folo1

folo1 @ 2008-05-13T01:48:00

2008-05-13T07:03:18Z

Drifting off to sleep, V and me cuddling...and then VIII pounces at her ass and bops it with his paw because he evidently thinks that is fun. V comes awake and meows as she scrambles way from the vicious paw. And I come awake, staring at VIII, who looks soooo innocent. "who? Me? what did I do?"

Hmmmp.

So I sort clothes for laundry. Try to remember what I'd thought of to launder but cannot remember now. Read the new issue of SKIRMISH that arrived today (and yes, the article on the levels of reenacting is very thought-provoking: "I believe we owe it to the people whose period we are re-creating to achieve the best possible kit standards, not minimum standards, but the best that is achievable given modern limitations on people's time, skills and (it has to be said) finances." Something every organization that says it re-creates historical culture ought to keep in mind.)

Pretty soon, I'll head back to bed. I've got a busy day tomorrow. We'll see whether VIII will let me get to sleep this time!

Back from Timeline

2008-05-11T21:11:59Z

A trying weekend. Friday was cold. Saturday was sunny, then cloudy, then warm then nippy. And Sunday...well, it rained. A lot. And that's just not the opinion of someone in a Viking A-frame with no ends.

On the other hand, it had wonderful camaraderie among the reenactors. The how was being held for a military school of rich kids that has a living history club, so there were plenty of perks. Nice facilities, warm buildings for people to retreat to and three excellent meals a day. There were not that many tourists (mostly the students), but the ones that stopped by were very interested. I played a few games, teaching tafl, and Julie taught naalbinding to several fellow reenactors. Caught up with an old friend who did RevWar when I did and whom I hadn't seen in a decade. The academy's three-sail schooner (!) took people for cruises on the academy's lake (!), and we had a great tim4 last night sitting around a campfire telling stories.

Then it started raining at 2 am, and ut kept up. Which brings reenactors closer together, you know, having to tear down in the rain. We made it home a bit after we were supposed to pack down.
ADDED: There are a few photos posted at http://flickr.com/photos/folo/sets/72157605006423280/

We received a sizeable donation for our efforts, and we've been invited back next year. I hope more of Micel Folcland can show up next year!

Hup-Two-Three

2008-05-09T17:44:24Z

I baked four more loaves of bread yesterday, dried several pounds of cod and sieved my skyr. Today, I finished packing the car and will be taking a shower in a few minutes. then off to beautiful Culver, Indiana.

I rally don't know what to expect. I don't think anyone else from micel Folcland is showing up, so we'll have a cozy little camp. I am looking forward to talking with the other reenactors--Roman to WWII.

And when we get back, we have three days before setting out for the west!

THE COST OF ACCURACY

2008-05-08T14:58:07Z

Another essay for New Member Times. I expect quite a few hackles to be raised...

The tendency of some people to say that they admire historical accuracy but cannot afford to be accurate is rather sad and altogether irritating because it is based on "common knowledge" that is not true. More than money, it requires a sense of dedication, a certain amount of knowledge (easily attained in most instances) and a willingness to work. Historical accuracy--or authenticity if you prefer, though I find that term misleading--may indeed be inexpensive, but it is hardly ever cheap. The distinction may be lost on some. Before I proceed, I'd like to take a few moments to differentiate between the two terms.

"Cheap" is a term about which I have grave reservations. It might be used as synonym for "inexpensive," but the term implies such other meanings as being of poor or inferior quality, as being worthy of no respect and as being vulgar or contemptible. It shares this confusion with frugal, which actually means being economical but has been confused with cheap, or even with stingy or miserly.

There is, on the other hand, no such ambiguity about the term "inexpensive." It means not high in price, and any attempts to make it synonymous with cheap seems like a--forgive me please--a cheap trick.

Inaccuracy can be, to be certain, less expensive than any attempt at accuracy. It is far cheaper--in all senses of the word--to go to your closet, to pull out a set of sweats and to pretend that you are an Elizabethan gentleman than to try to assemble proper kit. There will, of course, be a debate about this. Taking off street clothes and putting on sweats is an "attempt," and for at least one living-history organization, that is the sum total of its accuracy regs (and even it is commonly ignored). However, I think that the people who rely on such facile arguments are forgetting the spirit of the words. Implicit within the term "attempt" is the phrase "honest attempt." A person who knows what the proper Elizabethan archetype is not being honest if he attempts to fudge the details in order to take the less expensive or less laborious route.

Why even be concerned about the artifacts of living history--the costumes, the weapons, the other props? Because that is the essence of living history. That is what living history is for, the accurate reproduction of historical cultures. If you want to create something out of your imagination, then you don't want to do history. You might want to do fantasy or a Live Action Role-Playing game (commonly known as LARPs), or you might want to do modern art. You might want to do modern drama or theater. You might want to go to a renaissance fair or a wild west theme park and just be a spectator, wanting only to be amused. You might even be lured into the cozy confines of fantasy literature or history novels, to video games, to role-playing games or even to a board game. Once you have paid the entry price and any ongoing fees--and of course any souvenir t-shirts or shot glasses--you'll have no more expenses.

