Betsy Snow White Bibliophile

Tag: International Wenches Guild

  • October 18 – Sisters, Podcasts, Sweethearts, and Faire Days

    October 18 – Sisters, Podcasts, Sweethearts, and Faire Days

    My older sister, Krystie, was in town the end of last week and the weekend. We went to dinner at Studio 35 Friday night to get to spend some time with her. After that I came home to record WTF Did I Just Watch Podcast with Jenny and Jean-Paul and fellow guests Randy, Jon and Char discussing the 1983 Stephen King joint Silver Bullet. It was a really fun and funny discussion of a batshit bananas film.

    Saturday we headed down to the Ohio Renaissance Festival once again. It was romance weekend. I barked for Wench Collecting before gate and for about 40 minutes after open. People were eager to play which is always exciting. Once inside we decided to try the new ramen place Dante’s Third Circle. I got mine Tingly Tongue spicy, and Seth got Why did you do this, lol. It was pretty dang good. We bought some boozy cakes at Let Them Drink Cake and bought a friend a pendant from my friends at The Wired Viking. At 2:15 the Wenches met for a photo.

    We had some amazing conversations with our fellow ORFans and left basically at close and headed home.

    On Sunday Chris, Niki and the Niblings came down to Ren Faire as well so I took a break from barking, but still got collected quite a bit. I bought a beautiful felted flower from A viking Wife. Seth and I decided that in honor of our 10 year anniversary we would take part in the mass vow renewal that happens on Romance Weekend.

    Photo 1 courtesy of Stephen Kohus

    The ceremony was very sweet. The officiant quoted Neil Gaiman. I cried (not that this is shocking). We found family again and ran around a bit until it was 2:15 and time for the wench picture.

    I met several new wenches, and talked to some I never get to talk to. It was really nice. Niki also decided she wants to be a wench! So we are going to work on that.

    More faire photos from Romance Weekend.

    I knew I had a podcast to record later so we headed out so I had time to watch Dracula and get ready to record. So watch out for GGG to cover the Bela Lugosi classic soon.

    Monday we had dinner with my Mom and sisters again because Krystie needed to head home to Oklahoma Tuesday. We got a family photo while we were together.

    Halloween Countdown for 14, 15-17 and 18. Tomorrow starts my double countdown.

  • October 8 – Viking Weekend at the Ohio Renaissance Festival

    October 8 – Viking Weekend at the Ohio Renaissance Festival

    We spent all day the 8th at the Ohio Renaissance Festival and then came home and were in bed exhausted by 8pm. It was a beautiful fall day and Viking Weekend which led to possibly record breaking numbers at Ohio Ren. Plus we had visiting wenches from Michigan who invaded and were part of Wench Collecting this weekend. It was a busy but fun day.

    I got to wear my new custom Journeyman Leather Corset. It happened because last year we walked in so my mom could pay for her custom bodice from them (it has the Breast Cancer ribbon on the back). Morgan, the man making pieces for them last season, was looking for pink leather in the boxes of leather and came out with this deep brown fringe. He said he had no idea what they would do with the fringe because they got it in a big lot of leather they bought. I raised my hand and said, “Um, If I were to buy a corset could you put it along the top?” And he thought a minute then said, “Yeah, we could do that. Do you want it on the top front and back and the bottom as well both sides.” Of course I said yes. It turned out amazing!!

    And the Halloween Countdown for October 8:

  • October 2 – My October Bucket List

    October 2 – My October Bucket List

    • Witch Walk 2022
    • Dark Market 2022
    • Carve a Pumpkin
    • Go to a Halloween Party
    • Celebrate our 10th anniversary
    • Attend Ren Faire at least once a weekend
    • Tales from the Crypt at Green Lawn Abbey
    • Finish and upgrade Mothman Costume for Faire
    • Read 4 books
    • Create a great basket for my spooky basket buddy
    • Have a fire and make smores

    That is a pretty good list to start. We were at the Renaissance Festival today for Time Travelers weekend. There were time lords, mandalorians, multiple tardises, and I was a triceratops.

    Photo of wenches, I am center front holding my triceratops mask to the side.

    Here is my treasure from my Halloween Advent for today…

    And my October book bingo as I read through The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. Got several off the board.

  • November has come!

    Happy November First! The last day of the Ohio Renaissance Festival was yesterday, and while I am sad that the season is over, I am happy to be free to devote time to some other parts of my life. This season of the festival was one of the best I can remember. Wench Collecting took off this year in a way that was unexpected and led to our local growing almost doubling in size as the season moved on and more wenches are planning to join in the off season. We were able to sponsor five wenches into the guild, and have the money for several more. Being the Madam for the local is one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever taken on and I am so proud of what this group is becoming. And we have so much more on the horizon, including the groups first election since 2018 when we formed the group and I became madame. I have no idea if any of my fellow wenches would like to take up the mantle and run to be madame next year, but I know that whether I am madame again or I am unseated the impact of this inaugural privy council has laid an amazing groundwork for the leadership to come.

