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| This page contains event reviews by [[Zubeydah]]. They represent solely her opinion and views/thoughts at the time of writing, and do NOT reflect upon her Barony, her Region, her mentors and friends, or anyone else. They are in roughly chronological order. <BR> | | This page contains event reviews by [[Zubeydah]]. They represent solely her opinion and views/thoughts at the time of writing, and do NOT reflect upon her Barony, her Region, her mentors and friends, or anyone else. They are in roughly chronological order. <BR> |
| <BR> | | <BR> |
| ==2007: Northkeep Castellan (Young Ladies Salon)==
| | * [[Event Review - Northkeep Castellan 2004 - by Zubeydah|2004: Northkeep Castellan]] |
| Castellan 2007 was another event filled with high points and low points, such that I don't think it would be a good idea to write my normal sort of review. Here are a few points, though, that I would like to share.
| | * [[Event Review - Argent Anniversary 2004 - by Zubeydah|2004: Ansteorra's Argent Anniversary]] |
| * Thank you to my husband, Abe Vivitar von Gebric, for putting up with me and my hair brained ideas, for kitchen disasters, for toting, carrying, loving, and supporting. Thank you for your strength and your love. | | * [[Event Review - Mooneschadowe Guardian 2004 - by Zubeydah|2004: Mooneschadowe Guardian]] |
| * Thank you to House Halfiras for their love and support and eight months (yes, eight MONTHS) of hard work and prep for this event. Thanks for all the foof and food prep help the day of the event. Thank you, Halfiras, for supporting and loving and putting up with me through this HBI. Raghnailt, I'm so sorry you weren't able to make it. You were missed dearly.
| | * [[Event Review - Queens Champion 2004 - by Zubeydah|2004: Queens Champion]] |
| ** Thank you to Mehpare for elements of grace and beauty.
| | * [[Event Review - Namron Protectorate 2004 - by Zubeydah|2004: Namron Protectorate]] |
| ** Thank you to Renault and Raghnailt, for Tulsa Workdays, for beading all those anklets.
| | * [[Event Review - Weisenfeuer Yule 2004 - by Zubeydah|2004: Weisenfeuer Yule]] |
| ** Thank you to Rayhanna, for more linen hankies than any one seamstress should have to face.
| | * [[Event Review - Estrella War 2005 - by Zubeydah|2005: Estrella War]] |
| ** Thank you to Yelena for picking up the pieces and getting things done. * Thank you to Syr Owen ap Aeddan for the loan of his tent, and for 'rescuing the fair maiden.' I'm so sorry you weren't able to make it.
| | * [[Event Review - Northkeep Castellan 2005 - by Zubeydah|2005: Northkeep Castellan]] |
| * Thank you to Syr Owen's squires, and their friends and family, for putting up and taking down the tent, for toting, for unloading, for fetching, and altogether being very helpful and supportive.<BR><BR>
| | * [[Event Review - Mooneschadowe Guardian 2005 - by Zubeydah|2005: Mooneschadowe Guardian]] |
| * Thank you to Mooneschadowe and Mistress Rhiannon Redwulf, for allowing me the honor of standing guard at the vigil, and getting to feel like Mooneschadin. | | * [[Event Review - Namron Protectorate 2005 - by Zubeydah|2005: Namron Protectorate]] |
| * Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the picture of grace and elegance, HE Mistress Tessa of the Gardens, for the effort she put forth into contacting me and supplying materials for the Young Ladies Salon. | | * [[Event Review - Chemin Noir Fair of the Harvest 2005 - by Zubeydah|2005: Fair of the Harvest]] |
| * Thank you to Duchess Cateau for her gracious phone call on Thursday night. I appreciate it. | | * [[Event Review - Round Table 2006 - by Zubeydah|2006: King's Round Table]] |
| * Thank you to Nicolea and Danielle, for painting Castellan scrolls at Steppes, and to Nicolea for creating the beautiful artwork for them. | | * [[Event Review - Estrella War 2006 - by Zubeydah|2006: Estrella War]] |
| * Thank you to all the young ladies who attended the salon. I had a lovely time, and I hope that you did, too. | | * [[Event Review - Mooneschadowe Triumphe 2006 - by Zubeydah|2006: Mooneschadowe Triumphe]] |
| * A special and specific thank you to Krystal Blackwolf. You truly have the heart of a lion. I was overwhelmed by the amount of work that you put into helping me on Saturday. You are quite an amazing young lady, and you are reminding me more and more of one of my SCA heroes, Adena, for your spirit and willingness to do whatever is needed. | | * [[Event Review - Namron Protectorate 2006 - by Zubeydah|2006: Namron Protectorate XXX]] |