That's not the same in living history. Just by using the term "history," you have created a contract with the public, the other spectators and with yourself to do it correctly. There might be room for interpretation and a disagreement on facts or values, but you have made a contract not to make up things, such as a fantasy title, such as nylon gear, such as armor created out of a pickle barrel. Being creatively fantastic is a valid approach toward interpretation and play. However, it is irrelevant if you say that you are being historical.

There is a big difference between sheer laziness, willful rebellion against the rules and mere ignorance. Ignorance is the easiest to remedy, since there is so much knowledge available, from books, persons and even web pages. It is not malicious until transformed into a stubborn resistence to education. In a culture that both values and encourages instant gratification, labor in order to achieve satisfaction and, yes, fun, might seem paradoxical, but the fact remains that if you take the time, the effort and the money to do something properly in the first place, you will not have to scrap it in order to replace it with something that works better. At least until you decide to make something better or more accurate; after all living history is and will always remain an evolutionary process. Take my word for it; you will never finish tweaking your kit!

That is not to say that you shouldn't try to do the best that your current abilities and your current financial situation can attain. Several years ago, on a site run by reenactors of the American Civil War, I ran across a phrase that delighted me with its sagacity and brevity. In fact, I wrote an entire book around the phrase. BIRD. But It's Right, Dammit. If something is worth doing, it's worth doing properly. If you want to get together in fancy costume, that's fine. If you want to create a new sport using pieces of furniture, that's fine. If you want to get together with friends and hand out elaborate Victorian fantasy titles, that's fine. Just don't call it history.

Having hopefully impressed the importance of historical accuracy upon you, I shall turn to noting ten simple ways to inexpensive accuracy:

1. Have a clear idea of what you want to do before you start. This I not merely knowing exactly what era, culture and nationality, but having found an exact archetype that is within your creative abilities and price range, having an idea of what type of fabric you want and what colors it should be. Having a design firmly implanted in your imagination helps resolve any imaginative designs that might add to the cost.

2. Do not try to do an impression you cannot afford. Someone once said, "The poor you will always have with you," and the lower classes will have simpler and less expensive clothing. They may not have the glitzy "gee whiz" appeal, but they will still look historical and, usually, very good. It is better, in the end, to spend a certain amount of money on a simple design rather than try to stretch insufficient cloth and accessories in a vain attempt to create upper-class costume.

Don't try to do everything at once, and don't feel that you cannot field unless you have acquiored everything. Get the basics first and then acquire whatever else you will need. Barefoot is appropriate for nearly every period. A cloak is unnecessary if your shows are in warm weather. Do not neglect head coverings, which can be as simple as a wimple or a hood but which can go far to conveying a sense of historical clothing because, with a few exceptions, head coverings were required in most cultures. In other words, acquire what you need immediately, acquire what is convenient as you are able and resist the modern irge to acquire things which have no historical basis.

3. Do not do retro-research. In other words, do not come up with a design--or worse still, finish a piece of costume--that you then compare to historic paradigms, trying to find something that looks similar when you squint your eyes or that combines a number of different features from unrelated archetypes.

4. Look for bargains. I just bought some linen for less than what you'd expect to pay for polyester. Sign up for coupons, and haunt the stores at the end of the season when they discount the linens or the wools. Do not be above scrounging, and never pass up an opportunity to find something that has been discarded but that you will find useful. This includes cannibalizing previously used materials.

5. Do not waste fabric. In a larger sense, this means that you should not have a lot of wasted material (cut squares instead of curves, just as they did historically when fabric was expensive), but it also means that you should use existing patterns or diagrams. Purchasing a commercial pattern is a possibility, although you should be resourceful, borrowing the pattern or finding several people to combine resources to purchase a copy.

6. Paying cash money--or credit--for something is not always the only way to acquire something. Remember that barter is a system by which you trade your own goods (that you do not need) or services (that you can provide) for materials (that you do need) or services (that you cannot provide). Keep in mind that this is not restricted only to members of a living-history group, so do not look in only one direction.

7. Time is money. If you do not have the spare time to concentrate on the acquisition of historically accurate costume and do not have the money to hire someone else, do not be satisfied with something that is substandard. Instead, borrow enough kit from more experienced reenactors--or from a group's supply of loaner costumes--until you are able to create satisfactory costume. Don't rush; when your avocation is time itself, that is ironically what you have the most of!

8. Don't experiment. There are three reasons not to do this. First, it may take more time. Second, it may take more money. And third of all, it may come up with something that is not accurate. Experiment, if you like, when you already have as finished kit and realize that what your modern sensibility and taste may come up with might have no historical basis at all! A modern riff on a traditional design probably will not produce historical accuracy.

