The first thirty hours of my marriage to Desiree proved amazing. Early Saturday morning, we drove from Helena to Red Lodge, Montana. For those of you appreciating math, that’s 250 miles. You can’t go wrong when skirting around nearly a dozen of Montana’s stunning mountain ranges.
Upon entering
the gate at the Renaissance Festival, Desiree (knowing only a handful of people
in Montana) saw someone she knew. She
grasped my arm. “That’s Mary,” she said,
tossing her head.
I managed a
fleeting but inconclusive glance. A few
moments later, a second look confirmed what Desiree suspected. The woman was
our mountain cabin neighbor. After
chatting with her for a few minutes, Desiree and I wandered off into the
costumed masses.
Mingling with knights
in full armor, Robin Hood, and all manner of mythical creatures, as well as
your standard Montana cowboy is more than surreal. At such festivals, oddballs and fearless free
spirits take center stage. Billowing tents filled with all manner of food
and drinks, trinkets, and displays of art surround the milling crowd of
thousands.
After a couple
hours exploring the festival, we met up with Natalya, my nephew’s wife, and
their two daughters. At nearly the same
time we chanced to bump into Bob and Rebecca Long, friends from Lewistown.
At the end of
all, Desiree and I had a great time.
Today, we are off to another drive through springtime in Montana and day
three of marriage.
Royal
Procession
Desiree With
Knights
Desiree,
Margo, Elizabeth, and Natalya
Milling Crowd and a Mountain Backdrop
—Mitchell Hegman
No comments:
Post a Comment