| * Thank you to Viggen for 'pack-foo' and helping me load my vehicle. | | * [[Event Review - Northkeep Dionadair 2006 - by Zubeydah|2006: Northkeep Dionadair]] |
| <BR>
| | * [[Event Review - Chemin Noir Fair of the Harvest 2006 - by Zubeydah|2006: Chemin Noir Fair of the Harvest]] |
| Other moments worth recounting:<BR>
| | * [[Event Review - Northkeep Winterkingdom 2006 - by Zubeydah|2006: wInterKingdom]] |
| * Feast was delicious, what I had of it. Kudos to a first time feast steward for a job well done. I ate far too many of the spiced apricots, but discovered they are delightful when added to a wide variety of the dishes served, especially the coconut soup. The bread was heaven on earth. | | * [[Event Review - Namron Beltane 2007 - by Zubeydah|2007: Namron's Beltane]] |
| * Thank you to His Royal Majesty, Romanius, for allowing our young ladies to display their curtseys.
| | * [[Event Review - Northkeep Castellan 2007 - by Zubeydah|2007: Northkeep Castellan (Young Ladies Salon)]] |
| <BR>
| | * [[Event Review - Outlands Glory 2007 - by Zubeydah|2007: Kingdom of the Outlands: GLORY]] |
| Moments that weren't as happy:<BR>
| | * [[Event Review - Mooneshadow Triumphe 2008 - by Zubeydah|2008: Mooneschadowe's Triumphe of the Eclipse]] |
| * I was disappointed at the behavior of a child that 'crashed' the Salon, simply to get one of the nifty gift baskets created for the attendees, who then repeatedly complained that the basket she received didn't have all the same things that the attendees had in theirs. It was ironic that this occurred at a Salon intended to teach manners and good, lady-like behavior.<BR><BR> | | * [[Event Review - Tribute to Ansteorra 2008 - by Zubeydah|2008: Northern Region's Tribute to Ansteorra / Fundraiser / War Practice]] |
| * I was saddened to have yet another reminder of why I don't tend to stay after dark at SCA events. People can get in their cups and act quite inappropriately, and I and my husband were, unfortunately, the target of such behavior. I appreciate Abe's restraint in dealing with this individual. | |
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| Part of our preparation for the young ladies salon included 25 identical gift baskets for the girls, and 12 gift bags for Ladies of the Rose who were invited to attend. I'd like to extend specific thanks for:<BR>
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| Young Ladies Baskets:<BR>
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| - Mehpare & Rayhanna for the pewter castles<BR> | |
| - Rayhanna & Yelena & Ragnailt, for working on the linen hankies<BR> | |
| - Ollj of Mooneschadowe for the double-faced pewter coin<BR> | |
| <BR>
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| Roses Gift Bags:<BR>
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| - Rayhanna for crocheting the luxury face cloths<BR> | |
| - Ollj of Mooneschadowe for the double-faced pewter coin<BR> | |
| - Mehpare & Rayhanna for the soaps, incense and candles<BR> | |
| - Yelena & Rayhanna for making the bags<BR> | |
| - Mehpare for providing the rosewater fountain<BR> | |
| - Mehpare for providing the henna<BR> | |
| - Raghnailt for creating half the beaded, belled anklets<BR>
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| <BR>
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| '''Addendum:''' I would like to share word-fame of one of Northkeep's valiant and hard working youth: '''Krystal Blackwolf'''. From the time I arrived on site (8:00 am) to the time feast was over (9:00 ish?) I personally observed this young lady working hard. She came by when she saw me unloading my things, and asked how she could help. For the next 4 solid hours, she assisted with stirring pots, scrubbing dishes, fetching water, fetching things from this tote or that, and generally being an incredible little assistant. After attending the Young Ladies Salon, she assisted with clean up of the food prep area, and the tent itself. For the next several hours, I saw her running here and there, being a page, a message-deliverer, herding children, and generally keeping busy. At feast, she was one of the most attentive servers I have ever had, even managing to wrangle more of those succulent pickled apricots for our table. Krystal is truly deserving of praise and recognition for her efforts, and her hard work made the event better for not only me, but all the children who attended the Salon, and all those who joined me at feast. She is someone who helps to keep The Dream alive for me. So I would like to take this moment to say 'Thank You' to Krystal - and all the other hard working youth who help make our events fun.
