Queen for a day

Miller Castle in Merrifield, MN

Today we had the opportunity to go back in time. We spent the day in a Medieval Castle on North Long Lake, where I played the role of Queen Elizabeth I and Chase was a Viking Barbarian. Over a hundred students spent the day with us, participating in jousting, cooking, sorcery, and costuming. They squirmed as they tried the blood soup and sweated while wearing authentic chain mail armour - which weighs 30 pounds!

It was my perfect day - I was able to be the Queen of an entire castle and I had loyal subjects who seemed to hang on my every word. I loved explaining to the kids how my mother was beheaded by King Henry VIII and how I reigned for 44 years. The girls all wanted hugs and to wear dresses like mine, and most of the boys wanted to fight in my defense - although there were a couple that loved to shout "off with her head" all the time after I had told them about my mother's beheading.

Chase taught the students about the ancient techniques of oil painting. The kids couldn't believe that paints could be created out of soils and berries rather than just being purchased at a store.  Once Chase told them that it would take months to capture an image of Queen Elizabeth in a portrait they were amazed at the speed of a camera.

All in all it was an incredible day full of new experiences for both of us. As some of you know, I have a tendency to exaggerate stories for the sake of entertainment, which apparently is perfectly acceptable in theatrics - I think I might have a future in this industry!

Viking Barbarian and Queen Elizabeth I