9. Organize your efforts. Make a list of the fabric and other materials that you need ,and make a timeline as well if time is factor. Set aside the time to work, either separately or with other workers. And then abide by these lists if at all possible!

10. Take pride in your creation. Do not be content with making something that just makes do; aim toward accuracy!

The acquisition of other equipment--furniture, tentage, cookware, arms & armor and the like--should come after acquiring your basic kit. Modern equipment is entirely acceptable, as long as it is kept in a modern section of the shows. The appearance of modern nylon chairs might well be comfortable and convenient, but these do not contribute to the atmosphere that you are trying to create and maintain. In the historical section of the show, you can sit on benches, on stumps on the ground. Learn to do without. Do not be content with something that is cheap and inappropriate. Borrow or just do without until you can construct or buy the proper alternative. Look beyond the box. After all, the four pieces of wood needed to make a Lund stool is less expensive than a camping chair. The ground is free.

Living history was not meant to be convenient and comfortable at the expense of accuracy. In fact, rather perversely, I reveal in the lack of comfort sometime, knowing that I am experiencing something unique and that I can go back to modern comforts after the weekend!

Many of the above is merely common sense, and no doubt, many persons are already familiar with them. But the important and pertinent matter is that they will help you be accurate on a budget. It is a falsehood and a popular myth that accuracy is too difficult or too expensive to attain. It does require, on the other hand, a calculated vision and a reluctance to substiture the convenient and easy but inappropriate!

Good luck, and always keep reaching for accuracy!

© Folump Enterprises

Folo the Cook

2008-05-08T04:51:20Z

Julie and I will probably be doing the paying gig at Culver Academy this weekend by ourselves. Since i am not a domestic type--and Julie is neither--I don't plan to cook at the show. I don't even plan to do a firepit. I baked bread today using seamstrix's recipe for Anglo-Saxon bread. It turned out well; even my little sweetie said that the results didn't suck. I just finished prepping some skyr (I'll be sieving it after it stands for 24 hours); and tomorrow, I'll bake some more bread and dehydrate some cod (ersatz stockfish). If I post again on Monday, my cooking didn't poison me...

I also made campfire blow tubes for me and for seamstrix using the design that Jeff showed me this last weekend. I'm using a copper tube, with the end mashed to focus the breath in the fire, with an end coated with plastic dip.

The ironic part: I made two because I bought a ten-foot-pipe. I did that because that length cost less than a five-foot length...

A Silly Forward for Charles

2008-05-07T15:39:27Z

This popped up on my Revwar List: Authentic Reasons to Stay Home from the Next Event

You Know You're a Reenactor When...you're laughing yourself silly and other readers are going, "Huh?"

