I have a friend who's currently transcribing a treatise on horsemanship (Gervase Markham), and it has some terms she's having trouble figuring out.

One is comparison of size of some horse thing to breads.

Does anyone know what the size of a halfpenny wheaten loaf, or a penny white loaf is? (Not sure if these are two ways to say the same thing or two different things).

Any recommendations on sources for finding this sort of thing?

Thank you!

Wow, what a great day! We had some things we had to get done in the morning, but then off to the event, arriving in time to catch up with a few folks and have some scrumptious lunch. Then off to teach two classes on finger-loop braiding (Lyle did most of the talking this time -- I prepped the materials and assisted here and there). Almost went to a class or two but ended up chatting and brainstorming on a variety of topics, hanging out with Henna and Annastrina at the loom, and signing a scroll (old business finally and happily concluded).

At various points throughout the day I got to talk with Emele, Elizabeth Rose, Charis, Angharad, Henna, Annastrina, Gregory, Catherine, Sarah D, Barbara, Barbeta, Jean-Louis, Ernst, Geoffrey, Harkin, Cedric, Pagan, Emma, Rob, Max, Constance, Brangwyne, Yvonne, and well, more people than I can list. Some folks I only got to say 'hi' to all too briefly, like Liam, Griffin, Eli, or Azure, for instance, but it was good to see them there. Saw Bianca in the first finger-loop class (*waves*)... a full day indeed.

[EDIT: Also got to say 'hi' to Hugh_mannity, Jeene and Tabitha Johnstone, Tommaltach, Fiona, Montague, Gwenhwyfar and ? (I forget how to spell his name -- Jen and Nick Hyatt with their cute baby and Nick's mom), and saw in-passing Erik von Hemeor, Ferral, Caitlin O'Dochartaigh, Zadia and Adelia, ....

Eleanore MacCarthaigh stepped up as Bergental's Luminary (A&S Champion) at Court -- our Luminary was Baroness Emma, who is more than a little busy now with being baroness :) ]

Back to the event...after classes were done, off to court to see the scroll presented to Barbara of Bergental, Lady Angelina also received her well-deserved Fountain award (now called the Order of the Cup of St. Brigit, for service), and a young man was inducted into the Order of the Sable Bear (martial). I'm afraid I didn't catch his name, although I do recognize him -- we don't cross paths in our interests; polite and friendly though! There were some other pieces of business, like thanking people with a special token for their years of service in Bergental (mostly folks who were busy working at Investiture, who Their Excellencies had been trying to catch up with), and welcoming SCA newcomers.

Then I was called in, for a new award Their Excellencies started last autumn, for people who have been active for a long time in the barony, have at least two of the baronial awards (I think?), and continue to be people who are looked to for advice or inspiration...something like that. Mistress Pagan Graeme is the first of this new order, the Polaris. And now, I am the second. There is a lovely mantle being made by Mistress Sarah Davies - she had a question on which color I'd prefer for the lining and also how I'd like the front done, but it's of a quite lovely soft dark green wool, with the Polaris star pieced and embroidered on it -- star designed by Lady Elizabeth of Rivenstar (Hi apprentice!). I'll be getting that at the housewarming next Sunday :)

Someone, I think it was Harkin? noted that I seemed surprised at the award, and I replied that I figured I would probably be inducted sooner or later, all things considered, but Baroness Emma had come up with something special that I certainly could not have expected. The scroll is a work in progress, because they were letting everyone who be a part of the award-giving to add color or white work to the illumination. And then they read out the names of the people who had already worked on it through the day... quite overwhelming. At both of my peerage elevations I was able to maintain my composure, but not today. I was and am honoured by my peers who felt I was worthy of becoming a member of the orders of the Laurel and the Pelican, but this is....different. I've felt somewhat distant from the SCA, as living up in the hills makes participating more challenging and we've been so busy with kung fu, the family farm and now our new place that I was feeling peripheral to baronial activities. To know that so many people care is heart-touching. Well, I wish I could be more poetic or something, but I just start crying again, so you'll just have to take my word that it's one of the best things that's happened to me in the SCA. My barony is full of wonderful people!

