Pennsic A & S

I entered the Pennsic A & S display. Where I learned most things that get entered into A & S, will never, ever be worn or used.  There were a great many objects that were stunningly beautiful, which received many tokens of appreciation, that will never see the light of day outside of A & S competitions.

"How do you keep that clean?
Clean?  It never comes out of the box".  Sadness.

I found myself leaving tokens for the "interesting" things that were mostly overlooked. Boards of finger braids, leather shoes, felted hats and charge cases. One lady had some plain brown thrown pots.  They ended up being hand held incendiary vessels- clay bombs, with accompanying research. Wheeee!

It was a real eye opener. The quality of work was phenomenal and yet I was uninspired by a majority of the pieces. It breaks my heart to see such glorious work and articles of clothing that are relegated to a box. I felt less skilled, less of an artisan. I was pretty down on myself. And then I went through my Pennsic pictures.

I was reminded why I play. I cannot compare my skills and projects to those around me. I can only compare them to myself.  Have I grown as a costumer, cook, researcher?  Did I have fun?  Did it bring me joy? I want people to wear what I sew, skip around a list, get dirty, throw it into a bag/washer it so they can do it all over again the following week. 

It was a hard lesson to learn. I think I got it.

Pennsic recap

Finally. I think I have recovered enough to actually do a Pennsic recap.  I'm such a slacker.  Ok so it was the working to catch up from taking a week off...

It was a good war, not a great war, but good. I think I would done better if I hadn't scheduled anything at all.

I battled heat sickness on a couple of days.  Spent time sleeping in the kitchen tent as the rest of camp played fun shui. Spent more time with my foot in a bucket, trying to reduce the swelling. I went shopping. I helped cook the state dinner with 2 delightful people in Camp O'Choda. I even got to marshal a Rapier War point. I did some sewing and even fired up the sewing machine and iron once.  I entered the A & S display. I took a bunch of pictures.

I taught a couple of classes which went over very well.  Nearly 40 people showed up for the sugar class and right around 20 or so for the 2 hour feast class.  Got some really good reviews and picked up a couple of class groupies. This is very strange for me- people taking my class, because I am teaching, not because of what I am teaching (apparently they took a class or two of mine last Pennsic).

For the first year, I was not on the gun line for opening ceremonies. As Bhakail A & S champion, I went out to the battle field as part of the Bhakail retinue. That was a new kind of crazy.  Since Bhakail was founded early-ish in the East, we were pretty close to the front of the stage. But I found myself gazing up the hill all through out the ceremony.  I was able to give the folks on the ground a recounting of what goes on up there. The gunners had a nice shade fly. And I was envious as I baked in the hot sun, wearing my new red and black wool dress.

After the night firing (which I only watched and photographed- as I was on serious narcotics), I was finally able to get on the gun line Thursday morning. I fired 3 different times. I giggled after every fire.  I left the line smelling like guns and sporting powder smudges on my new shirt and face.  For me, that is the sight, sound and smell of Pennsic.  And it was glorious.

Operation Kitten Underground

We are getting a new kitten on Sunday. Kragore has dubbed the whole thing "Operation Kitten Underground".  The Boy and I will be driving from PA, Kragore from MA.  We will executing a kitten transfer at a 1/2 way point somewhere between. We were thinking NY. Any suggestions?