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| | [[Category:Event Reviews]] |
| | | [[Category:Zubeydah]] |
| ==2007: Kingdom of the Outlands: GLORY==
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| ''Note: This was written well over a year after the actual event (my bad) and is missing a LOT. It’s really more of a summary, then a review.''<BR><BR>
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| The Kingdom of the Outlands holds an annual event called “Glory” and the event theme is that individuals compete on one of the several Paths of Glory, which in and of itself, is very cool. There are tournaments and competitions packed into a very busy event that spans several days. For me, Glory was All About Nate. <BR>
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| Nate (Nathaniel MacPhereson) is my brother (mundanely), and news had come to me that he was going to be squired to His Excellency, Sir Haroun al-Mabsoot ibn Uthman al-Dhi'b al-Abyadh ibn Ubaydallah banu Rhi Asfar, ''(Master of the Pelican, Baron of the Court of The Outlands, Iron Hart, Defender of the Stag's Blood, Companion of the Order of the Stag's Heart, Companion of the Order of the Argent Hart, Companion of the Order of the Dragon's Claw, Companion of the Order of the Dragon's Blood, Companion of the Order of the Scales of Dragonsspine, Companion of the Order of the Gentle Dragon, Companion of the Order of the Queen's Grace, Guardian of the Golden Flame, Companion of the Order of the Venerable Guard, and Walker of the Way. . . and all around amazingly cool dude.)'' There was no way in heck I was going to miss this special day for him.<BR><BR>
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| Nate had asked that I make up some dessert items for his household party, and for another party his House had been asked to sponsor. So in the days up to the event, I was a whirling dervish of chocolately goodness, making up 3 types of fudge (Dark Chocolate Kahlua, Dark Chocolate Chambord Walnut, and Milk Chocolate Hazelnut ) and five batches of truffles (Dark Chocolate diSaronno, Milk Chocolate Kahlua and Dark and Milk chocolate Peanut butter) and a batch or two of my very naughty coffee / Kahlua brownies. <BR><BR>
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| I was also carrying good wishes from a number of folks for Sir Haroun; transplants in Ansteorra from the Kingdom of the Outlands. <BR><BR>
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| When I got to the airport, I talked to the agents at the gate about my carry on luggage – The cooler full of chocolates was very heavy and didn’t fit in the overhead bin. I was very worried about checking it, but the flight attendants volunteered to remove their luggage from their reserved spot, so I could transport the chocolate in the main cabin. (Though there were a number of jokes about some being missing by the time we got to Denver…)<BR><BR>
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| I rented a car at the airport and made my uneventful way to my parents home in Greeley. I got there early enough that I had a bit of time with my folks, and got to go shopping with my mom in Fort Collins. The bead store we went to happened to be staffed by an SCA member, who heard me talking to my mom about the event. She knew Nate, and asked me to pass along her good wishes. <BR><BR>
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| I stayed at my parents home overnight, and the morning of the event my sister, Dominique, picked me up. Armed with breakfast from McDonalds, we hit the road, bright and early. It was a typical Colorado day, with bright azure skies. The site was about two hours from Greeley, and we had fun text messaging Nate once we got closer. At one point, we were heading up a hilly bit of road, flanked on both sides by hills, when we spotted a stag. (The stag being the symbol of the Kingdom of the Outlands) It seemed like a wonderful portent for the day. <BR><BR>
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| We arrived around 8:30ish, and folks were still crawling out of their tents. Dominique began yanking out coolers of this and that, and we started making breakfast for everyone. There was a veritable feast once we were done, and everyone was fully sated – over the course of the event, they went through a full twelve pounds of bacon! (I must admit that my ability to cook eggs in the wild outdoors on a portable grill is .. er.. lacking. The eggs I was tasked to manage didn’t turn out the best.) One particularly amusing moment came when a friend of Nate’s, named Elendil, solemnly declared that pancakes were his favorite thing in the whole world. When Dominique handed him a plate stacked high with blueberry pancakes topped with whipped cream, his eyes were nearly as big as the serving tray. He proclaimed her to be the best lady in the whole wide world. <BR><BR>