> I've decided not to wear my modern underwear but I've discovered
> all my shirt tails are 6.5 inches too short and don't have time to
> alter them or document that a 6.5 inch add-on is authentic.
>
> People may see my dental work
>
> I've discovered the grass at the encampment will be cut and there
> may be tractor tracks
>
> Tent closures throughout encampment are not authentic
>
> Some of the units attending (perhaps my own) were issued long land
> patterns and they/we have short land patterns
>
> My cartridge box flap is smooth side out.
>
> I've not learned to shave with a straight razor
>
> The shanks on my reproduction buttons are reversed from originals
>
> I might see a porta john or a parked car
>
> Although there are 400+ Crown forces and 600+ Rebel forces, the
> majority of them do not share the same slant on history as I do,
> nor are they as authentic as my three buddies and I are, nor are
> these hundreds of people as well studied as I am.
>
> Someone in modern clothing may cast their eyes my way and I may see
> it... or know that they are casting them my way.
>
> The sutlers at the event are not authentic and while shopping I may
> see a cardboard box.
>
> I've not learned to use a porta john.
>
> I may see a fire extinguisher.
>
> There may not be a hanging.
>
> I may see a cooler preventing food poisoning.
>
> I may not be able to obtain food poisoning or diarreah within the
> first 12 hours of the event.
>
> I may see someone changing from modern clothing to 18th century
> clothing, er costume, er fantasy version of 18th century. (see
> shirt tails, non seam stockings, underware, canvas, wool blends, etc.)
>
> It has recently come to my attention that the majority of the
> reenacted units have insurance and it's not authentic.
>
> Gasoline was used by the vast majority of attendees to arrive to
> said event.
>
> I've eaten tropical fruit in the last 24 hours and it's not cleared
> my system.
>
> I've an insufficent supply of corn cobs (see porta johns)
>
> I know how to spell.
>
> I've knowledge that there is such a thing as geo thermal energy.
>
> I have licked a postage stamp in the last 12 hours.
>
> There is a rumour that some people at the event may enjoy the event
> more than I.
>
> I've watched Revolution with Al Pacino and it's ruined the hobby
> for me.
>
> The last event I attended I witnessed someone during set up wearing
> a Zulu helmet, ascot, regimental tie, hot pants or muffin top....
> plumbers crack?
>
> My family name and/or others at the event may have Rusyn origins.
>
> There may be fresh vegetables at said event.
>
> Many of the women at the event are attractive and not toothless hags.
>
> I may not see people loading real ball.
>
> I may be engaged in conversation by a friendly person and I can't
> document which dialect I should use.
>
> I am not able to disengage from time and space for the sake of
> enjoyment.
>
> I may be in the minority at said event.
>
> I may witness seveal hundred people attending said event for only a
> one or two hour 'aspect' of the event.
>
> I may hear a porta john door slam during the night.
>
> No one will develop gangrene.
>
> Spiders may dance on my eyes while I sleep.
>
> Someone at the event may confuse my opinions with facts.
>
> I may smell modern shoe polish, handi wipes, dishsoap, WD40
>
> One of the musicians may have synthetic heads on their drum.
>
> I've heard someone may have used latex paint on their short gaiters.
>
> Two or three of the older gentlemen at the event who founded
> reenacting as we know it are sleeping on cots in their tents.
>
> No one has marched 12 miles before setting up camp on Friday night.
>
> Voices tell me to 'stay away'...
>
> My dog is smarter than your dog.
>
> Event sponors may have sprayed the area for deer ticks.
>
> I've not fasted enough and won't be able to enjoy the effects of
> green corn and molasses?..... mm.
>
> No children will be allowed to fall into any fires or turn boiling
> pots on themselves.
>
> Beating of women is banned at said event.
>
> Other people are doing '78 and I'm doing Spring of '77.
>
> Airplanes may fly over said event. (see contrails, sonic booms?)
>
> The French Revolution, Louisiana Purchase and the development of
> antibiotics have already taken place and ruined the event and hobby
> for me.
>
> I don't know how to pretend.
>
> I don't allow others to pretend.
>
> I may be discovered.
>
> My uncle is the British Ambassador to Berlin by the name of O'Grady.
>
> The Sjt Mjr has not found a boy for my boots.
>
> There will be no beach side refugee slave camp wedding cerimony
> with marimbas playing in the background.
>
> Insufficent numbers of people have not kowtowed to my sundry
> opinions, research, theories, citiques.... fill in blanks:
> _________ __________ __________ ___________

NUMBERS, ETHNICITY, & THE AVERAGE ANGLO-SCANDINAVIAN ON THE COW PATH

2008-05-07T12:17:05Z

What's a good living historian (and by that term meaning a reenactor, not Simon Schama instead of Stephen Ambrose)?

I have a confession to make. I was not a good living historian.

A good living historian does good living history. And good living history is everyday common history. The lives of the rich and famous, the unique and the exceptional, should be presented to the public as aberrations. They should only be presented if there is an overwhelming presentation of the commonplace.

I liked to find unique and exceptional things in history, the things that would surprise the spectator and shatter his expectations. Things that were ironic, I guess you might say. I thought that spectators would find them interesting and that they would provoke thought.

As you know good living history insists that if you find one historical example, it is interesting but statistically irrelevant. Digging out two examples is adequate; some organizations require three. I'm trying to be a good boy, and my Authenticity Officer is helping me stay on the straight and narrow. She refers to our goal as being to portray "the average Anglo-Scandinavian on the cow path;" personally I prefer a line lifted from the British comedy series , "as common as otter plop."

What brings this up is that my Regia Anglorum group is trying to create a cohesive, work-a-day group impression for early eleventh-century Anglo-Scandinavian Britain.

The core era of Regia Anglorum encompasses all cultures that existed in England between 950 and 1066, although groups often do specialized shows that are a few hundred years earlier and a century or so later. Many members in the UK have a variety of kits to wear to specialized shows. An early-period kit for The Age of Bede, a Norman kit for late-period events, etc. They have the numerical advantage as well. If someone does not want to go to a show and to wear the costume of a particular era, there are enough to make up for the omission. What this means is that members have enough kits--some of which are only differentiated by one bit of kit–to do several different impressions.

Here in the States, we do not have this luxury. If we want to portray a single and cohesive scene, we must be predominantly be one culture or another. As mentioned, we have decided on Anglo-Scandinavian Britain from around 1000 CE. At that time, the Saxons had assimilated the Vikings so well that there were few real differences; but we can use the York Archaeological Trust books and photos as good sources for our impressions. If someone wants to do something different, the AO can give them permission to do this, but variances are given sparingly. Julie sometimes wear a hangeroc, even though it was probably rare among the Christian Norse and rarer still among them in England; Jen can do Norman. If someone else wants to wear a hangeroc or be a Norman, they'll have to trade off. Julie and Jen are both working on Anglo-Scandinavian kit.

