Hudson Valley Pirate Festival

[Wentworth]

ARRRR you going? If you see me be sure to wave and say YO HO...... here's their event description and links to more info:

"Come experience a day in the life of a pirate... you can almost feel the salt in the air as we bring you swashbuckling swordplay, meandering minstrals, and wenches walking.. along with mermaids, games of skill, and live pirate-style entertainment. We will be doing costume contests for the kids along with trick or treating."


https://www.facebook.com/hvpiratefestival/

https://ulstercountyalive.com/calend...irate-festival

https://fairefinder.com/events/detail/424

[Naharaht]

Do be careful, Bill. Something like that would not be permitted over here under the present corona virus restrictions.

[Bligh]

Here is one from my very early re-enactment days.

Are you deaf, I said recruit a few Pirates not Parrots.

[TwoSheets]

Sounds like a fun event but I myself wouldn't go with the way people here conduct themselves in this pandemic.

[Wentworth]

Yes, David and Peter, you are of course right -- I will not be attending. I have survived this pandemic thus far by being scrupulously careful where I go and what I do. However every so often I have a weakness of spirit and give in to impulse before coming to my senses. About 10 days ago a friend of mine from New Jersey invited me to meet him at a game shop in Nyack, New York to play Sharp Practice. I've just finished a French and Indian War army for these rules (British of course) and jumped at the chance and agreed to play. Within 48 hours I came to my senses and postponed the game to an unspecified future date....I am definitely having a case of cabin fever.....

Although seeing Rob in his pirate rig would be a real temptation to attend....

[Bligh]

Dont do it Bill. As we have got this far. I would hate to go down as the very last person to die from Covid in the UK.
Not a record I would wish to hold.

Rob.

[Dobbs]

Ah, if I was home I might be able to dredge up a picture from my days doing a pirate dinner theater as the dread pirate Winthrop Doylee, who considered himself more of a merchant with an alternative lifestyle. It's just about cutting out the middle man.

[Bligh]

In my case it was more about shutting up the middle man Dobbs. That Parrot was programmed to say back anything that was spoken to it. We were at a Pirate day at a school where a friend was the Head Master. Having three Hundred kids coming up and saying pieces of eight can get a bit tedious. Then one kid realized that if you swore at the damned bird it would swear back. Not really the ticket at a C of E school, so I switched it off whenever this kid approached it. He could not fathom why he was the only kid it would not speak to. My friend later told him it was because the parrot could not abide people who used bad language. I never found out if it stopped the kid swearing!
Rob.

[Wentworth]

Ah, if I was home I might be able to dredge up a picture from my days doing a pirate dinner theater as the dread pirate Winthrop Doylee, who considered himself more of a merchant with an alternative lifestyle. It's just about cutting out the middle man.

A pirate dinner theater Dobbs ? You never cease to amaze me. Were you a lyric tenor, a robust baritone, or a basso profundo ? I must confess that when I sing animals cringe for miles around....

[Bligh]

"I sing animals cringe for miles around...."

Got me there Bill! I can't for the lfe of me place which G&S Operetta from which that one comes?

Maybe it comes in the bit in Pirates, with the policemen after you stepped on the cat in rehersals.
Rob.

[Wentworth]

Got me there Bill! I can't for the lfe of me place which G&S Operetta from which that one comes?

Maybe it comes in the bit in Pirates, with the policemen after you stepped on the cat in rehersals.
Rob.

I am chagrined to say it is original to me....although if old Bill Gilbert were still around and wanted to use it I would happily give it to him...

[Bligh]

On reflection, maybe we had better leave things as they are Bill.

Rob.

[TexaS]

I'll add a few photos of myself as a pirate and add that I join in on the shanties to everyones despair.







Oh... No! I meant to write a sailing master of a merchantman from the Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden...

[Bligh]

A very fine Buccaneer you make too Jonas.
Rob.

[Wentworth]

So instead of going to the Pirate Festival, I stayed home and took a couple of photos of fall in the Hudson River Valley:

[Bligh]

Is that beautiful tree an Acer Bill?
Rob.

[Wentworth]

Is that beautiful tree an Acer Bill?
Rob.

Yes it is! We have quite a few types of red maples in the area -- mixed with the yellows of the oaks it makes for very pretty hillsides this time of year. BTW -- here's a photo from this morning -- we have the remnants of an overnight fog on the water. On nights like last night we go to sleep to the sound of the fog horn periodically sounding across the water.

[Bligh]

Magical Bill.
It reminds me of early mornings over Lake Conniston.
Rob.

[TexaS]

A wise choice and thank you for the great pictures.

[Wentworth]

Over last weekend we drove up onto nearby Shawangunk Mountain (it is in the Catskill Mountain range). Shawangunk is the Dutch settlers spelling of an ancient Iroquois word that roughly translates as: "Future home of a really terrific war gamer"....actually it translates as "place of smokey air" (referring to the mists that often shroud the top of the mountain). The mountain is home to much wildlife including bear, deer, coyotes, fox, and other smaller mammals, as well as teeming with eagles, hawks and all manner of raptors. The Hudson Highlands also has the highest population in New York state of the venomous Copperhead and Timber Rattle snakes. Here's a brief video of our drive up to the mountain:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SlX...2JnHuV40M/view

[Bligh]

Seems reluctant to open this on my PC Bill.
Rob.

[Wentworth]

Seems reluctant to open this on my PC Bill.
Rob.

Sorry -- try this link instead:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SlX...2JnHuV40M/view

[Bligh]

Fraid not Bill. Obviously it does not like me.
Rob.

[Wentworth]

Is that beautiful tree an Acer Bill?
Rob.

Rob,
Here's an example of the Red Maple I mentioned to you previously. This one is in front of my place (as is the Acer). I passed a stand of five tall Red Maples in a row on a drive today -- they were beautiful with the sunset playing off them -- regrettably there was no where safe to stop to take a photo. So this one will have to do! We have Yellow Maple as well -- together they make for a lovely fall.

[Bligh]

Simply splendid Bill.
The trees we saw in the States will always stay in my minds eye, and that was in early Summer.
Many years ago a friend of ours who lived in New England told us of the magic of the Fall there.
This is just the sort of thing i imagined.
Rob.

[Wentworth]

Simply splendid Bill.
The trees we saw in the States will always stay in my minds eye, and that was in early Summer.
Many years ago a friend of ours who lived in New England told us of the magic of the Fall there.
This is just the sort of thing i imagined.
Rob.

Although the fall colors here are past their peak, here are a couple of photos taken at a vantage point about one quarter of a mile from my place -- try to imagine how vibrant the colors were about 10 days ago and you'll understand why people in the N.E. United States rhapsodize about the fall here. BTW -- during the War for Independence (known as the American Revolution over here) the Royal Navy sailed past this point in force to sack and burn Kingston-- the 18th century capital of New York colony (just around the bend in the river). I posted the 18th century RN after action report in the historical section of this site for those interested in that action.

[Bligh]

Thank you for that Bill.
Mrs Kyte will also love those colours.
Rob.