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| There were events going on throughout the day, and I got to see a few tournaments here and there. It was wonderful to actually get to see my brother fight for the first time. Unfortunately the pairings put him up against some stout competition, and in one case, it was with a weapon he had never used. He did not win the bouts I got to witness. <BR><BR>
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| Nate and Mordrake were both members of the Queen’s Guard, so that took up some of their time. I got to snap some photos of the goings on (which can be found on my online photo album). The Queen, Her Majesty Madigan, seemed rather nice and approachable. I like the formality that surrounds the Crown in the Outlands: Each Guard and member of her entourage bear her symbol, and everyone was in matching tunics. <BR><BR>
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| After the first set of tournaments, everyone headed back to the camp for lunch. Dominique and I joked that we were ‘sandwich ninjas’ as we bustled with deft grace around each other, building hearty lunches for all the hungry fighters. It’s amazing how much turkey, ham and roast beef can be decimated by people who have just come off the battle field. <BR><BR>
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| While at camp, I got the opportunity to meet Sixtus Goeth from the Armour Archive. We didn’t have much time to chat, but it was nice to put a name to a face. <BR><BR>
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| When it came time for the squiring, we all gathered around over by one of the tournament fields. Sir Haroun and his Lady, Dovita, spoke about what it meant to them for Nate to enter into their service. Dominique and I were nearby, beaming with pride. Nathaniel gave his oath, and then in a unique tradition, he was tackled to the ground and all of his squire brothers piled on top. The first two on the pile, however, knelt over him, creating a barrier so that he didn’t take the *full* weight of all the others – representational of the support that they as a family would give him. (Mordrake was one of the two)<BR><BR>
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| One thing I did enjoy throughout the day was grilling… er.. chatting… with Sevilla, who Mordrake had made it clear he cared dearly for, and was thinking very seriously about asking her to marry him. There was no way this woman was going to get to take away our Mordrake without getting grilled by the Hansen Women: She had to pass muster! So Dominique and I took every opportunity to talk with Sevilla, and get to know her. Sevilla is a very strong personality, as well as creative and decisive. It was clear that she cared for Mordrake, and that they were well suited in many ways. <BR><BR>
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| If you’ve visited my website and seen the beading page in the projects section, it’s overflowing with photos of amber I’ve made for Nate to give away. One cool thing that happened was that I got to take photos of some of the folks who have received that work, when they were wearing their amber. This included Gwydion, Bert, and Mordrake. I didn’t get to snap one of Dominique or HRM Madigan, though – there simply wasn’t time or opportunity.<BR><BR>
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| At late afternoon/evening court, I sat with some other members of the household, as Nate was on duty. Dominique was back at camp, and we tried to correspond via text message, as there were rumors going about that it would be good for all members of the household to be present. We weren’t sure who would be recognized, but she didn’t want to miss anything important. Unfortunately, my cell signal was very bad, so we tried using runners (the site is BIG)… but messages got garbled.<BR><BR>
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| As it turned out, the news was that Mordrake (formally known as Oliver Mordrake) would receive a Kingdom service award, elevating him to the rank of Honorable Lord. Sadly, Dominique (who is Mordake’s ex-wife, and still a very good friend) was not able to witness it. I crept close to snap some photos, and heard Queen Madigan teasing Mordrake that he had better get himself a device and name registered, to which he was able to answer that he had gotten it word it had passed through Society only just that morning! I beamed with pride at that point, as I’d been helping him with the artwork for a while. <BR>