We ask new members to make Anglo-Scandinavian kit before anything else. Afterwards, they can get the kit for another culture but must realize that they must obtain special permission to wear such kit at a show. When we have enough members to do a convincing multi-ethnic group impression, then things will change! And I can indulge in my desire to present the surprising less common parts of the culture and, if I can find two instances, still think of myself as a good living historian!

© Folump Enterprises

Farby, Primitive, Accurate

2008-05-06T14:01:50Z

More elitist rambling that will offend folks who think spex and nylon camp chairs are okay for historical environments

Whether an organization does shows for the public or is a bufu organization ("by us for us") or a combination of both, it is incumbent upon it to create an historically valid representation. This is for some organizations their primary purpose, and they exclude new members who will not adopt--or at least agree to adopt--very stringent standards. For others, the primary purpose is the easy inclusion of new paying members, and they have low standards which are never enforced for fear of driving off a potential member.

Unfortunately, nothing worthwhile is ever easy to attain. Imagine a sporting event which does not have any rules. What you have is drama, where anything goes to entertain people (see, for example, World Wrestling). I have often said that you cannot do living history unless you are resigned to being uncomfortable. On the other hand, making something too difficult to attain means that people will not even attempt to attain it. Some kind of compromise is necessary.

I am not proposing in this essay that existing rules and regulations--by which a participant agrees to abide by joining the organization in the first place--should be neglected or softened. I'm not suggesting that they be strengthened (although I do maintain that they should be followed). I am instead proposing a "bad, better, best" definition.

Bad

These are cases where modern technology and devices are integrated into the "historical" milieu. Blue plastic tarps, nylon camping chairs, Ipods, cellphones and the like have no role in being seen in an historical area. There should be no exception. Any organization that allows this* and says that it is "historical" is just being hypocritical.

Better

There is a segregation between modern and non-modern areas within an encampment or display. At the non-modern or farb area, members are perfectly free to camp in nylon tents, use modern camping equipment, wear modern spectacles, smoke non-period tobacco products (generally cigarettes, although there are later eras where smoking non-filtered cigarettes is imminently period) and so forth. The inclusion of disguised or hidden modern amenities in the non-modern area is, of course, allowable though hardly practical archaeology. In the rest of this essay, I are referring only to he non-modern--period or historical if you prefer--area.

Non-modern or primitive furniture and equipment is a fairly broad category. The inclusion of a nylon camp chair can hardly ever be non-modern. However, the use of non-period designs--such as the "stargazer" chair--incorporating no visible non-period substances or technology is better than something that is immediately and obviously farb. My main problem with it is the perception that these are historically accurate (as I've seen so many Viking reenactors claim for the stargazer chairs). I also have problems with replacing non-period primitive objects with others without graduating to safe and available accurate objects, but I realize that some organizations do not make such distinctions or regulations.

I have spoken before of the problems inherent in graduating from generic primitive to historically accurate. Sometimes, the impediments are maters of safety, such as the use of open oil lamps in a camping situation. Sometimes it is availability, such as the use of most ivory. Sometimes, it is, unfortunately, sheer cost, such as the use of wool or linen for tents. Compromises must be made, but these compromises should never be confused with being absolutely accurate!

Best

This is the use of only objects for which you have provenance. This is sometimes not possible unless you want to do without certain objects. Complete accuracy is difficult to attain but is probably most satisfactory. There are no exceptions for this category; if something is not available or not safe, you do without it! I never said accuracy was easy.

*We are not here, of course, referring to non-members who may wear modern clothes in or who bring devices into a public show. These are tourists and are not restricted by the rules of the sponsoring organization unless it is a "West World" situation.

© Folump Enterprises

A Weekend in the Past

2008-05-05T01:48:07Z

Just back from Forest Glen. Quite a few folc couldn't make it for several reasons, but we all had a good time. Saturday was pretty terrible: cold and windy, with few tourists. But today was great!

Jeff--a Wild West reenactor--was there; we met at Reenactorfest, and he and his wife have Swedish blood and are thinking of getting involved. he showed me his chain mail and helmet today. MF was represented by julifolo, babs3406, her nearly 7-year-old son Ethan and 18-month-old daughter Sylvie as well as me. e did spear drills and played lots of tafl; Ethan took to it like fish to water and today was teaching tourists how to play and then playing them. I was really proud of him!. Sylvie was cure and sweet; unfortunately most of our tables and such were just high enough for her to make a grab for gaming pieces, knives and the such; she was also obsessed with giving people and gave us and Jeff things like tortilla chips, water bottles and rocks (I didn't close my hand on the rock soon enough to suit her; so she gave me a dirty look and closed my fingers herself).

babs3406 made some very good stews using some purple carrots. The carrots made the sausage, barley and rest of the stew purple but didn't affect the taste. I have pictures!

