Well!  I have so much to update about.  I am slowly chipping away at my little list of topics still to cover from my recent activities, and now that I have a bit of respite in between summer and fall classes I can get down to business.

Raptor War is our Barony's premier event, and this year I was looking forward to enjoying it after co-stewarding it with my husband last year.  It's also sort of a big event for our household, since it's really where we all came together and formed what would become the Cavalry of the Sword and Horse.  It was going to be one of the only events everyone could make it to this year, so we really wanted to make it good.

The site was the beautiful Niagra Springs State Park, as it was last year, and we had the place to ourselves, so everyone spread their tents out willy-nilly.  It was great for getting the steps racked up on my pedometer, but it led to ltired feet too  The Cavalry set up their encampment around the fire pit, and wound up being party central for the event, which is fine with us, and makes it easier to stumble back to the tent when it's time to sleep.

On Friday afternoon we set up camp in our usual arrangements.  Period tents in a circle around the fire pit, with mundane tents behind them and out of sight.  After all the tents were up, we started preparing for the Pelican vigil of our own Don (now Master) Gomez.  The household teamed up to make refreshments, and I was happy to see that his vigil shirt (post on that to come) seemed to fit him well.  Once all was ready, the King came over to kick off the vigil, with the other landed Barons and Baronesses visiting next, then the rest of the rabble as they arrived.  I stood guard for a shift, and we all tried to share guard duties so nobody was stuck too long.  

I wish I could say people were patient and prompt, but as always there were people who didn't comport themselves as they should.  It gets hard to be genteel when those who supposedly outrank one can't do the same.  I am still trying to figure out the best way to stand up for myself while being courteous and respectful of rank, and I'm still frustrated at the attitude of acting like all is well while gossip and rudeness go on behind closed doors or in private conversations.  It can be hard not to let this stuff get you down.  Egos just suck when they get out of control.

In any case, the vigil went well, the refreshments were lovely, and we all got to bed at a reasonable hour.  On Saturday morning our household held a pancake breakfast for anyone who wanted one, and it was pretty popular, despite some setbacks with the grill.  I competed in our Barony's archery championship, and didn't do too badly, though I was no match for our new champion, Pieter.

After the archery, we proudly watched as our newest Quarter Horse (Cavalry member) became a squire.  Congratulations to Titus and Sir Etienne.  They're a great pair, and he's a heck of a fighter.

My sister Thora came up for the day and brought the dogs with her, which was fun.  We don't usually bring them to events, but it was great to have them, especially since I didn't have much to do or much company, as my husband was off marshalling for the heavy fighters.  I spent most of the afternoon enjoying the shade and visiting with friends, with a little break to run the children's scavenger hunt, and another to take a dip in the springs, which pour right out of the cliffs above the camp ground.  

After our swim we were nice and clean, and somehow all of us ladies got persuaded to take part in the recently un-banned game of Helga Ball, a variation on rugby popular in the SCA among people who like to get injured.  It must be played in a dress, with a cabbage for the ball, which can only be caught and carried in a skirt.  I was gratified to hear one of the female heavy fighters say that it was far harder, and rougher, than heavy fighting.  I got my hand stepped on, and just got my rings off before my fingers started to swell.  Nothing was broken, but it was bruised and sore for a week, and it is still tender now, nearly a month on.    After the Helga Ball another group played shinty (a Celtic relative of field hockey), which was just as injury-filled and entertaining.

Saturday night we had a fundraiser dinner followed by court.  I was helping out in court for this one, so I spent some time before hand looking over the agenda, prepping tokens and scrolls, etc. with the herald, Master Braden, and my fellow Lady in Waiting, HL Malatesta.  Funnily, I saw my name on the court agenda, but kind of glossed over it.  I thought it was there because I was one of the ones helping out.  Of course, that wasn't it, and I was given a society-level award, something I really wasn't expecting.  

The award is called the William Blackfox Award, and it's given by the Society Chronicler to chroniclers and Baronies for their newsletters.  The Barony of Arn Hold and I were given the award for Best Layout and Design for AS 49.  It was really nice to be recognized for my work.  I've been doing our newsletter for two years now, and sometimes it feels like nobody reads it.  All my fellow hoodlums from the Cavalry, including my husband and my sister, were sitting on the grass at the back, so there aren't any photos, and I doubt anybody could hear our rather soft-spoken King, but it meant a lot to me.