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| Also honored at court was Gwydion’s lady, who received her AOA. I got to snap a photo of the scroll, which was just lovely. It was interesting to see the cultural differences between the Outlands and Ansteorra. Here, we shout “Vivat!” – with one shout for an AOA level award, two for a Grand level award, and three for a Peerage or Nobility. In the Outlands, everyone gets three Huzzahs. As well, if someone isn’t present in court in Ansteorra, we read it into law but it is kept a secret until it’s presented in person, in a court. In the Outlands, it’s given to a friend or group representative, who will then give it to the absent person.<BR><BR>
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| After court, we gathered at the campsite. Cynethryth, who is Nate’s room mate and very close friend, had missed the earlier squiring. To give her the opportunity to see it, Sir Haroun and his Lady very kindly went through the oath again. This time, Nathaniel spoke the “Sacred Words” of the house – “There is but one Goddess, and Her name is Dovita”… the ‘squire pile’ was much smaller this time: Just Haroun and Dovita’s grand daughter, Corinne, who is Nate’s “Older Squire Sister” (Haroun asked her what she wanted for her birthday, and she’d answered she wanted a red belt. Corinne is all of 9 or so.)<BR><BR>
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| Dinner was another busy affair, made thoroughly amazing by Dominique’s skill and careful preparation of some stunningly yummy food – it involved slow braised brisket, some of my cheese goo (which was really good on the brisket), handmade scalloped potatoes (the richest and most decadent I’ve ever had), seared asparagus, cheesecakes, and cherry clafouti. Afterwards, we sat around the campsite and listed to the guys drum. I danced a smidge, but the altitude made it very hard for me to breathe, much less dance, so I mostly sat and listed and watched others. <BR><BR>
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| The household Darbuka was holding a revel, and a fine rain began to fall as that celebration began to get underway. Unfortunately, we discovered that the batches of fudge, which had been transferred into coolers, had gotten somewhat damp, and wouldn’t hold its shape when cut. It was dubbed “Spoon Fudge” and we set it out with a large container of spoons so that folks could dip in and enjoy, as the flavor was not affected. While we were adding to their huge feast with our offerings, Corrine, Dovita’s granddaughter, got a bit too close to some of the serving items, and burned herself on a Sterno can, despite having been told to be careful. <BR><BR>
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| The evening progressed, and sadly, soon it was time for me to head back to Greeley. Dominique and her lord decided to follow suit, and we caravanned out. The roads were very rough, so while I had volunteered to drive one car back, it was decided that Dominique would go ahead and drive. <BR><BR>
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| We all crashed at my parents home (making my mother overjoyed the next morning to see not just one but two of her kids that day), arriving very late evening/early morning. <BR><BR>
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| I really enjoyed the theme of the event, and all the goings on… though like most things I go to in the Outlands, it really all boiled down to some precious time with family. <BR><BR>
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| Vivat to Nate on his squiring, and to Honorable Lord Mordrake (which we immediately shortened to HoLoMo(fo) …) on his recognition by the crown!<BR><BR>
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| ==2008: Mooneschadowe's Triumphe of the Eclipse==
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| Triumphe of the Eclipse (The Event Previously Known as Guardian) is one of the gatherings that I look forward to all year. This is, in no small part, due to the sense of community and camaraderie that flows like warm sunshine down upon everyone attending a Mooneschadowe event. This year was no different.<BR><BR>
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| Prep this year was minimal, given that I was not in charge of anything. I had the fun of making up some yummies for the waterbearers, some items for the gift baskets, and some food items as payment for some weavers who were working on commissions for me. So there was very little stress involved in getting ready. I was in bed by 11:30 on Friday (practically unheard of for an event!)<BR><BR>
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| I did want to get on site early, because I had pledged to bring a coffeemaker for the use of the Royalty Liason. I’d tried to find someone who might be able to bring it up to the site on Friday evening, but this didn’t work out. So I woke at 5:45 and was on the road by 6:20, with a brief stop for gas and ice and cream for the coffee service.
