Chamfron

 We attended our first in-person event since the pandemic began, and it was Crystal Chamfron, the event I started. As with all Chamfrons since I lost Aziza, my feelings were mixed; I want to support the equestrian community, and I hope to take part in it again someday, but being around horses tears my heart out all over again. On the positive side, it was absolutely delightful to spend time with friends, especially those from outside the area. A rider and SCAdian I admire sought my input on a personal matter, flattering me tremendously, and later Wylle was called up in court (twice!) to receive awards (including one that utilized one of my scroll blanks, funnily enough). Despite it being a soggy Saturday, the event was a great success. It was my favorite Chamfron in a long while.

I rode enough to keep my authorizations. I had intended to spend some time on the archery range, but that got rained out. I did, however, get my bows inspected, including the "new" Pony bow that I haven't even gotten to fire yet, so when Wylle gets the range at the farm cleared, I can resume practice. I'm looking forward to it. I am not a good archer by any stretch, but I do enjoy shooting. It is one of the more medieval/immersive SCA activities for me. There is a fundamental satisfaction about archery buried somewhere in my lizard brain, I think!

Our Barony has been meeting in person for a short while, and if things continue as they are, we will likely start attending again soon. I'm eager to return to fighter's practice. Between that, archery, and my scribal interests, I definitely have enough to keep me busy for awhile.

The Right Direction

Today, with Wylle's help, I managed to gather all of my scribal gear in one place for the first time in an age. It is still a manageably-sized pile, and now contained enough to take projects to meetings and events once they begin happening once more. In the meantime, just handling the pads of paper and tubes of paint made me itch to work...perhaps in the next few days I'll find myself a corner of the table and play with some designs.

Changes in the wind

A lot has happened in only a few days...today I tendered my resignation as an equestrian marshal. It feels very strange, but I am certain it was the correct thing to do. I should have done it sooner, but such is my stubbornness. I consulted all three of my peers and received nothing but support. I feel fortunate in that regard.

As for what else has happened, I now have three peers. Master Avery Austringer took me as a protege at Festival of Maidens last Saturday. I am his first protege and as such, he has no contract in place for me to sign. We'll see how that works out for him. :D

So in the immediate future, I will be continuing with the steps I have already taken (learning to fight, working on A&S projects, working up to teaching), but I will also be investigating ways to serve the equestrian community without being a marshal. As in all things, I may not do it well, but I will do my best.

Intrigued

This crossed my feed elsewhere today:

Historic Skills Challenge

I am intrigued by the idea, and while I know I wouldn't be able to complete a bingo card as it were, I still like the idea of laying out challenges this way. So I am saving the link here for myself for later, and if anyone happens to see it and wants to try it, as well, then all the better!

In the meantime, I am entertaining the idea of entering my Barony's upcoming poetry challenge. I've previously written one poem in an attempted Middle Eastern style, but I would also like to write one specifically for the occasion. I have less than two weeks. Wish me luck, ha!

Ups and Downs and Sideways...es

Real life has been interfering with my A&S projects for a little while, but seems to be settling a bit. I had to drop uke lessons for the time being, but that doesn't stop me from working through lesson books on my own at home. I have a lovely little sopranissimo that's just begging me to finish learning some early 20th century songs, but also a laminate pineapple that I'm hoping will work well as a portable, not-too-obviously-modern instrument for playing at events. It already has a checkered past-- I will likely never order from the seller again, in spite of a stellar reputation-- but I am hoping to make new, better memories with it. I was fortunate enough to attend Known World Cooks and Bards this year, which I quite enjoyed, and took the class "My Guitar's Persona is a Lute" with Lord Drake Oranwood. While guitar doesn't translate exactly to ukulele (baritone ukes aside), I still found the class useful and look forward to seeking out some of the music discussed.

Latest Efforts

I have a few projects going right now, and one of them is actually exciting! (To me, at any rate.) My best-fitting-- but oldest-- kamis was showing its age. My second and third, made of linen, are holding up pretty well, but the old cotton one had accumulated some marks and frays. But since it fit better than my others, I decided to disassemble it to see how I had deviated so far in my measurements over the three. I've taken what I hope are careful notes and over the next week I'll be cutting the pieces for two new ones. I also have a research paper that I'm hoping to write and polish up as an actual faire entry within the next six months or so. Whoo!

Even better than that, though, this week I started ukulele lessons. While the uke isn't period, there are arrangements available of medieval lute music for the uke. I don't know how long I'll be able to take lessons, but the first one went well and I'm hoping I can stay with them for awhile. There's a particular piece I would really like to be able to play at an event come November.

Not A&S, but still a milestone

Last weekend I traded in my man-at-arms belt for a squire's belt from my knight, Sir Seto Gesshuko. I have absolutely zero delusion that I will become a knight; with my age and disability, I am not imagining this is a path to a white belt. However, it does represent its own set of goals: to be better than I currently am, to respect where I have been and where I go, and to strive to represent myself and my households with honor.

In that regard, it is very much like my green belt. I may never achieve the "end goal" of the associated peerage, but for me, that isn't the point. Just guidance on a path to becoming better than I am is the point. As is often noted, it is the journey and not the destination that is important, and though I will never be a great fighter, I will wear my belt with pride and respect.