The table worked well, and I'll be making a couple more. seamstrix will be happy to note that we tooted the horn and gathered everyone around the table for our dinner. I have pictures of that too!

Susan Biggs-Warner, our liason at the park, and I talked about the future of the timeline; next year will just be us because of the problems encountered. I also volunteered to come out and stay in the cabin if they need someone to keep it open on weekends during the summer.

I'm tired and sore and have to write down things I should brought.

ADDED: Picturs are now posted at http://www.flickr.com/photos/folo/sets/72157604885123996/

Viking Encampment in a Box

2008-05-01T13:48:15Z

Actually, in a van.

I've loaded the frame for a Viking A-frame tent, boards for a Gokstad bed and a table based on the sala hytta find. I still have to put in the poles for two getelds (one for babs3406) and a sunshade, the actual canvas, wood for a platform for the bed, wool & fur for bedding, a sea chest and a food prep table. Plus fire irons, kettle, benches, stools, tables, two barrels, weapons, Oseberg loom, banner & pole, costume and weapons. Plus a fire extinguisher and personal items. I've discovered the things I meant to fix from last year, and I'm taking a small break to watch Matt Lauer in Miklegard. No nylon, no plastic (except carrying cases) and enough wood to deforest a small forest!

Come on by! We'll be at Forest Glen both Saturday and Sunday, and at least Sunday is supposed to be a wonderful day! http://www.advancenet.net/folo/FGTL.htm

Done!

2008-04-27T19:10:18Z

Beating the rain, I not only routered out the inside of the table, but I sanded it, puttied the booboo when the route suddenly changed depth and stained it (or at least the top; when it dries, I'll go for the bottom). I cannibalized legs from a shaving horse I'm unhappy with, so I only had to do three legs (should have been two, but I cut my second a bit too much for the socket). It doesn't look half bad if I say so myself. I also cleaned up and stained our knife hilts.

Now to rest...

Life in the Day

2008-04-27T03:12:32Z

God am I tired. I woke up a bit after three and have been going full tilt ever since. Worked on a story before the neighbor started using power tools about 6 or 7. that gave me leave to go out and start using my own. I made a spear rack for drill spears and then started on a dining table for encampments. I had a great idea last night; I'm not doing a full size full height table. Instead, I bought a 2x12x8 and am making a large sala hytta table. mI'm making it 18 inches tall instead of around fourteen, and it's 12 inches wide by six feet long. I was getting ready to use the router to cut out the middle, but the neighbor across the street had an outdoor kiddie party. Instead of inflicting the hideous noise on him, I found something more quiet to do. I hilted our seaxes, and when their party broke up, I started with the router.

The lines aren't as crisp as I'd like, and there was a malfunction in which the bit dug in deeper than anywhere else, but it's getting there. It's not supposed to rain until pm tomorrow, so I can hopefully get it done and maybe sand it a bit, then work on the legs under the porch while it's raining.

I got so caught up in it that I was late picking up my sweetie for a munch; afterward, we brought Julie home, heading out to Borders, then had a dessert date. I took her home, and here I am, tired as hell and wanting to router the table in the middle of the night. But I won't. I'll wait until tomorrow :)

Next weekend is our first event for the year. I'm hurrying to get everything done, and Julie is hurrying on the banner. We head out to Forest Glen on Friday, take photos for the local paper and then set up. Another show in Culver, Indiana the next week, and then Julie and I take off for Deadstone and Yellowwood. She heads on to Seattle, and I bomb on back home.

Why I say Costume When Referring to Historical Clothes

2008-04-25T23:56:09Z

"Garb" is the phrase used by Scadians and Rennies to describe historic clothing. I've never understood why they use "garb," which is even an oop term as they use it. I think most of them can actually say "historic clothing," but then I may be wrong.

The term "garb" is commonly seen in the living-history community as a Scadian term. It is studiously and often vehemently unused in other organizations. I"ve had long conversations with serious living historians about "what is this garb balderdash?" The use of the term automatically identifies the speaker as a Scadian and places the speaker--rightly or wrongly--of an enthusiastic but misguided farb.

I have heard Scadians say that they use "garb" as a phrase because "costume" is not dignified enough a term. I'll leave the irony unspoken. Or the irony that the second definition of "garb" in my thesaurus is "costume."

All things considered, I prefer the term "historic clothing." But because I am a contrary grump, I'll use the term "costume." After all, it is defined as: "A style of dress, including garments, accessories, and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period, or people."

Eventful day

2008-04-24T00:06:39Z

I swept the porch to get rid of sawdust, dust and dead leaves. It's not clean yet because I also got rid of a sick and ailing broom...

I made handles for our new knives. Actually, I sanded down blocks of oak, hence the saw dust.

I wrote a bunch of people about the Viking, including the curator of the Louisiana State Museum. Annora--Scadian old-timers might remember her--wrote back. She's on the curator's staff for LSM. Small world!