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| <BR><BR>
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| The drive up to Cleveland was uneventful but lovely – the sun had not yet risen, and all was shrouded in lovely fog. When I arrived in Cleveland, I stopped by McDonalds and bought a dozen breakfast sandwiches for those who weren’t quite awake/fed yet. Daylight crept up as I drove, and by the time I arrived on site, the heavens were a delicate shade of blue. <BR><BR>
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| Not many were up and about, so I grabbed the bag containing the coffeemaker and the bag containing the breakfast items and headed to the feast hall where I found Danielle de Marsellies slumped at a table, exhausted but painting. She was working on a beautiful scroll that she explained was for one of the championships being awarded that day. Having received a promotion at work had cut into the time she’d had to work on them, and a couple of them were still unfinished. Poor Dani had actually fallen asleep while painting the night before, and gotten only a few brief hours of rest on the hard cement floor of the hall. I offered to help, but there really wasn’t anything she could have me do. :(<BR><BR>
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| I went over to where gate was set up, and paid for the site and for feast (fortunately, there were still some left). I then scampered back out to the car, and brought in one of the bags of goodies (dark chocolate almond toffee bark) and gave it to the folks at Gate. I also chatted briefly with Mark von Mainz, who was busily making bread for the evening’s feast. <BR><BR>
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| About that time, Aline Swynbrook appeared; I chatted with her about the coffee service, and gave her the supplies. It was nice to relax and socialize for a few minutes. I started handing out goodies to those who were in the hall and wanted something to munch on, and they were well received. <BR><BR>
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| A new young lady and I decided to stroll about and see if we could find other takers for the breakfast sandwitches, and we were able to give away the whole bag full. She and I had a lovely chat about our favorite perfume company as we wandered (Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab).<BR><BR>
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| Returning to the hall, I enlisted the help of one of the gentlemen from Mooneschadowe to drag over a table to the pavilion the waterbearers would be using. He offered to help me unload my car, but given that few were about, and the gate was unlocked, I decided to just drive over the car. He and Ludo helped me unload once I had the vehicle in place, and were rewarded with Irish Cream truffles for their help.<BR><BR>
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| Things were still pretty quiet, though people were starting to stir here and there. I spotted Adena and wandered over to chat about the waterbearing plans for the day. I also got to chat with Her Royal Highness of the Midrealm, Anneliese, who got started in Mooneschadowe. In chatting with Adena, it was realized that she’d forgotten the Gatorade and pickles at her home. She dispatched her sister into town to get supplies. Fortunately, we had at least an hour before amour inspection.<BR><BR>
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| It was a slow and lazy day, with little sense of hurry. Their Royal Highnesses of Ansteorra emerged, and it was announced that at some point within the hour morning court would be held. Before that, though, I got to chat with Dutchess Vanessa and her daughter, Megan, and to run back and forth providing cups of hot coffee to various folks in dire need, earning me some huge smiles and hugs. I was also honored to have Vanessa ask me to make a piece of art of some sort for donation to a fundraising effort she was organizing at Coronation. I told her I’d be honored. Megan also showed off some beautiful jewelry that she’d made from amethyst and hematite for Abby MacKnochard. <BR><BR>
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| It was around this time that court was held, and it was kept brief. Their Highnesses noted that due to the hurricanes pounding the lower part of the Kingdom, that no awards would be given at court, but that the day looked to be grand and beautiful, and they looked forward to Mooneschadowe’s hospitality. The event staff didn’t have a whole lot to say, but Master Robert Fitzmorgan had one announcement: Everyone was invited to witness him taking Ivo as his Protégé after court. I and many others attended, and I made sure to snap some photos.<BR><BR>
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| Waterbearers were starting to congregate around the station at this point, and we began prepping. It was discovered that no waterbottles were available, and that one of the two jars of pickles purchased that morning had gone bad. Adena’s sister, Kylie, headed back to the store, and we began to improvise… <BR><BR>
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| The day proceeded, with our small staff of waterbearers doing our best to meet the needs of those out on the field. Midway through, I broke out the Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispies Treats that I’d made, and also delivered a pan of Triple Chocolate Kahlua brownies to Ayla in exchange for some trim I commissioned from her. <BR><BR>
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| On the way back to the station from a jaunt in to see the A&S competition (wow, there were some exquisite things on display!!), I paused to find out what Vanessa was up to – she’d been asking folks if they had an extension cord, and we found out why: She had a popcorn maker going and was selling bags for a fundraiser. I decided to give her the other pan of Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispies Treats to help out. (They sold out!)<BR><BR>
