Pennsic Highlights

Pennsic highlights, in no specific order:

- Debuting singing in Russian at the Ginger and Nutmeg and Friends concert: I sang the Russian as my sister, Kara, sang the English translations. I think it went over very well and, although I doubted the song going over well, once we added in some lute and harp, I think it sounded beautiful.


- Getting to ting the tinger, as well as help come up with the term because calling it a tinkler was not happy: There is something about playing with words, and this was not the only instance of word play, but it was certainly my favorite as we changed the word every practice.


- 4:30 am walks through the bog during peace week with no one awake, just the mist rising off the lake: I believe it was Wednesday of peace week. Waking at 4:30 am and feeling no desire to go back to bed, wools were worn and a walk was taken. Barely anyone was awake. I think someone slurred 'good night, late night Pennsic party-ers' at me, which is not at all what I was. I was taken to Runestone Hill for the first time ever and knelt before the rune stone, touching the words. Really, the whole experience was incredible in the inky starlight pre-dawn. Returning to camp to enjoy hot earl grey tea as the birds rose before camp-mates, enjoying what felt to be like the perfect morning.


- The amber of shame (deservedly so): Hanging out at Tir Thalor where we randomly created a bardic circle out of the blue, in traipses Saba wearing... Cheetos and cheese balls around his neck as the 'amber of shame' for having dropped an entire bottle of mead outside Cooper's. Of course, in Pooka moder, I looked at him and said "Saba, you look delicious! I want to eat you!"


- Neck nibbles?!: Needing no explanation, but I found the men in camp felt the need to show off their skills. *facepalm*


- Introducing new people to the Hoity Toity party, a moment of Pennsic particularly special to me: I managed to interest three new people in seeing Bardicci in the way that I most love seeing it... at night during the biggest party of the war.

- Helping to make set up and load out go as smoothly as possible: I felt more useful during load out than set up, but once I found a groove of 'oh, no one likes doing this' I would just take over. Near the end we were working like a well oiled machine. Set up was nearly finished by the end of Sunday and load out didn't start until after dinner Friday.... yet everything was so very smooth.


- Having a very important, very long conversation with someone very special to me that needed to talk: I cried for a good hour after it was over. Hard long conversations are hard and long. But good. And needed.


- Singing with Kara to get her a free invitation to the Bardicci parties: We went down to Billy's booth and I just smiled and introduced her and asked if we could sing for him. We did and he did exactly what I expected. Told her how wonderful it was to have a young person so interested in the arts and how talented she was and 'please consider this an open invitation to any of my parties'. She was full of squee and I think it boosted her self esteem tremendously.


- Getting a free invitation token the moment I walked into the booth: Of course, I was also handed a token, which made me blush. I really need to do more for the Casa. They are an important part of my SCA life, really thoroughly grounded in a lot of things I believe in.


- Being told by almost everyone I know that they didn't get to see enough of me this war (some people, sadly, didn't get to see me at all): There is just something super amazing about having people want to spend more time with you. Perhaps because you are feeling the same way and confirmation on those thoughts and feelings rocks.


- Hanging out with Pocket Bard, Tristan, and Linette at Cafe Merheraba: Next time... we go earlier in the war. But it was a perfect way of celebrating the fact that the college meeting was over.


- Katrusha vs Katrushka in camp: I don't think I need to go into detail here, but there were antics, and it was fantastic.


- Singing duets on the lute. Hope to have many more next year: We have a list of songs that we want to work on, some I know, some he knows, and some we both know. We are loving singing together and we compliment each other really well.


- Running into Purple Katie in the marketplace: I couldn't get to the BPAL in her area due to... not even knowing where it was. But oh it was so good to see her! Highlight of war, definitely!


- Girl shopping: Where we were stopped every five feet and put bids on whether it was because of me or Linette.


- Learning to card weave (omfg, it's just math!): I had wanted to learn for awhile and I had a fantastic camp full of eager learners and eager teachers. So... we just... sat down and did it!

- OMG fur!: Oh the lushness of beaver that will make something amazing soon. It was a birthday gift. And the arctic fox? My heart melts at the idea of wearing it at Tudor Yule with, hopefully, my new black seal fur lined cashmere coat.

- BPAL meet and sniff at Bhakail with kind and generous people who I love and adore: Everyone was kind and patient and giving and wonderful and I think everyone who came left with something new that they loved and got rid of things they were not as interested in. So it was a fully win win situation.