    Beyond this I have a lot planned for the month of November. One I am participating in Nanowrimo this year, but rather than a novel my goal is to blog every day for the month of November. In the past I did Blogtober, but I just couldn’t swing it this year so I decided to do November instead. I am also doing my first walk in a long time on Thanksgiving, a five mile Turkey Trot. I am attending the Witches Ball, doing a lot of holiday crafting, attending some other events with wenches and the lady gang. Who knows what I might get into? I hope you will come along for the ride, enjoy the scenery and keep me company along the way.

    On the first day of November I am thankful for my amazing husband who took all of the photos below for me without complaint, following me around the Festival as I chased down all the wenches. I love that man with my whole soul and I don’t know what I would do without him.

    So many Wenches!!!!

  • Celtic Fest Ohio 2021

    Celtic Fest Ohio 2021

    This past weekend Ohio Renaissance Park hosted Celtic Fest 2021. The day featured many regional, national and international bands, dancers, etc as well as vendors and just general good times. I went in an effort to see and talk to as many wenches as I could as well as just to spend some time in one of my favorite places. The night before, so Friday night, storms cut through the area where the fest resides and this lead to insane flooding (waist deep in places) and a lot of panic amongst the vendors and performers who were spending the night onsite. It also caused a power outage that lasted until about 2pm on Saturday.

    As we headed out on Saturday morning, we were honestly not sure at all what we were getting ourselves into. I just knew that after the night they just had we needed to go and support some of these vendors we love. We got there about 11:30 (Gates were set to open at 11) and found out that the gates had been held until noon due to the power outage while they worked to get generators running to work the sound systems. Jameson’s Folly played at the gate as we waited for opening.

    Once inside we walked up to A Wired Viking where I picked up a pendant I purchased in advance and a necklace for my sister for her birthday both made by the lovely Felix. We also picked up a large beard bead for Seth, a ring for him and a bracelet for me. I forgot to get photos with the three wenches who work in that booth, because I suck.

    After this we walked around, said hi to many friends and wenches, got free commemorative Guinness Pint Glasses, took pictures, watched a couple of acts, gave cards to potential wenches, and generally had a great time. Here are far too many photos.

  • Vaccinated Shenanigans

    Vaccinated Shenanigans

    So…I have been up to stuff. I am fully vaccinated, so I have begun meeting up with more friends who are also vaccinated and doing fun things.

    On May 8th Seth and I met up at Brother’s Drake Meadery with my mom, sister Traci, friend Johnna and her husband Andy, and my sister’s friend Boggs and his girlfriend Amanda. We did their “tour” which right now means doing a flight of 5 meads together. I tried their Purple Rain mead, which is Blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry and honey wine and it is delicious!!! Then I had the flight. And then I had a glass of Battleaxe which they describe thusly, “A sweet cranberry melomel infused with vanilla and juniper berries. Unapologetically tart upfront like cranberries with a smooth finish that is sweet and hints at the vanilla and juniper infusion.” All I know is that it is delicious. We left with 2 bottles of Purple Rain and one of Battleaxe to go.

    Amanda, Boggs, Traci, Karla (mom), Seth, Me, Andy and Johnna

    I chose our movie(s) for Girls, Ghosts, Ghouls for the month of May/June, so we recorded that on the 17th of May. I chose Nosferatu (1922) and Shadow of the Vampire (2000). The recording hasn’t released yet, but should be coming soon.

    On the 22nd we headed back to our favorite boardgaming bar, The Forge Tavern, for their Fancy Dress Pirate Party with Pirate’s Creed. Seth and I shared a table with my friends Liz and Todd. My mom, sister and my sister’s boyfriend, Erich, were at the next table and my friend, Susan, and her family were right behind us. Seth and I did a Rum flight, the Sugar Island Rum was my favorite. Pirate’s Creed put on an amazing show. I bought their album in a bottle. There were several wenches on site so we took a wench photo. Overall it was just a really good time.

    On the 22nd we celebrated my nibling, Sadie’s birthday early in the afternoon. Then we met up with my friends and co-hosts Jenny and Rebecca to go to a drive through Dinosaur exhibit. It was ridiculous, but fun, and we laughed a lot.

    Okay…this is too much. More shenanigans to come.

  • Magical Days, Madrigal Nights – Final Weekend

    Magical Days, Madrigal Nights – Final Weekend

    Saturday was the final day of the Ohio Renaissance Festival’s Magical Days, Madrigal Nights and it was an absolutely magical day. For this final adventure it was just me and my friend, fellow wench and lady gang member, Susan.