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| The organized chivalric fighting was pretty intense and moved very quickly. It was all over by around 2:30, and pick up fights ensued. I took a bit of a break from 2:00 – 3:00 ish, as I’d gotten a whopping headache, and rested in my car with the windows rolled down. <BR><BR>
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| When I emerged, Adena had pretty much cleaned up the whole station already. From that point, a couple of us circulated the pick up fights and provided water and Gatorade, but the organized waterbearing was done for the day. Syr Owen ap Aeddan had arrived on site, and was working with several fighters, and HRH Gunthar was also sparring with several of the Centurions. <BR><BR>
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| Given my lingering headache, I decided to take it pretty easy for the remainder of the day. I wandered around and snapped some photos until such time that my camera decided to misbehave, watering folks as they had need. I paused and chatted for a bit with Lady Kale and Lady Kat, and discussed tattoos. When they learned I’d gotten a new one, I got chased about with both of them grabbing my gahwazi coat and lifting it, demanding to see my new ink. I finally succumbed to their demands and showed them, and got some surprised responses. <BR><BR>
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| It was getting on towards 5pm, when I decided to go change for feast. They weren’t setting up yet, but a lot of folks were winding down and getting cleaned up from their exertions of the day. I put on my gryphon garb (made for my hand fasting four years ago to Abe), and wandered back to where the pick up fights had been. There, I found Syr Owen teasing Dona Theresa about being his ‘future squire.’ He regaled us with stories of his children’s recent adventures (including jumping off the roof of their home, and putting a hole big enough to crawl through in one of the walls, and putting concrete premix in their eyes), and performed “Happy Birthday” for us in Italian, which he learned for his new job. Syr Owen is an excellent storyteller, and it is always a pleasure to sit and chat with him. <BR><BR>
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| Soon it was time to get ready for feast. I found a table towards the end of the row, away from the kitchen doors and the head table that seemed relatively quiet. I asked if anyone was sitting on one side, and was told that table had been taken, but the adjoining one was available. I set up my feast gear, and then went to put away my basket so it wouldn’t be in the way. <BR><BR>
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| After only a few moments, I had company at the table: The autocrat and several of her friends from Mooneschadowe, as well as some gentles from Northkeep. It was a fun, young group, and we spent time chatting about the event. As it turned out, Owen was the server for our table, and he took excellent care of us. A variety of folks wandered by, including Aethelred and his daughter, Chelsea, who is nearly 15 now, and quite the stunning young lady. Athelred looked better than I’ve seen him in a while, with focus and happiness in his face and a really positive attitude. Many folks came up to clap him on the shoulder and give greetings and welcome.<BR><BR>
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| The food was excellent, from the bread and cheese appetizers to the almond pastries for dessert. I had two servings of an excellent salad, to which I added some of the fresh berries to make raspberry vinaigrette. I decided to add to the festivities by loading up a serving tray with the remaining truffles, toffee bark and brownies that I had with me. At one point, the young lady I had been wandering around with first thing in the morning (when we were offering to ‘assault folks with breakfast’) sang out, “Ma na ma not!” (the beginning of a ‘song’ from the Muppets) I replied with the next line (“mee mee meneme!”) and we continued on for several moments, making folks giggle. I snatched up the tray of desserts and wandered over, saying she had earned a treat by her Muppet song. As I traipsed back, an intriguing young man suggested that he deserved one because he was quite irresistible (or cute or .. something along those lines). I replied that he was rather adorable, and gave him his choice from the tray. <BR><BR>
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| About midway through the meal, one of the folks at our table - Xavier, from Northkeep - noticed that there was a woman wandering around by herself, who had just headed into the woods nearby. He asked if anyone knew her – none at the table did. When he mentioned that he’d seen her alone most of the day, I asked everyone if they would mind if I invited her to sit with us for company. Everyone said that would be fine, so I headed that way. I found her in the woods, and introduced myself and invited her to join us. She replied that she appreciated the gesture. She continued on saying that she had friends she was visiting with, but was a little overwhelmed by the crowds. I invited her to stop by and hang out if she wished, but respected her wish for solitude. With that, I headed back to Feast.<BR><BR>
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| The meal continued on, and my companions were truly delightful. At one point, Feydora asked Syr Owen to help her recognize the Feast Stewards for their service and hard labors. Moments later, we heard his booming voice stating that Their Royal Majesties required the presence of the Feast Stewards. We were too far away to hear what was said, but I think the feast staff felt appreciated.<BR><BR>