Dinner was also superb and the cooks provided GF-alternatives for the bread, spaetzle and dessert. Lady Yvonne made one of the best cream fillings I've ever tasted.

Well, I'm just not sure how to balance all the things I need and/or want to do, but I do want to keep in touch with my SCA family, so we'll just have to figure it out.

Sorry for the late notice -- trying to schedule things lately has been... interesting.

Harvest Home, hosted at the farm in Ashfield, will be July 27-29.

Intimate, casual event, with at least a few classes planned. I'm working on getting a few more herbs out of the south garden and should have a nice variety of herbs for folks to see this year. There's the possibility of a class on using a scythe too!

Camping is allowed, just contact me to let me know you're coming and send me your tent footprint.

Recycling and trash cans will be available, although naturally we encourage re-usable containers.

Site is free, donations welcome!

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If any archery marshals are available that weekend, that would be spiff!


Be well,

Elwynne

Last night had to go to G'fld. AC in MIL's room had died and B.Manor's folks hadn't been able to repair it yet, so we got a call to bring down a fan. Got home around 11:30 p.m. Rest of packing for the event delayed to morning.

Made up some ginger water first thing this morning, so it could chill in the fridge a little while other things got done. We're bringing the eggs for the Sunday morning breakfast fundraiser so I want to start off with as much cooling materials as possible. Also bringing L's old cloak to put over it -- heavy wool w/good lining -- been using it for this for years :D

Working on finishing packing and doing chores. L just went out to feed the chickens and get the garden cart... and still hasn't picked out what he wants to wear :P

Well, I can pack my stuff and the food in the meantime...

Saw the doc for the shoulder Thursday - picking up some old rehab exercises to do, which will become part of my regular set - these help to keep the space in the joint open, to prevent impingement. And apparently I have a bit of a hook on the acromion again... so, need to keep it from getting to the point of needing surgery. He said part of the problem with it might be some scar tissue too. (The thought that the hook might have grown back some was not something he wanted to consider, I think -- at my age, highly improbable, but not completely impossible, since the acromion is on the growth plate).

It'll be an adjustment, for sure. What's interesting is that because it's the joint in transition not in static position, I can still do plank and cartwheels. And even when we've done backbends from the ground in class, I had to basically roll up onto the top of my head first before my arms would even consider helping out :D I think the backbend exercise is a lead up to a particular way of getting up from the ground -- so, if I want to consider doing that down the line, it won't be by depending on my arms. Can we say 'core work'?

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Thinking more on the ramifications of what the doctor said yesterday, I realized this morning that means no more rattan combat. Well, I suppose that's more room in the attic storage... it's durable so it can go into inactive storage. I'm bumming a little, although I admit at this point mostly because I have this beautiful helmet made by Sir Jeff and now I won't be showing it off on the field anymore. Well, maybe I can use it as a hall decoration (high table or some other secure, high visibility place). It's personalized to me, so no, I'm not selling it.

The no-go zone will prohibit use of a shield (I'm left-handed). Also, in a press, what are the odds I _won't_ get my arm folded across me? That could happen with any weapon form.

Realistically, being a little female person, my time for taking the field was always going to be a shorter span of time than your average SCA fighter. I would have liked to take the field another time or two, but if I have to choose, I'll take still being able to move as freely as possible when I'm 60+ over that any day.

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Archery should still be an option. Shooting is at shoulder level, not above it, and neither arm crosses the body at a tight angle. In fact, my primary doc shoots as part of keeping his shoulders in good condition.

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Yesterday I helped a little with loading wood into the truck. L didn't think I'd be able to because the truck sides are high, but I found a milk crate :) Then I practiced staying within the limits. Good thing firewood comes in a variety of weights, since I can't do any of the big stuff!

Some over description of event at lady_jade_01's LJ:
Here.

And some photos, also hers: Here.

