobby Horse do a round at Dunster Castle. Historically they would have been luck visiting the lord of the manor there but since it is now a National Trust property it isn't quite the same. Nonetheless, we started out from the Yarn Market in the center of Dunster and headed through the village to the Castle. There was a momentary unpleasantness when the rival team charged out of a pub at the Original Horse but they were soon left behind. Evidently the fact that a local TV personality was filming was to good of a chance for mischief for the rival team to resist. *sigh*
We got up to the Castle and after the Horse had bowed to the Castle folk the Queen of the May (a 12 year old named Sarah) was crowned. She did a dance with the Horse and then a troupe of little girls called "The Bratton Maids" joined her for more dancing. I overheard the little girls talking about who would be next year's Queen. Evidently it is the oldest girl who hasn't done it yet so about three 11 year olds were comparing birthdays. It was really cute. :-)
We followed the Horse back down the hill and then broke off to head back to the Luttrell Arms (the pub from which we had started) to grab a rather lovely pub meal. I don't remember my previous pub meals including such wonderful possibilities - I had a brioche with wild mushrooms and asparagus and Russell had guineafowl breast with a lemon dumpling and sweet potatoes! All and all the First of May was a lovely day!
We got up to the Castle and after the Horse had bowed to the Castle folk the Queen of the May (a 12 year old named Sarah) was crowned. She did a dance with the Horse and then a troupe of little girls called "The Bratton Maids" joined her for more dancing. I overheard the little girls talking about who would be next year's Queen. Evidently it is the oldest girl who hasn't done it yet so about three 11 year olds were comparing birthdays. It was really cute. :-)
We followed the Horse back down the hill and then broke off to head back to the Luttrell Arms (the pub from which we had started) to grab a rather lovely pub meal. I don't remember my previous pub meals including such wonderful possibilities - I had a brioche with wild mushrooms and asparagus and Russell had guineafowl breast with a lemon dumpling and sweet potatoes! All and all the First of May was a lovely day!
Marina says hi from Santa Cruz
Darcy joined me MayMorning in Sandy Crews, and the Seabright side was joined by Faultline and a small contingent of White Rats. Some of the "Seahorses" did Shepherd's Hay, with some Seabrighters filling in the gaps. Darned few pagani were up to view the spectacle this year, and the sun in the East was shrouded continuously with cloud. Found a 2nd grade teacher from Watsonville who is hoping to get the local team to come to her class, and possibly teach a dance to her Latino kids. I found myself getting angry at how poor her district was compared to ours (and how that might differ were the county a UNIFIED district instead of a mishmosh), and determined that I could Do Something About This. We'll see about getting the kids' team teacher out there for a few sessions, and the team as a whole out there next year, possibly as part of the May Day Crawl. Just because their parents work the fields for little pay doesn't mean they should be deprived of the celebration of a different culture from a time when folks worked THEIR fields and lived by the agricultural calendar.
We had declared it a Beltane Lobster Night, but Nagia was yet again done out of her share, although the rest of the crew who responded happily ripped through ours. Kurt had a migraine which got worse overnight, alas, so Certain Festivities are postponed.
YOUR meal sounded heavenly! Lemon dumplings, yum. I hope Russell took photos of the little girls all dressed up?
Re: Marina says hi from Santa Cruz
Marina
Re: Marina says hi from Santa Cruz
Date: 2003-05-03 05:23 am (UTC)Sounds like a mostly lovely Beltaine. I'm so sorry to hear about Kurt! Wah! A migraine on Beltaine ought to be outlawed. :-)
Yes, Russell had taken pictures of *everything*! He is quickly using up what space there is on my laptop taking pictures off his smartcards to take some more. *LOL* I hate to think what this would cost in film processing!
Re: Marina says hi from Santa Cruz
Migraine is STILL here. He's only got 5 pills, and I think I'll call in a refill, since HE is not thinking straight! All right, so I *like* his warped thinking, but you get the point.