Ye Headless House Handbook...

Ah, the things you stumble across when you try to procrastinate on work by surfing the web!

In this case, I came across a note in ThinkWell#6 on your website regarding Ye Headlesse House Fighters' Handbook and Training Manual.  Yes, it is still available in hard copy.  (Some day I may get it scanned in so electronic copies are available.  Who knows, I might even put up a website and post it!)  The price is unchanged.  [US$8.00 each, plus $US2.00 postage (US$4.00 for Canadian addresses)]

Copies can be ordered from
  William Jouris
  684 Gwen Ct.
  Danville, CA 94526

Cookery resource

tudorcookery.com

Master Ark Kazad wrote something beautiful

What the SCA means to me

I was just at the An Tir Crown Tournament in Fort McLeod, Alberta and I was interviewed by a reporter from the local paper. He was curious about the Society and what had held my interest for so many years.

I love playing in the Current Middle Ages. I like the pageantry, the costumes, the comraderie, the creativity. I realized, though, that the most important things about the Society for me are things you can't see, thing not apparent to a reporter walking through an event for the first time.

The SCA is a place where people can come and be the person they really want to be. It is outside of normal time and normal concerns. No matter what you do to make a living or what your social status is, here the playing field is equal. Here you can be your ideal self.

The SCA is based on the code of honor and chivalry. We say it is not the Middle Ages as they were, but as they might have been in the best of all possible worlds. It is a historically based fantasy, a Utopian society. Everyone starts out equal and rank is earned through your own effort. It is a place where you can take risks, because it is, when all is said and done, a game.

I am something of a recluse, but in the SCA I am social. I am an ordinary craftsman, but in the SCA I am respected as a Master of the Laurel. I don't have much of a singing voice, but in the SCA I became a bard. I am a pacifist, but I took up the rapier and became a passable fencer. I shot archery and always came in last, but I had fun.

I have seen troubled young men enter the Society and be taken on as squires by knights. They found an acceptable outlet for their aggression, and in the process they were taught to be honorable and chivalrous. They learned self control and they were taught this by a man they admired and respected.

Yes, when all is said and done, the SCA is a game. But there is a lot to be learned in the playing. I know I am a better man for the years I have spent in the Current Middle Ages.

I am Master Ark of Ringholden, O.L.

---

That is from this page: http://masterark.com/SCA.aspx
and he's also just come to facebook, in case anyone who comes by this wants to communicate with him there. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002410205798
The photo below is part of one at masterark.com:

The part about knighthood made me think to link this, too:
http://sandradodd.com/Knighthood, something I wrote fifteen years ago, when I was very active in the Society.

Atenveldt Reunion Songbook (1983)

Mistress Kate Holford created a PDF of "The Special Edition 25¢ throwaya Atenveldt Reunion Songbook," March A.S. XVII (1983).

http://sandradodd.com/sca/AtenveldReunionSongbook83.pdf

My favorite parts are the advertisement for Honest AElflaed's Used Treasures on the back, and this part of the intro:

"The Keeper" doesn't really fit this category [drinking songs], or rather it wouldn't in a proper big book, but as it's neither a round nor a ballad, here it falls. It's a cheerful and innocuous little thing, and I dedicate it to a world which could use more cheerful and innocuous little things."

Kate also scanned the cover of an Outlandish Herald. I'll link that near its proper month in the history notes, fall of 1982.


Kate's PDF

Nice quote about leaving the SCA

"I miss all the good parts. I tend to view the SCA like the Princess Bride or Moby Dick. With just the good parts it’s really wonderful but with the whole unabridged version it can get to you. (Chapter two --- the Whale.) Still, even though I don’t do much with it. I’m grateful for all it did for me… I would be missing such a large part of my life without it."

Clare RosMuir St. John, Ansteorra

We were chatting by e-mail, and she said she's not angry about anything, she just outgrew the need and interest and some other things, like cleaning her house, are more interesting now.

I think that's true of many people. For various reasons another interest or focus takes more of one's life until the SCA is smaller.

Comments, ideas, theories and disputations are welcome. :-)javascript:void(0)

Art, contrast and anachronism for sure!

Gather Ye Olde Suburban Knights
September 15, 2010
by CLAIRE O'NEILL



That is from an NPR blog article by Claire o'Neill, interviewing E. F. Kitchen, the photographer and author of Suburban Knights.

The web page and the project are fascinating. Click on the other shields at those links for other details, images and information. the book isn't ordered directly from the author, but sources are listed in North America, Germany and the UK.

My favorite detail is the 19th century technology for photographing 21st century medieval knights. It reminds me of the images of the Eglinton Tournament of 1839. Photography was starting to happen, but not of such things as that yet.

Thanks to Christine Sanders for send me the initial link!

Chronicle of Aten Coronation, Outlands Investiture 1977

A few days ago I scanned a couple of photos of when I got my Award of Arms on December 17, 1977 (A.S. XII).