    We arrived about 3:30 and almost immediately ran into friends who were attending for the first time this year (I managed 4 out of 5 somehow). We arranged some custom pieces from the glass artist, recruited several new wenches with any luck, sat and spoke to friends, sang a bit, conferred with witches and ended singing incredibly anachronistic songs at the pub sing in the Three Fools. It was a beautiful end to the season that wasn’t, but also kinda was. Here’s a health to the Company…

  • Magical Days, Madrigal Nights – Part 2

    Magical Days, Madrigal Nights – Part 2

    My husband and I’s 8th wedding anniversary was on the 6th. To celebrate we bought feast tickets to the Magical Days, Madrigal Nights event happening at the Ohio Renaissance Festival. We also decided to indulge and do the Witches of Willy-Nilly Whiskey Tasting.

    The Whiskey Tasting was fun and delicious, for $35 per person you get 7 shots of whiskey including a premium shot. The girl seated beside me, Becca, was absolutely adorable and we had a blast toasting and fist bumping our way through the drinks. My favorite was the black barrel, as was Seth’s but there honestly wasn’t a bad one in the mix. The witches sang an amazing conjuration song, and regaled us with whiskey facts as we got drunker and drunker, oops. I gave out several cards for the IWG to fun ladies, and I hope they join us.

    We met up with some other wenches after that and walked around to kill time. We got soft serve (with sprinkles), I bought a walking stick/crook, and we had a nice conversation with the glass artists about commissions and cats.

    Then we headed back to the feast. While we were waiting I snapped a picture of an adorable gnome and got my photo taken with the witches who I just love!

    The feast was delicious, but I forgot to take photos of the food. There was entertainment throughout including the faire’s improv troop made up mayhem, the queen’s choice singers, the witches and the pirates. It was very entertaining, and once the feast was over we headed home.

    These Magical Day, Madrigal Night events are not exactly like a ren faire day, but they keep the spirit alive. Huzzah!!

  • Welcome to Blogtober!!

    Welcome to Blogtober!!

    It is that time of year again, my favorite month and the month when I blog everyday. I have no idea what that might involve for 2020, but expect lots of fun fall, Halloween and other such content. Also some poetry, because that is what I am studying currently in school.

    On a gorgeous Sunday in mid-September I met with several members of the International Wenches Guild as well as The Witches of Willy-Nilly to record our version of the Hexenbrut. We gathered in the Sunhenge at the Renaissance Festival dressed in our witchy finery. After a few practice runs, we created a masked and socially distanced dance. The video was finally released by the Ohio Renaissance Festival, so I am free to share.

    This was an absolute blast to do, and it looks pretty good too! Dance along if you know it.

    Happy Blogtober!! Happy Full Moon!! See you tomorrow!!

  • It Should be Opening Day…

    It Should be Opening Day…

    If the world was as it should be today would be the opening day of the Ohio Renaissance Festival. Seth and I would be making our first wander around the grounds saying our hellos to our Rennie family. We would have gotten there early in order to finish dressing in the parking lot, and would have met up with friends by the opening gate where the Queen and the cast would lay out what this year’s story is. I might have had game boards to hand out to patrons for wench collecting, holding my blackboard with some clever saying to gain people’s interest. I might have been handing out business cards for the guild inviting women to join us in our shenanigans. I would have hugged my friend, fellow wench and madame of vice, Sarah, in her booth the moment I was inside the gate and we would have caught up for a few minutes before the rush of patrons hit to begin shopping. I would have wandered to the Vikings hoard to say hello to the vikings and so Den Mom could tempt me with some beautiful new fur to add to my collection.

    This year there will be no faire as I know it. I am feeling the absence in my soul like a great weight which is fueling my anxiety and making my life feel shockingly off kilter. Faire has long been for me a place of escape and succor, and to lose that is a strange thing indeed.

    Seth and I had already made the decision in July to have our season passes rolled to 2021 because of the pandemic. With Seth working in a school he is already in a higher risk environment and we did not want to make that risk any greater by being in such a public space, even with the precautions they were taking. When they cancelled completely in August, though, it hurt. Partly because even with our passes suspended we had planned on attending at least once or twice during the run, and partly because it made the threat of the pandemic seem even that much more real.

    On the plus side, OhRen has created some limited ticket smaller events called Magical Days, Madrigal Nights and I have tickets to two out of three days,including tickets for the Madrigal Feast on Octber 10. IWG 73 is planning to meet up to perform the Hexenbrut which we can publish on our Youtube channel for Halloween. And I am sure we will find some other things to get into as well.

    There will be things that will fill the space on my calendar that faire is leaving behind, but I am not sure about the space in my heart.

    Here’s to a better, healthier 2021. Hip, Hip, Huzzah!