Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Love and Family

Valentines Day seems to be a tough one for many people. Personally, I feel like we should love and appreciate those around us every day! At the same time I don't see anything wrong with a special day to remind us to say thank you to those who are important in our lives.
Love isn't just about having a romantic partner. Love is something you have for those around you. Family, friends, those people you meet who pop in and out of your life but leave behind something that changes you forever. Its days like today that help remind us to extend a special word, a gesture, to let them know they are always in our hearts.
I am an only child (which I know I have mentioned before) so the friend I have made in my journey through this life have always been more like family to me. I enjoy the company of many people, but those who are close to me mean so much. They are the people I lean on, those I turn to for advice, for comfort, to share in my joy as well as my sorrow.
I have been so blessed to have met so many people who inspire me every day. From family friends I have known since the day I was born, people who I grew up with, as well as new friends who have effected my life so deeply. I take strength from them, look up to them, and enjoy their positive radiance every day.
For every one who has touched my life I say a deepest thank you. You have helped me through dark times as well as celebrated my success. There are a few who I have shared the most intimate parts of my life, and no matter if we still speak, or if our life situations have changed, I send thanks and love your way too. For no matter who you are, you have changed and shaped me in ways I never knew possible.
May joy and light find you who I am so happy to call my "family" no matter if you are near or far. For I always think on you all, and wish you the best of everything and the strength to take on anything.

With love to you all always,

Adelle Starr

Todays inspiring image is of  a rose I received as a gift when I was working Sterling Ren Fair. Something about these rainbow roses always fills me with delight and laughter.


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Dusting Off Old Memories

I've always had a vivid imagination. Perhaps its a skill born of being an only child.
As long as I can remember I've always been able to make something out of whatever I had. Maybe it was a bush in a neighbors yard that became the coolest house you ever knew existed (it had a surfing room), or hours on end playing with My Little Ponies with my friends, or creating our own magazine, charting underwater passageways in a super secret submarine, or flying with dragons as I slept. Always there was a need, a desire, to dream.
Oddly enough I don't really remember my first trip to Sterling Renaissance Festival. I know it involved my parents taking me out there. I seem to recall it was with my cousin, but it very well could have been with two of my good friends (who I am happy to say I am still friends with today). I simply remember it being so exciting! Something that stuck with me and weaseled its way deep into my little kid brain. I know for certain that I fell in love with the costumes. Dressing up as something or someone else has always been something I've enjoyed. I've gone back every year since as far as I know. Through rain and shine, chilly days and sweltering hot ones. I've dragged everyone I could at least once, luring them with the promise that I would drive (once I could that is). 
I couldn't say what it is that I always enjoyed. Its an atmosphere unlike anything else. Its almost more like going to a play you get to participate in then anything else I suppose. Some people go simply as spectators, but I couldn't wait to jump into a role. It was a magical transformation assuming the persona of someone else and then shedding it at will. I was always so sad when the season came to a close. I really got to experience this back and forth shifting of perspective when I worked there and got to see what it was like after hours. But thats a story for another day.

Instead of an inspiring image for today I will leave you with the blog of one of those good friends of mine I mentioned above. I've know Ali for as long as I can remember. I miss her often, and still get as excited as a little kid when I get the chance to meet up with her again.
So today I leave you with her blog Fair Isle Navajo.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Planning, Planning, Planning!

Running any group takes a lot of planning and a group that camps even more so! I am a proud member of House Hamilton. We are a group that plays in the SCA which is a group that does historical reenactment (www.sca.org). If your not familiar with it think the renaissance fair but more historical and many of the weekends are camping. You strive to reach a level of historical accuracy depending on the kind of money you have to invest and your personal interest and investment.
Anyway, a full season of camping and getting a group together take a lot of work. There is site reservations to take care of, meals to plan, lists of things to pack, and rides to arrange. So after some pre-planning this weekend (which involves Ralf who is Chief and head of House Hamilton and myself hammering out basic plans) we gathered all the Hamilton's together to start hammering out the plans for the coming season. Letting everyone know all the dates for all the events between now and September, thinking about rides, basic meal planning, figuring out crafting days to get all the equipment we need in order, and general rabble rousing.
For some reason I love planning. I'm not sure I'll ever really know why I find it so amusing. I love making lists, general crafting, meal planning, grocery shopping, and figuring just how much ice you need to keep a full kitchen for 20 people when all you have is coolers and its 90 degrees out. At some point I'll do a more detailed blog on my strange passion for cooking for camp.