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| Soon it was over, and I picked up my tray of remaining goodies and sought out some friends in the crowd. The tray emptied quickly, with the last piece going to Lady Kat, who made happy noises as she smooshed the brownie against the roof of her mouth. <BR><BR>
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| I headed back to the waterbearer station and began packing my things, so I would be ready to go after court was done. It didn’t take long to do so, and as I headed to my car with the first load, one of the Centurions nearby took notice and hurried over to help me. He introduced himself, but I’m afraid I didn’t retain his name when he said it. I did ask if he was squired, and he said that he wore a belt from Sir William the Bear. He helped me get my cooler chest and big tote to my car, and loaded them in for me. The rest of the items were easily handled, and I got everything packed away except my chair, which I’d need. <BR><BR>
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| It was also time to turn in the items for the gift baskets, so I handed over the spiced nuts and amaretto truffles I’d made, then helped bring the baskets over to the area where the baskets were being set up.<BR><BR>
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| I was carrying my chair over to the court area, when Syr Owen stood and invited me to sit with him and some friends. I gladly joined him, and we sat and chatted about the day. He’s a popular fellow and many folk came over to talk with him, including His Excellency Brom, who asked if Owen could serve as his herald for some business in court. Of course, Owen gladly agreed. <BR><BR>
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| Part of Mooneschadowe’s event is the ‘Triumphe’ itself – the procession of its departing and newly made champions into court. The audience shouted and huzzah’ed each pair, with individuals in the audience running around waving streamers and tossing birdseed. IT makes for a rather fun time. Baron Brom was heralded in by Owen, and presented the King’s Battle Ribbon to Mooneschadowe, and that was cause for more celebration. Because the awards weren’t available, court was over in record time, and folks headed off into the night to celebrate in their own way. <BR><BR>
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| Soon the call went out: “GUARDSMEN! IT’S TIME TO WASH DISHES!” It is a tradition in Mooneschadowe that the Liondragon Guard and any who wish to join them strip off their shirts and do the dishes from feast, and sing. Tonight was no different. After packing my chair in my car, I wandered into the hall to say good bye to friends, but had to stop and listen to a few songs before heading home.<BR><BR>
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| It’s always a merry time in Mooneschadowe, but as one person said on the email list today, the absence many friends who were not able to make it this year was keenly felt.
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| If you have a chance to come up to Triumphe next year – don’t miss it! A better time is hard to find. <BR><BR>
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| ==2008: Northern Region's Tribute to Ansteorra / Fundraiser / War Practice==
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| In the Fall of 2007, Contessa Vanessa asked my help with some fundraising for waterbearing for Gulf Wars 2008. So I went to a number of Winter events with bits of fudge and chocolate and brownies and such, selling them and collecting money. In late February of 2008, just after the Estrella War, a Northern Regional Tribute and War Practice was held in Mooneschadowe. Again at Vanessa's request, I ran a Sweets Shop there... The following is taken from my email to the Northern Region / Northkeep email lists: <BR><BR>
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| ''I wanted to take a moment to express my thanks and appreciation to those who helped to make the Sweets Shop at the event this weekend such a success...
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| * Lady Kale of Northkeep generously donated nearly two dozen loaves of Lemon Bread and Orange Bread, as well as a huge bowl full of Rice Crispy Treats. Lady Kale's breads were extremely popular, especially the delightfully zingy Lemon bread.
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| * Her Excellency Annabelle of Namron generously donated an exquisite double chocolate cheesecake. Several people returned over and over to the booth to leer and ogle this cheesecake, and it finally sold for a princely sum.
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| * Lady Kayte of Northkeep generously donated nearly a dozen loves of pineapple friendship bread. One comment I heard was, "Whomever made that, I want to be their friend, for more of that bread!"
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| * Lady Megan Fleur de Wall provided a large jug of blueberry wine. This was, of course, not for SALE (which would be illegal). But it inspired a number of generous donations. And afterwards, the berries were added to chocolate, and there was nothing bad about that!
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| * Between items sold at Weisenfeuer Yule, Northkeep wInterKingdom, and the Tribute event this weekend, and the cash-in of tickets, over $600.00 has been raised for waterbearing and hospitality at Gulf War. My goal was $400.00, which we blew out of the water. :)
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| I appreciate all of those who have donated items and especially those who have purchased items, in support of this cause so near and dear to my heart.''<BR><BR>
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