- An earlier meet and sniff at camp addicting a few new people to the wonders of BPAL: People were curious what my 'kit' was, so I brought it out and suddenly I had a plethora of people, all wanting to try on scents, learn more, and sniff each other. Even the kids had a blast!


- FALO, I love you!: This doesn't need explanation. You people, as always, make me smile and feel incredibly loved and welcomed.


- A bed that felt like a bed. Nights of wonderful sleeping: Wow. To be coming home and not say 'I can't wait for a real bed' because you weren't sleeping on an air mattress for two weeks = bliss.


- Going to some very wonderful classes: Classes on period cooking, Russian hats, storytelling in your persona, how to get back the fun when you lost it, and even a class on heralding where I learned how they do things differently out west and... was informed it will not take much to get me to be a herald in court in the very near future.


- Meeting the King and Queen of Atlantia (and getting the Queen's card) and being informed that I have been their Russian inspiration for both reigns they have held. We talked for quite some time.

- OMG PEARLS: Another birthday gift. So many beautiful pearls. I'm going to make the most amazing hat soon. So very soon. With beaver fur and pearls.


- Going to the Hat Addicts tea party at Aethelmearc and learning some interesting ideas for hat making: A woman was describing her experience in watching a young married amish woman braid her hair and put on all her hair dressings and realizing that is how it had been for many many years. Breathtaking to watch; breathtaking to hear about.

- Finally going to Enchanted Ground (even if I couldn't get in breathing space to try and perform. Pushy crowd =P): Although I walked by in the early morning hours, actually going and seeing how the fire is run was rather lovely. I will admit that I don't think I went on a key day. Everything felt off, but the ambiance was nice, even if the stories and songs weren't period.


- Birthday at Pennsic? Awesome!: I did have my birthday last year at Pennsic. On the Saturday we arrived. And celebrated by 8 driving hours and then 4 hours in the 'parking lot'. This one was a LOT more pleasant. And there was a lot of wonderful moments. Including being informed this was not my birth-day, but my birth-year. So there was just lots of celebration and happiness. I started my new year the way I always tell other people to start theirs: surrounded by love, laughter, friends, family, joy...


- Marauderer's is still my home away from home and I love them to pieces. I really have to camp there some year: As always, I felt so at home spending time with John and the camp. It is always the best place to while away time if you are waiting inbetween classes or just to come for happy performances. Sadly, they changed how A&S was set up which made them more off the beaten path than normal, but they still had swarms of visitors.


- Marauderer's chocolate library? Tea party? Bardic circle? Love!: Self explanatory.


- Hanging out with my laurel at an event! Holy crap!!: Jeff, Jacqui, and the kids were all at Pennsic. I think the last time I remember actually hanging out with all of them together was Roses years ago when I was weaving my own apprentice belt, unbeknownst to my laurel.


- Spending lots of time with Anton. Super awesome!: Anton, Dean of the Super Hugs! It was really great getting to spend so much time with him. He's a great person and I learn something new every single time we hang out (Gilligan's Island is based on Commedia?! Can never watch ANYTHING the same way again!)


- Schmoozing about metal working with some of my favorite people: Billy, Ivan, Alaric... I love hanging out at that booth.


- OMG a sitting Russian distaff I couldn't afford: Beautiful. Simply beautiful, if six inches shorter than I would like. I wish I could have purchased it. It was truly amazing.


- The slip up of a friend saying 'make one' instead of 'buy one'. My secret is getting out that I can make things: When I said 'six inches too short' but oh I want it so bad! Instead of saying 'Then you should buy it' he said 'so you should make it!' Secret's out. I like to make things.


- Going to Duchess Branwyn's (my friend from HS) class on butter making. I learned about proper churn construction: Not to mention how nice it was to see Bethany, Talia, and Siri.


- AUNTIE ARWEN SELLS EXTRACTS OF AMAZING!!: I totally picked up a cardamom and a mango extract (gift for my mom). I also picked up saffron syrup and elderflower syrup. Loving their new selections!


- So many friends I see only at war: There are so many people that, no matter how many events I go to in their areas, I never seem to see them except at war. Now, if I could just get the rest of my friends to come to war so I can see everyone I love at war, that would be incredible!


- Spending the evening of my birthday knuckles deep in cream cheese: The conversation went like this:
Anton: Are you busy between the hours of 7 and 8 tonight?
Me: I don't think so.
Anton: Could you meet me in the little tent behind the performance pavillion?
Me: I think that could be arranged.
Anton: Oh, and do you have any kind of allergies that would make it so you can't put your fingers in cream cheese?
Me: Anton, what exactly are we going to be doing in this tent?
Anton: Something special. See you tonight!