Some additional stuff not in the above post:

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Sir Tommaltach issued a challenge to all Bergental fighters, throwing down a gauntlet in court. He will be wearing a special favor whenever in armor (except major Pennsic battles, to protect the favor), and Bergental fighters may challenge him in combat for the favor. The challenger must best him with three different weapons forms. Should the challenger succeed, he/she will wear the favor and carry the challenge to the other warriors, and so on. The names of the bearers of the favor will be inscribed on the back of it.

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Sweet moment in BBM's court. Severin expressly took up the challenge of winning their heraldry challenge because the prize was a to-be-personalized embroidered item. In this case, the back of a mirror. He had it embroidered with his lady's coat of arms, as a sign of his gratitude for all her support and help in making it possible for him to pursue activities in the SCA.

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Their Highnesses are really cool people, as are their respective partners. Looking forward to this reign, and to working with them again in the spring at Coronation. Although after that particular event, they might be a little too tired to help out in the kitchen, but we'll see ;)

It was nice to see that tradition being revived, I have to say.

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Concentus performed well, with flying colors :)

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Had some good chats, both with people I already knew and some new folks as well. Didn't get to chat with everyone I would have liked to, but alas, not enough hours in the day.

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Won a couple of items in the auction; a couple of embroidered mats/doilies, and a beautiful strand of amber. I like amber but have avoided buying large quantities of it. This strand had a very nice energy though, so I'm glad I ended up with it.

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Fracti Modi was there performing during the day. They continue to improve, and are always a delight to have here, adding greatly to the atmosphere of our events.

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So, very good event! I was especially pleased that druidharper connected with Quintus, and also to find out we'll have at least one new teacher from our group, Magnus, at Novice Schola in the spring.

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As an offshoot of various discussions, we may end up with another teacher from our group, and I had an idea for a new class that I'd like to teach. I'll have to work on the description so it sounds interesting and makes sense to readers, but it would be useful to anyone who spends a lot of time doing stuff in front of them, be they artists, researchers, or athletes (or a mix thereof).

***
Clean up seemed to go pretty well. Helped as usual, of course. Had to stop though because the baby powder scent from the central ladies bathroom was giving me grief, and the lungs were definitely on the losing side.

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Got home about midnight.

***
Slept in a bit this morning, took some more allergy meds plus inhaler, went up to town to deliver eggs and 1 lb. containers of maple cream (1/2 lbs. the other day), had brunch and visited one of the buildings with crafts, etc. That was interesting -- ran into some folks I wanted to talk to, made some connections. Came home and diddled around on the PC and stuff, then Penny and Dorcas came by to buy a small leaf bottle of syrup, so chatted with them for a bit. Still tired, but feeling mostly pretty decent :)

Don't really have time, but eh. Want to be able to look back at this sometime.

Was going to iron this morning. Got a call from MIL needing cards for her mail order packages she's sending out tomorrow. L moves the plug for the printer over to the old PC, because that's where all the art stuff is (yes, I'm slow with migrating stuff).

Dig around, find the card she wants, fight with the printer, which is giving me attitude because I haven't used it for a couple of months and also probably because we moved it a few times. Print, cut, and fold 30 cards, figuring if she's ready to start packing I should give her some to start with, while finding out how many she actually needs.

Has 38 orders. Go up and print 20 more.

SIL Doris is here to help with getting all the orders out, which now includes for her, canning more syrup, and making cream. I see containers that need washing down before shipping and start doing that, since I'm down there..... end up helping put labels on the candy that's going up for the fair in town this weekend... and holding the strainer steady for some of the syrup Doris is canning... then labeling some more candy that my MIL Marian decided should go to the church for the weekend fair....

Did some stuff upstairs, and admittedly goofed off on the computer a little, although at least some of it was while I was fighting with the printer so I had to be in the room anyway.

L packed the order for Elmer's up (including some of the newly canned syrup), I labeled some stuff before everyone forgot what kind of syrup was in the containers, Doris gave us a couple of letters to mail for her, and off we went to lunch, sometime after 2PM.

Deliveries made, but not without Nan P at Elmer's asking if we could also bring up some maple cream. Well, happily D is making some of that, so we'll see about that later today, when it's finished and ready for packing.