The Shield Is Finished

2008-04-23T01:57:17Z

Julie helped me attach the boss, handle and strap tonight when she got home from work. I've put the entire process up at http://flickr.com/photos/folo/sets/72157604685452271/ and show the finished shield.

Rivets and Ecology

2008-04-22T13:38:32Z

What's the latest stooopid thing that Folo is doing? I need seven washers for my shield to satisfy my MTO. The commercially available washers that I can find are all bright, silver and zinc. Won't do, so I got a length of steel rod, and I'm drilling and sawing my own (square) washers. Certainly will not look commercially available!
ADDED: I have eight done! I'm ready to drill the boss to attach it to the board!

I've got five of them done. I drilled nine of them altogether, so I might have to saw two to five more cuts. And then file down the rough points and burrs. My sweetie--who has been bored with excruciating details of my progress--saw it for the first time when we got back from our trip yesterday. "It's bigger than I thought," she said (it's 30 inches in diameter so the size of a standard Viking shield). "I thought it was just a tiny shield..."

Then I go to buy an electric lawnmower to celebrate Earth Day!
ADDED: After shopping at four stores, I found a corded mower on sale for $118. That's less that half what I paid for the internal combustion one tha served me so poorly! They're out--they had a run on them--but will be getting more in next week. I have a rain check and will be notified when it comes in.
I'd have preferred a cordless one, but the cheapest cost almost three hundred dollars more. So I'll learn how not to run over the cord and electrocute myself...
Oh, and my Houdni and Melies DVDs arrived. I'm a-tingle!

The Dream

2008-04-22T01:53:26Z

There are a few people who hold boffer sword practice across the street. It's been raining to beat the band. And a new neighbor is learning to play the drums and has been having parties every night of the week--with drumming of course.

I've made it. We've all talked about it forever, but I'm living at Pennsic all year 'round...

folo1 @ 2008-04-21T16:37:00

2008-04-21T21:44:51Z

Just got back from a trip my sweetie. She's moving two states away and just bought hr first house! Yay for her!

I spent two days in a hotel without an internet connection, working on my book on The Viking, incorporating newly found data. Pretty exhausting. But the up side is that in the 19th-century newspapers I found, I read things like contemporary news stories of the discoveries of the Gogstad and Oseberg ships, an obit for Maupassant, an article on Mark Twain and an article about the invention of a new steam bicycle...

Judst saw a post from someone who was offended because I said that SCA fighting was not an accurate historical interpretation but a modern sport. His user pic shows him in wonderful modern spex and medivalesque gear. I really don't think we have common ground for a conversation. I apologized for offending him.

Deadwood Cigars

2008-04-18T01:48:56Z

We're heading back to Deadwood in about a month. This time, we'll be there in the daytime, and we plan to hot museums &c. instead of just strolling along the gambling strip. I figured that I should try one of the custom deadwood maduros that I bought at the Deadwood Cigar Bar to see if I wanted to pick up some more.

Yum. I definitely am picking up a few more.

Harry Houdini Action Figure

2008-04-17T05:53:31Z

While buying more linen book-binding thread, I ran across the Harry Houdini action figure. Since my DVD of Houdini movies is arriving soon, I figured that I should get a Harry Houdini action figure to play with while watching the DVDs (okay, Alf, *that* is geeky). With the figure was a straight jacket, a pair of manacles (I eyed my Bettie Page action figure in wicked contemplation) and a length of cord.

I repeat, a length of cord.

A length of crd next to the linen thread I just bought. Next to a spool of enough hemp cord to mummify the real Harry Houdini. Next to...

You get the idea. I just found it hilarious and had to share.

Excitement

2008-04-16T13:27:35Z

Just got in touch with Erik Rasmussen, the great great grandson of Rasmus Rasmussen, one of the VIKING's crew!

Busy today

2008-04-15T18:26:35Z

Guck. I am covered with sawdust and brown maple stain. Not a good combination! But I have sanded the flagpoles into spears and painted the hafts. when they dry, I'll do gray on the "spear" point. And then I can add gray paint to the mix. more later if I don't explode :\

These are the spears we are using for spear drill practice for kids at events. If they are popular--and musket drill is a favorite pastime for kids at revwar events--we may make some more.

It is in the 50s today. It should get up to 59. Tomorrow will be 70. Then I might soak rawhide again to sew to my shield. I tried yesterday, and I'm only now recovering from the shock! I need to sand the piece of wood I'm using as a handle, but I don't want to put sawdust in the air while the spears are still wet. So I'll probably go out and grab a bite to eat (in clean clothes). And read my book on the _Age of Lincoln._
ADDED LATER: _Age of Lincoln_ talked of the attack on Charles Sumner and made some very good points. Back at home, the spears had not dried and, even now, are more than a littletacky. So I moved them out of the way of the sawdust and then cut and sanded the handle. It looks and feels pretty good. Off to check the hafts again and then get into clean clothing after a looooong shower.