Master Gomez's vigil was really beautiful, and his garb turned out so well.  I got a couple compliments on the doublet, which are so nice to hear.  Despite my holding up a lantern through the ceremony (and getting the requisite bug bites as a result), it was too dark for any good pictures of the garb, so those will have to come later when we can corral Gomez.

After court the Cavalry held a giant party, culminating in our second annual men's belly dance competition.  It was truly entertaining to watch, and our own Duke Ronan will be champion for the coming year.  My husband was very happy to relinquish the title.  The  beverages and revelry continued, with a decent bardic and a lot of good stories.

Sunday morning came far too early, and we were packed and on the road by 11.  There are a few photos below courtesy of Her Excellency Kara of Wealdsmere, mka Rachel Kleinpaste.  

  PWell, better late than never, I have an update on our trip to Hellsgate in the Barony of Sentinel's Keep (Missoula, MT area).  I had heard so many good things about this event, and since we didn't get to go to Fifty Year, and our Kingdom's big summer event was canceled this year due to lack of attendance, we thought it would be worth the extra bit of driving to try this event out.

We packed light and took my car (small but better gas mileage), and drive up Highway 95 and over Lolo Pass, with a convenient stop at my mom's for lunch along the way.  The drive was, unfortunately, far longer than planned, due to a lot of construction along the way.  However, we arrived on site just at sunset to discover it was a mosquito paradise and The Brotherhood of the Black Unicorn (whose kitchen we were buying into) hadn't made dinner yet, so we didn't miss it!  While I made a run back into Missoula for bug spray, my hubby set up camp, and we had an awesome midnight stir fry dinner around the campfire.

This event is a battle between good and evil as the gates of hell threaten to open.  My husband and I joined the dark side (come with us, we have cookies!), and entrants were able to compete for points by doing the archery competition and A&S display, as well as heavy and rapier fighting, a great game of SCA Clue, and which beer keg (light or dark) was tapped first.  I shot pretty well on both Friday (practice) and Saturday (competition), and was really happy to be able to have something to do while my other half slept off the previous night's festivities.  On Friday after archery I mostly sat and watched the fighting while finishing the hand sewing on now Master Gomez's Pelican vigil shirt.  See pics below for evidence of my diligent sewing.  We had lots of fun helping out in the camp kitchen and making fish and chips on Friday night too.

On Saturday after the archery, which took most of the morning, we had lunch, watched more fighting, enjoyed the A&S display, and then I got suited up in some borrowed fencing gear for a fantastic (but very hot and sweaty) fencing lesson with an extremely talented friend from the Barony of Wealdsmere in An Tir.  Many of our Wealdsmere friends were at the site, since it was only about a three hour drive for them (as opposed to our eight hours).  In any case, I continue to enjoy the rapier fighting and look forward to more of it when time and money allows.

In the evening there was a magnificent Indian feast put on by the Brotherhood, which was truly incredible, and we all ate until we were stuffed.  Much yak-related shenanigans ensued.  This was a follow-up to the yak themed competition at Celtic Revolt, and it appears the shenanigans will continue until Border Wars in September, which we may try to attend.  After cleanup finished and the sun set, the stage was set for a lovely SCA wedding of our friend Duke Ibrahim and his new bride, Lady Caitlin.  Not a dry eye in the house, with plenty of the laughing and silliness we have come to expect from the Brotherhood.

It was interesting for my husband and I to be the only people from our local group traveling to the event.  Though another Arn Hold member did show up (he was in the area for work), we are used to traveling with a group of friends or our household cohort.  It was nice to camp with other folks and make new friends, who I look forward to seeing again.

We drive home a different way, down Highway 93 through the Bitterroot mountains, on a cloudy rainy day.  While my hubby slept I enjoyed the truly spectacular scenery in a part of the Rockies I haven't seen since I was young.  I hope we can come back to the event next year.  It was just the right mix of activity and relaxation, excitement and laughter, solemnity and levity.  Some pics are below, but stay tuned for an entry on the shirt itself.  

Photos: Heather Parchen