For now I leave you with my inspiring picture of the day. This picture comes from a wonderful man by the name of Ken Morrill. I had the pleasure of meeting him in the Fall of 2010 at the Maryland Ren Fair. Its sort of a double bonus feature picture since the wonder, awesome, fantastic woman featured is Jo Dun-Jones who runs Moresca. She is up there on my list of most inspiring people. Enjoy and keep dreaming!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

A Long and Tired Day

I haven't been sleeping well lately. I think it has to do with the constantly changing weather. Its been a mild winter here in Upstate NY so far which I won't complain about. However the Mother Nature has been unable to agree just how warm or cold it should be so we have had some warm days followed by bitter chilly days. I think this has just thrown me all sorts of out of whack as far as being able to get a good nights sleep goes. Sometimes I'm asleep early only to wake up in the middle of the night, and some nights I just can't get to bed. It has however given me some pretty intense dreams although most of them are bad.
I'm one of these people who if I get a chill I just can't warm up. I think this bothers me more then anything about the winter season around here. Well, that and the lack of sunshine. Finding inspiration when the sun won't peak its head out for days at a time can be hard. But you keep going and eventually the sun does come out and inspiration strikes once again.
Tonight I hope I dream of sunny days. Tomorrow is Friday and thats always a welcome thing.
Today I leave you with a picture of my wonderfully dirty camp feet basking in the sun.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The Big Idea

After many years of going to the Sterling Renaissance Fair I finally had the real opportunity to work there. Almost every year for the previous 6 years I had been offered a job from one vendor or another when I went on opening weekend. Despite all the offers I was never able to take them due to lack of a car, or working weekends as a waitress, or other summer plans that would get in the way. In 2009 I went and found a shop that I fell in love with. Moresca sells renaissance styled clothes as well as more fantasy styled offerings and I was immediately attracted to the style, the friendly people who worked there, and the fantastic fabrics they used.
In the Spring of 2010 I had this crazy idea. I finally had weekends free and a car that worked. The thought struck me that I should just go ahead and see if Moresca had any positions available for the season. So I sent off an email asking if they might be looking for someone. I received a reply saying that they didn't think so but they would keep me in mind. So I replied with a thank you and attached my resume saying "just in case". Two days later I was hired for the season.
Finally the summer arrived and Fair was about to open. I drove in the day before to meet everyone and help set up the shop. I remember being nervous and at the same time incredibly excited. Would these people like me? Would I be able to keep up? Would I work out? After the first weekend all my fears were put to rest. I met some of the most wonderful people working there that year who filled me with inspiration and joy! The season flew by. Halfway through Jo
(one of the owners of Moresca) went off to run another show and it was up to myself and Justin (who is a wonderful dude) to run the shop. Those were some seriously busy weekends! Since there was space I stayed the night on Saturdays and began to meet more and more people in this fantastic community.
All too soon the season was over. I shed many tears bidding goodbye to these people who had touched my life so profoundly even if they didn't know it. After that the idea was truly born. I started to wonder if this was something I could REALLY do. I thought, and pondered, and worried, and began to plan. And here we stand. Getting ready to take that leap into the great unknown. Leaving everything behind, getting rid of almost everything I own, and beginning that journey to see the country through the lens of Faire.
It will still take some time. There are things to prepare, debt to pay down, and lots of planning to be ready. I have the idea now, and I'm not going to give it up!


Today's inspiring picture comes from my own collection and is from Sterling Renaissance Fair 2010. I think this was one of the last weekends of Faire.