Meantime, nephew Curtis stopped by, looking for something to help him remove the old decals off a truck he bought. I found my heat gun for him to try out and it works, so he's got that for the weekend, to work on removing the pinstripe detailing.

Now, time to move some stuff, then try L's outfit on him and see if taking it in a bit will improve the fit. The black wool is more stretchy than the wool I used on his red vommes, so it's causing some problems. Although it fits better now, what with all the moving of haybales and all broadening his shoulders.

Then, ironing!

More later.

Islenskr posted a better copy of the painting (see comments in previous section). Sadly, there doesn't appear to be a scoopneck chemise there. Well, sadly because I don't have the correct neckline. I might have time to re-cut one of my chemises so it's low enough in the front that the chemise can't be seen....

We couldn't have asked for better weather than we had yesterday. Sunny, not humid, not too hot, a pleasant breeze. Mother Nature put on her best and everyone was admiring her :)

The Crestfallen tourney went quite well -- a bit more humorous than in previous years, but I think the merriment was good for people. There were some good crests along with the sillyness, and the crest made by Lord Erik von Hemeor was honored most justly as best crest, made in a traditional shaped leather form. Best crest death went to Lord Robert MacMinn, whose crest broke apart in different directions, decapitating the gryphon he'd made. Winner of the tournament was Sir Tommaltach macFhiachach, whose crest successfully survived all attempts. Best heraldic display went to Lord Erik as well, with his matched crest, torse and complementary surcoat and newly painted shield.

The baronial heavy weapons champion tourney went very well. The entrants were earnest and gave their best, not only in the round robin tournament and the Roman melee, but there were many fine introductions when they presented themselves before fitzw and I and the populace, and even finer responses to the questions posed to them.

The final results were very close, but our chosen champion for this year is Lord Gryffyn Dunham. He was fortunately able to the beginning of court so that we could do the official handoff, and then took his leave, as his dear lady is due in just a few days. We have no doubt he will fulfill the duties of his new position well. And we shall be thinking of his lady this week, most especially on Wednesday.

We also chose to retain having a banner bearer, a position the barony has had off and on over the years. Lord Sigurdr is our new banner bearer, and we have no doubt of his ability to do honor to this post.

There was a small but lovely arts display, where people could see the further progress on bobbin lace by harpnfiddle, as well as a couple of her finished projects from classes at Pennsic (embroidery and needlepoint). Lord Magnus displayed his finished silk tabletwoven belt and a new project on his loom... snartemo I believe, but I'm not an expert. ladyjade01/Lady Brangwyne of Wentworth displayed a linen dress she's working on, which is coming along nicely. And Lady Emma MacMinn exhibited an illuminated capital, which included her first effort at flat gilding. It came out pretty well, with only one very small and barely noticeable mistake -- mostly noticeable because she pointed it out! Her white work is quite excellent and the ivy leaves are delicate and vibrant. Oh, and not in the display, the scrolls were lovely too. Brangwyne took up the challenge of Gothic capitals successfully, and she has acquired the very important skill of consistency in size and spacing of the letters with a script that is new to her. Every style has its own challenges, so it's always good to see when someone succeeds at a challenge.

As baroness I always try to buy something from our merchants, to thank them for coming to our home. I may not be able to purchase much, but I feel that they contribute to our events and especially these days it can be a hard thing for them to even make expenses, nevermind an actual living. This weekend only one of the three merchants who contacted L made it to the event, but happily it was Gloriana of Glorious Dragon; I never have trouble finding something I like at her tables :)

Excellent food both at the potluck dayboard and the cooking guild's feast, yum :)

Excellent company as well; although I missed ellid, countessinn and sorcieredeneige, hopefully they are all faring better today. islenskr came though, after kindly checking in on countessinn and picking up a scroll for baronial court, and it was so good to see her again, and to catch up a little with her.

Throughout the day I was fortunate enough to see people making connections at our little event, learning new things from each other, from spinning, to music, to dance, to fighting tips. I think that was one of the best parts of the events, for me :)