- Kafe Mehraba meet ups: So many good times had at the new Kafe that took over for YIV.

- Spending time with friends and learnings more about them and how much we have in common: The new household I camped with was so warm and inviting. I spent all war sitting down with each person, methodically, and learning more about them all. I adore everyone in that household. So very very nice to spend time with them. Even if I don't camp there again, I'm certain I will be back to visit often.


- Buying gifts that helped Kara feel like she was going to her first Medieval Prom: A new hat, a new dress... she looked like the belle of the ball. Wulfgar teased that she isn't allowed to go out because she suddenly went from looking 15 to looking 21.

- Talking to Johann on the phone and having him say 'Can I see you laugh?': I missed my boy. Talking to him on the phone, even if for only 5 minutes, was always such a treat. He melted my heart each time.

- Having Cariadoc remember me and once again ask me to come to Enchanted Grounds: I went to one of Cariadoc's classes. He smiled the instant he saw me and when class was over he once again personally invited me to his camp. As in, everyone was in the tent and he said 'yes, we will start the fires this Saturday. I do hope you will consider coming to my fire this year' - said straight to me.


- A Pennsic where the weather made more people think they should dress like me because I was prepared for the drops: People say this is the best weather Pennsic has had in over 25 years. I was... comfortable.


- No vanilla means making french toast with vanilla rum: OMG amazing French toast.


- Martyn gave me the sweetest little gift! I love it!: A cute little matrushka doll, beautifully painted. She is simply darling.


- Teaching Three Jolly Coachmen to Kara: Of course I give her the funniest response. We sang it for her camp a few times. They seem to really enjoy it.


- Schmoopy Night: I really enjoy being part of the camp's schmoopy night where everyone gets drunk, sings music, and gets in a circle and says what their favorite moment of Pennsic was. A lot of people cry. And then Wulfgar puts everyone back to sleep so we can all awaken, next year, at home once again.


- Concert of awesome!: Oh, the concert went so well! I hear video was taken. I will try and get it up as soon as I hear of it.


- iSebstiani on my birthday: So... the cream cheese? We filled 128 tart shells with it, basically sealing them so we could then put in cherry and blueberry filling... as well as top them with yogurt. And then they were thrown. All over. Especially at Liam St Liam.


- Open Camp Night on my birthday: I got to wish my Birthday Buddy, Aranak, a happy birthday! And drink his mead! I was a little toasty that night.


- Being told by a few people that I look up to very highly as to what an inspiration I am to them: As Anton said, "You aren't used to it yet, are you?"


- Having my picture taken at the Recreating History booth with the comment of how good I look and 'people at home will never believe someone made all this themselves': For some reason, this really tickled me.


- COMMEDIA!!: It is looking like we will have people from all over for Commedia Camp. Really pushed the event at Pennsic and was handed cards by many different groups.


- Despicable Me 2 with good friends after camp was set up: Every year on the Sunday of set up, the camp goes out to dinner and then to the most recent summer blockbuster. I'm glad I saved the movie until we all got together. It was fantastic.


- Taking a class on losing the fun, how to get it back... and actually finding it incredibly useful to me: I didn't realize where I had so much burn out in the SCA, but found myself grumbling about certain things. To recognize it for what it was was pretty immense.


- Having the most amazing Pennsic ever: You have no idea.


- BACON O'CLOCK!!! 10lbs of bacon. Devoured almost as soon as it was cooked.


- Sharing music with some of the most amazing people ever. And my little bardic book grows: A book that was gifted to me for winning an A&S challenge has now become my bardic book. Lyrics to everything I know the tunes for is going in it. I already have a pretty good collection, and it continues to grow.


- Hotel for zero night? Brilliant. Hotel for load-out day/night? Decadent.

- Getting my hair braided all special like by a camp mate: She wanted to practice trying to do spiral crowns on the head and really enjoyed having such a patient practice subject.

- My shoe fell apart! But I was camping with Dru the Shoemaker. Fixed!

- Missed the SIG meeting, but I think I saw almost everyone that was looking forward to seeing me there anyway.

- Getting to strum and fiddle on a lute? Makes me want to go home and practice guitar every day for half an hour to an hour

- So many project ideas!! Chicken feet, repousse, sewing, music and stories, instruments... it is going to be a busy year