Sixteen years ago, I was basically dragged kicking and screaming to a Renaissance Faire. Before the day was out, I'd bought a season pass. Three years later I was asked to consider managing one of the shops the next season. And for the next ten years (until 2000), I was Lady Barbara of Ye Dragon and Unicorn.

And the Lady of the Red Unicorn...

Now, this might seem like a strange thing to focus on in a life that is... well, let's just say I passed a quarter of a century some time ago! But I honestly have to say that my involvement in that shop and Faire has changed my life, lifestyle and life philosophy drastically, in some ways for the worse, in most ways for the better. Last year, I returned to that Faire, although not that shop, after two years' hiatus, eager to rejoin my friends there. The summer was good... and bad... and worth the trouble. And I'll be back there again in 2003. *smile* It grows on you...

There I've met some of my best friends, had dreams built and destroyed, become more tolerant of differences, grown less patient with rigidness, learned to look forward more than back, laughed and cried, given and taken, loved a lot and found a place inside that's still all my own... I've built on what I learned there from other places and other people, but the intial impetus remains the strange, unique, slightly crazy, always changing world of the Ren Faire. (And no, Mom, I STILL haven't met anyone 'normal' yet. *lol* And I still wouldn't know what to do with them if I did!)

And the Unicorn? Well, the shop I managed sells leather drinking mugs (yes, leather... click here if you're curious). That first season I bought one with a dark red Unicorn painted thereon. It's been a constant in my life ever since, hanging at my hip during Faire visits, surfacing at odd times during the non-Faire year to be filled and used, always with a faint smell of Summer about it. And the Unicorn has become a part of my spirit.

My Unicorn is the one you see here... not cute or sweet or cuddly, but strong, independent, challenging and accepting the world on its own terms, living (and giving) without fear. Over the last sixteen years, I've come to view that strong Unicorn as my symbol. It's also been my goal. I still have a ways to go... the Unicorn is still ahead of me... but I've gotten stronger, more independent, braver. I've come to view my life in terms of strengths and challenges, rather than hopes and needs, and I've found new dreams again, more lasting ones. I'm getting closer... I'm catching up with it. *smile* The Unicorn seems content with that.

(By the way, there IS a real red unicorn in this world... click here if you're curious as to just what it is! *grin* I found it VERY amusing!)

Who am I? Where am I?

Oh... my name is Barbara and I live in south central Pennsylvania in the U.S.A. I live in a house that looks like half a house and is over one hundred years old, with six rescued cats (Beauty, Fuzzball, and Peanut; Momcat, Simba and Trouble) and two farmbred poodles (Isabella and Capitano). (Scruffy at the moment, but cute, huh? Click on the thumbnail to see them better...)

I've worked in a small natural history museum, a retail store, a bank, a pharamaceutical company, and a number of offices. I took a temporary job in October of 2002, having been "restructured" out of my last place of employ... and found myself "in love." I went permanent there on December 30, doing graphic design in the marketing department of a financial holding company. The company's wonderful... my coworkers are wonderful... the work is wonderful... the benefits are wonderful. I'm truly at home for the first time in my working life.

I read and write and make jewelry and play with the dogs and cats. I sing and sew and garden (love digging in the dirt), grow herbs and meditate and do Reiki. I have an American Elm in my front yard, and feel like I'm guarding a national treasure. The lawn often needs mowing for a while, but the birds and the squirrels love it... as do the neighborhood cats. Umm... so do I! :-)

I have moved from the beliefs that I grew up with to a more Earth-based spirituality. I honor the Feminine Divine as well as the Masculine Divine. However, I still honor the beliefs of my childhood in many ways, and am comfortable with where I am in my faith walk. I have much to learn, and find that it keeps my interest in life strong and vital. I see the Divine in all creatures and all creation, and rejoice to be a part of such a magnificent living entity!

My Family

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, with one older brother (Andrew Jr., or Drew) in attendance to try and assure that I never make it out of childhood. I think it might be the normal weeding out process of evolution... at any rate, I survived him, and we seem to be good friends at this point.

Drew lives in Virginia and is married, with one daughter (Ryan), who was born on my birthday. She was 25 on June 8, and works with disturbed young people, having earned a degree in social work. I'm a bit older than that... Drew will be even older in July, but we don't hold that against him. Meg (my sister-in-law ) has taken good care of him, so he's survived too! Drew and Meg are both ordained Christian ministers... and their respective congregations are very, very lucky, in my (unbiased) opinion.

My parents (Andrew and Evelyn) live on the west coast of Florida now, but Dad was born in Philadelphia and Mother in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. They were married during World War II, and lived in Philadelphia area until Dad retired from a savings and loan. Mother's family was Welsh, Scottish, and English and has been in the U.S. for some time. Dad's parents were born and raised in North Ireland and immigrated here in their late teens. I knew all four of my grandparents, which I consider a blessing. But I'm three-quarters Celtic, and that's a mixed blessing... no, really... *G*

Family Reflections

Drew and I were raised with a lot of love, although we didn't always appreciate it (in the way of children). I've talked to enough folks that can't say that to know how blessed we were. Sometimes it felt like interference (and sometimes it was), but it wasn't really meant that way. It's taken me a few years to figure that out... glad I finally did!

This poem is not mine... it was a gift from one of the Ladies of the Heart, given here to all my visitors in honor of the parents who raised and loved me... they who taught me that all living things are sacred and all creatures are to be treated with respect. For that, my dear parents... and for many other gifts of the Spirit, as well as for your loving care... I will always be grateful to you.