Maryland Renaissance Festival, Oct. 16-17, 2004
Just one more weekend left before our beloved Rogues hit the road and head back to Houston. So sad.
The weather seemed to agree with our solemn moods and a chill was biting into us as we gathered together and headed back to MDRF for the first of the last four days we have our Rogues with us in Crownsville. It was cold and wet and a downpour in the afternoon didn’t help the gloomy backdrop of thoughts we had going on in our heads.
The weather did a number on E.J.’s pipes, but he got a brand new bag and was juke-jiving tunes out again in no time. Kilt&Hilt’s Holly and Warring brought down the house with Holly finding her way on stage showing off a chilly looking bellydancing/highland fusion and shake-rattle-and-rolling with the rainstick on a number of tunes. We are so blessed to be surrounded by all this exceptional talent and Kilt&Hilt and Barefoot Dragon are planning a real fusion of talents and styles in the coming months to hopefully provide an intertwining fusion dance for next years MDRF. Who knows, we might even see that fusion in our Celtic Crossroads. Already, Stacy and Ruta are joining in on learning the Lilt and Holly and Warring are always breaking into midriff wear for a little hip swinging action.
Not to be outdone, another unexpected talent showed up. Leslie, another dancer who performed in last year’s Celtic Crossroads turned up to do some fancy footworking of her own and throwing down a hornpipe for audience enjoyment. Finally, the unexpected talents shifted slightly when Rinehart Sloan, father of former Rogue Lars showed up on Sunday to smoke a few cigars and shoot the breeze with old friends. There was even an honorary singing of Cullen Anderson at the White Hart stage.
In the final days before the Rogues pack their caravan back west to the Lone Star state, we gathered at the home of Roguey William and his Honey Holly for a quiet dinner after our next-to-the-last Saturday. A mix of barbeque, wrestling and tying human pretzels, we all shared in the warmth of their home and hospitality, carousing into pillow fights, wrestling on the floor, teasing and tickling till the wee hours of the morning. We came, ate all the food, drank all the beer and slid across the floor in our socks till we were all laughing beyond words. It’s always great to find great people and a little time all together in the same place, to let your hair down and just enjoy the family that we have in people like William and Holly. Thanks to them for making this such a memorable night.
Just one more weekend before we sign off from On The Road at Maryland Renaissance Festival for another year. Here’s hoping to hear from others along the journeys of our ever-loved Rogues.
Lyn Bell