The toner cartridges from Office depot came today. yay! I can start printing out the newspaper stories on the viking now without worrying that I'll run out! I ordered them at 10 last night; they were delivered this morning

A very nice nasal helm came a few days ago from von Sussen on Ebay. They ran out of the goggle helm that I wanted but that they or the UPS screwed up (they've been so nice that I hesitate to say that they botched it from the beginning but...). They had no more, so this is a substitution. I look rather dashing in it...but then I've been inhaling paint fumes so YMMV...

My little sweetie and I take off for Ohio on Friday. She's house-hunting, and I'm keeping her company on the long drive across Indiana and Ohio. She'll stash me in a hotel while house-hunting, and I'll work on the Viking book. We come back on Sunday or Monday. At home, my Big sweetie gets to use my computer, the high-speed dial-up and burn some more DVDs with old cassette tapes. Win-win-win all the way around!

A Day of Hard Work

2008-04-15T03:45:19Z

A color laser printer goes through a lot of toner cartridges, and they're not cheap. Buying a full set is almost 400 bucks. So when I got the Office Depot catalog offering a free overnight duffel and a free trolley duffel on purchases over $235, I jumped at the chance to get something free even if I didn't need the toner yet (but will; God, I know I will!). trouble is that you can't just go to the store and grab them and get your freebies. Oh no, you have to order them to be delivered (with free delivery). So I spent the better part of an hour ordering stuff tonight. In other words, taking longer than it would have to go to the store, make my purchase and come home. What convenience! And I don't even need the duffels, but by God, they were free!

I also stopped by a place cutting down trees and got a stump for striking coins. I couldn't order that to be delivered, and it was a lot harder to bring home than toner cartridges are. What does that say about society, huh?

Spent much of the day going through newspaper archives and calling around the midwest for information on the Viking ship. Not entirely fruitless...

The ship is missing the handle for the tiller. I found a newspaper article from 1938 that mentioned a Wisconsin city councilman was given a gavel made from the rudder of The Viking that was owned by his uncle, a judge from Chicago.
The Viking sunk in the Bay of Biscay on its way back to Norway, and the crew was rescued by a crew from the Austria-Hungarian Empire. It was followed by a retraction noting that the report was in error, and the ship was actually sailing down the Mississippi.
The biggest mention of the Viking between 1920 and 2007 was a 1975 photo of a squirrel perched on the dragonhead prow. It appeared in about twelve difference newspapers, each with its own hilarious caption...
I also found some little facets of information that are monumental to me--I did the Happy Dance--but would probably bore you so I won't mention them. You'll have to buy the book to find them out!

More Shield Talk

2008-04-10T16:43:12Z

It is raining and does not feel as ewarm as it says it is. I don't think I'm soaking any rawhide today! (actually, I soaked one strip just to see if it will work and what size it will be. The Gokstad shield had holes 20 mm from the rim and about 35 mm apart. I did drill my holes (and made certain that my binding thread could go through twice); they are about 17 or 18 mm from the rim and about 35 mm apart. It took less than an hour to drill all the holes.

I'd better bring the rawhide in before the neighbor's dogs--she lets them roam free despite local leash laws because she's from Oregon--find them!

folo1 @ 2008-04-09T09:39:00

2008-04-09T14:50:48Z

Still cold outside. At least if you're in short sleeves, using a tenon saw to make marks on a shield to simulate it being planked together. But it's too cold to paint--and I need to get some new brushes anyway--and I wanted to get something done. It's supposed to be around sixty by noon, so I'll head out on errands in a while and aim to get back around noon. I'll also soak a doggie rawhide and figure out how large the rawhide strips are. Everyone says that the results are really slimy, so I can't wait to discover how slimy on my own (NOT!).

The marks look subtle and realistic. The problem is apparently when someone gets too enthusiastic with the saw and compromises the integrity of the shield...
LATER ADDENDUM: Drat. I was going by illustrations from a Regia guide. At lunch, I read a paper on period shields. It noted that most round shields, including those from the Gokstad ship, were made from seven or eight boards. Well, looks like afew more cuts to make...
And Double drat. The temperature has evened out at 47 degrees. Global Chilling is pissing me off (and yes, I know that Global warming is causing the lower temperatures, so no need to lecture me).

Saw today that Flickr allows you to upload videos now. I put a few up just to see how well it wotrs, and I'm pleased. Some from the Westmearc training session, from traveling on the Natchez and an overview of the Cairo from Vicksburg. I'm no Tarantino, but you can take a look at http://flickr.com/photos/folo/ Figure that it'll take a while to get as irritating as YouTube...

Woo. It's up to 42 degrees. Only about 18 yet to go...
LATER ADDENDUM: Swyve you, Weatherbug!