This morning in an entirely unrelated situation, someone asked me to check whether Einrich Armpittsbane was knighted by Ton or Koris. "Probably Koris," I said, but said I would check. I called Gunwaldt. "Probably Koris," he said. I said I would check.

From the January issue of Southwind, which was published in Caerthe in those days, and please note that Meridies was still part of Atenveldt. Atenveldt was the fourth of four kingdoms. Meridies was soon to become the fifth. I left that part of the page to place it more clearly on the timeline.

Here's my during and after award of arms photos. "Lady AElflaed" sounds much prettier than any title I've ever had.

The Stag and Chalice

Awarded to Gunwaldt in March 13, 2010 by Bela and Anna.



The scroll was made by Rosslin Katrin Von Hohenzollern. The notes from the back are here:

The passing of Leif Ivarson

Being old, my memories of Leif Ivarson are most vivid from when he was a young man, not yet a squire, not a knight. I knew him through those stages. I knew him as he served as king, and grew older, but he moved and I took refuge within walls.

On Tuesday, July 13, he died in an accident at work. One memorial page is here, and if anyone who reads this knows of others, please leave a note below.

http://sandradodd.com/people/leifivarson

This photo was taken just over a week before his death, at Battlemore, by Gabrielle Angel Dee Lilly:

Trivia or history or biography?

I was invited to do a list of things about me on facebook today, and when I went to see whether I had already done it, I found this. It's probably more likely to be of interest to people who come by here than on facebook.

SCA MemeShare
Friday, May 15, 2009 at 5:52pm | Edit Note | Delete



GENERAL SCA
- Been an officer? (Local, Regional, Kingdom, Society?) – All those levels, shire, barony, principality, kingdom and Society
- Do you have an SCA name? – AElflaed of Duckford
- Do you have an SCA persona? – Saxon, father's a stonemason and wood carver... some stuff like that.
- Changed persona because of different garb? – There used to be "Come as you aren't" revels...
- Been adopted by a person, household or clan? – Founded households and adopted others, I suppose.
- Had a name and/or device accepted by the SCA College of Arms? – Yes
- Had a name and/or device rejected by the SCA College of Arms? – No.
- Been taken or taken as an apprentice, protege or squire? – It wasn't the thing in those days.
- Have rank higher than an Award of Arms? – yes

EVENTS
- Been an Event Steward/Autocrat? – Yes.
- Kingdom level or local level? – shire, baronial, principality, kingdom
- Cooked an Event? – Dishes for a feast but not whole feast; smaller period meals for formal camping and household, sure.
- Taught a class at an event? - yes
- Run an activity at an event? - yes

FIGHTING/MARTIAL ARTS
- Ever fought at an event? - nope

ARTS & SCIENCES
- Have you ever entered an A&S contest? -Yes
- Have you ever won an A&S contest? - Yes (categories and bardics, but not championships)
- Ever run an A&S contest? - Bardics, speed calligraphy, never a whole event
- Ever judge/critique items in an A&S contest? - Yes
- Ever Wordsmithed a scroll? - Often
- Illuminated a scroll? – Yes
- Done the Calligraphy for a scroll? – Yes
- Made your own paper? - No.
- Made a book? - Yes
- Make someone's order medallion? - No.
- Write someone in for an award? – Yes
- Have you ever sewn your own garb? - Yes.
- Sewn Garb for others? - Yes.
- Ever been sewing on the way to an event? - Yes
- Ever finished an outfit before an event? - Yes
- Researched and completed an outfit from said research? – I guess a "have you ever researched an outfit?" question is missing. Yes. And made one. Yes.
- Ever taught a class on sewing? - T-tunics and faced facings
- Finished a hat? – yes
- Do you know how to spin? – Have tried for learning purposes but not produced.
- Ever woven your own fabric? - No.
- Do you know how to knit? - No.
- Do you know how to do njalbinding or fingerloop braiding? – No.
- Have you ever dyed your own yarn or fabric? - Yes
- Embroidered a garment? - Yes
- Beaded a garment? – No.
- Ever entertained at a feast? - Yes
- Ever ran a bardic circle? - Yes
- Ever performed in a bardic circle? - Yes.
- Had songs requested from you at such? - Yes
- Ever competed in a formal bardic? - Yes
- Know any period songs? - Yes
- Been banned from a bardic circle for a song/performance, or have a piece you perform banned/controlled? – No.

COURT IN THE SCA
- Ran a court as Royalty (King/Queen or Baron/Baroness)? – Yes
- Ran a court as Herald? - No.
- Heralded at Court? - No.
- Been an Attendant, Guard or Champion at court? - Yes (in coronations)
- Been called to court to receive an award, if so which one/s?- Yes http://sandradodd.com/duckford/awards">0 comments