Saturday was just a beautiful day for a couple of hour drive along the Massachusetts Pike on the way to War of the Roses. The War itself was being held on top of a low mountainous region just outside of Albany at a really large event farm. There were many different fields. One held dozens colliding warriors whilst in another shafts of wood flew through the air. Many other fields held dozens of pavilions of various shapes and sizes and of course there was the vendors run with a couple of taverns to eat at. We spent a better part of our day watching richly dressed people with long swords stab other richly dressed people. We even managed to get in on a short demonstration on the nature and practicality of dagger fighting.

 Part of the reason for visiting was also to see friends and what real camping was all about. Beds and rugs in large spacious tents were the order of the day. A far cry from our previous experiences with sleeping on the ground while wrestling with terrier-sized mosquitos.

We, of course, left more money than we really wanted to in the vendors hands for safe keeping. Some delicious Turkish coffee rounded the day off and by then it was quite time to leave. The drive back was easy as was the drive up. All in all a quite lovely time. Perhaps, one day we might be camping at the Roses, ‘roughing’ it as it were out on the fields ourselves.

This past Saturday, in an effort to support the Barony, I attended the SCA, Barony of the Bridge demo at the 10th Annual Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival.  Our outfit had been placed at the end of the field because of our needs regarding archery. We made quite a good showing and very popular by all accounts later on. There was plenty of heavy list action all day long and under the tents, demonstrations of arcane arts went on.

In the background of all this was , of course, was the festival itself. Literally dozens and dozens of bagpipers seemed to play all day long, while crowds plied the food areas and the many vendors and exhibitions. There were many tents labelled with clan names and I believe from the roar of distant crowds some of those gut busting heavy item tossing events that those Scottish lads seem to really get into were happening. It was large festival with everything to make a crowd happy. A great time indeed! The weather had turned from storming all night and it was another charming sunny and windy day much like at Balfar’s Challenge.  However, I was not caught unawares this time! Hat and sunblock were in force.

With Mistress Avelina in charge, Aedwyn of Bridge and myself worked the archery field. This work consisted of target shooting and talking to the crowds of inquisitive and surprisingly interested people. I left the bulk of the talking to those whose can do that more judiciously than myself and busied myself by shooing people away from the business end of the archery range. We also had a novelty waterbag shoot where two bags with water were suspended from a rope. The bag that drained first from being hit by arrows would be pulled upward by the other’s weight thus signalling the winner. Crowds really liked this as did the archers. Kudos to the Ralph the Carter for his brilliant design work on the contraption that allowed it all to happen. Many wanted to try their hands at a bow and see what they could do, however we were neither authorized or equipped to let the public shoot. Perhaps next year! There  is just something about shooting sticks into the air that fills one with the happiness. I think it is just the simplicity and chaos of it all : ) 

Below, two of the Bridge’s finest go at it. In the distance you can see the archery range area. Photo courtsey of Alysander Brokentooth.

My lovely wife and I attended Balfar’s Challenge (04.19.08) up Connecticut way hosted by Duke Balfar and the Barony of Dragonship Haven. It was held in a large field at an YMCA camping area. Fencing was at one end of the field alongside a row of merchants and the archery range was stationed all the way at the other end. The central area being held for the armored types.

 Mistress Avelina Keys, Kenny Paul and I formed the 3- member archery team called the Grumpy Badgers and proceeded directly to first place with our efforts. It was grand day for shooting. Bright sunny and actually a bit windy as attested to by my arrows sailing all over the course. A wonderful dayboard under a large open walled structure took care of the hungry part and a nice place to rest out of the sun for awhile. Of course, there was lots of armored combat action and fast fencing types showing off their martial skills. By the end of the day I was pretty tired and rather red and roasted from the neck up.

By nature, I am a shade critter. Shade critters really don’t think about things like sun-block. Well by the next morning my bald pate was weeping serous fluid and really starting to aggravate me. Looks like I had gotten myself a good case of sun poisoning as my reward for my efforts in representing my Barony, lol.  It is now three days later and the top of my skull looks like an old medieval map. I got some dark red and pinks and some yellow and browns and what looks like a few craters. I am starting to peel bits of vellum too. Terrific. Well at least my scalp is period. 

Note to self. Sun-block and a bigggggggggggg hat.

     Being a freelance illustrator necessitates a degree of being alone for long hours that leads into days and months that can get downright nearing the pathological. Probably not true for everyone, but for me it looked like the trail I was riding. What little social skills I had developed were fading along with my vocabulary. I was becoming a hermit in the middle of suburbia. I suspect that is probably more common than people think.

     I had first seen SCA types in ‘77 went I went to Texas A&M for my education. There they were, a bunch of guys in makeshift ‘hockey’ armor wailing away on each other with duct taped bamboo sticks out on the soccer field.  They were friendly and open and invited me to come and join. I debated the offer but overwhelming responsibilities came first. I never forgot them and checked up on the group periodically. Fast forward twenty years. For various reasons best left unexplained, I ended up in Rhode Island far from Texas soil.  At the place I was working at the time, I met a vibrant young lady named Beth. I ran into her now and again as my wife worked on many of the same company committees with her. One day, we spotted a SCA demo in a Johnston park. We pulled in to check things out and lo and behold, there was Beth. She was Elspeth, Baroness of the Barony of the Bridge. I was invited again however responsibilities and time made it not possible. Fast forward another ten years or so when situations as well as priorities have changed. 

     So realizing a key component was missing, I joined the the Society of Creative Anachronisms. It seemed to be a group of like minded people with interests in arcane arts and strange forms of entertainment ; ). It offered a social outlet, opportunities to learn new art-forms, skills and even how to pull a bow or swing a sword. As I was already making mead as a hobby, I already had something to talk about with others.

     What I found was a great group of generous and welcoming people happy to share their hard won knowledge with others. That seems to be just their way.  Since that initial time , I also come to realize that I had not actually joined a club or a social group but a community of individuals that help each other at each turn. Looks like, I finally fell  into something good.

     I am part of the Barony of the Bridge in the East Kingdom. More information about the Bridge can be found here: http://www.baronyofthebridge.eastkingdom.org/ .

     For more information regarding the SCA: http://www.sca.org/ . They are a worldwide organization so check it out for a barony near you!!

     Ya ya, it took thirty years to make that decision but then again I like to think things through : )