I write this evening with a full and grateful heart. When I proposed this event last year, I had no conception of how many people would take it up in all its multifarious enthusiasms, and it brings me enormous joy that it spoke to so very many people.
It is a truth that no event happens without many willing hands; this sort of "group project" event needs more hands than most, and I would like to take the time to make sure that they are known. Any omission is my error alone, and I beg you to help me rectify it by alerting me. (And please tag people that I have not!)
- Lady Eadgyth aet Staeningum made Gate seamless, smooth, and madly efficient in an unorthodox setting. She and her staff (Lady Aaradyn Ghyoot, Pomestnik Andreiko Eferiev, Aelia Fortunata, and Baroness Arlyana van Wyck are to be praised.
- Lord Orlando dei Medici whipped up a delicious, varied, and ample dayboard in what seemed like mere moments, with great equanimity and calm. He and his kitcheners (Baroness Aurelia Rufinia, Lady Morwenna O'Hurlihie, Baroness Alanna of Skye, and Elian of the Fellswood) were exemplary and speedy, and magicked the kitchen into tidy order even more quickly than they provided luncheon. They too are to be praised.
- Maître Lucien de Pontivy and Mesterno Sofia 'Zsof' Tyzes graciously got up absurdly early to come to the site with me and set up, lifting countless heavy tables, rearranging furniture, and putting my sketchy notes into actuality. Morwenna O'Hurlihie showed up even before her her appointed time and leapt in with good cheer to move everything that needed moving. And I am certain that as the bustle grew, there were even more people just putting things where they needed to go, because my only memory is of a whirl of effective activity.
- Many many hands made light work of cleanup; much of that even happened during court, so that when I came back downstairs almost the entire vestry hall was already reset. I know that Zsof, Master Peregrine the Illuminator, Lord Drake Oranwood, and Baroness Katarzyna Gwodz (Varju) were prime movers in the cleanup, that Baroness Marieta Charay and Duchess Thyra Eiriksdotter whisked away big bags of trash, and many other people just Made It Go. We were the last people offsite, and we pulled out of the parking lot half and hour before our hard stop, well clear of the next group.
- Of course, a Laurels' Prize Tourney cannot go forward with challenges. I am deeply grateful to everyone who offered a challenge and brought their knowledge, ingenuity, and joy in their art to share:
Mistress Eleanor Catlyng, Mistress Rhonwen glyn Conwy, Mistress Eva Woderose, Mistress Cassandra Grey, Mistress Elysabeth Underhill, Mistress Agatha Wanderer, Maîtresse Nicolette Bonhomme, Mistress Angharad verch Rees, Mistress Alesone Grey, Mistress Caryl de Trecesson, Mistress Morgaine ferch Cadwr, Mistress Johanna Dudley, Master Magnus hvalmagi, Mistress Brunissende Dragonette, Mistress Ygraine of Kellswood, Mistress Morwenna Westerne, Master Aleksandr Ruslanovich Kievchanin, Master Angus Pembridge, Master Lucien de Pontivy, Master Peregrine the Illuminator, Mistress Lakshmi Amman of Sri Ranganatha Temple, Mistress Anne of Framlingham, Mistress Catrin o'r Rhyd For, Master Christian Lansinger von Jaueregk, Master Anton of Winteroak
- Likewise, I am completely delighted by everyone who answered a challenge. These were not small things to do, nor simple questions to answer, and you dove in with enthusiasm and joy and brought all the wonderful things you discovered and learned and made to share, and did so open-heartedly. I salute you, and if I can assist in any further way in making more connections happen for you, please do not hesitate to contact me.
- I would like to also particularly thank Countess Kayleigh Drake, who brought this event format to Carolingia from Ansteorra over a decade ago. I enjoyed that event tremendously as an entrant, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to bring it to life once more.
- And finally, my rock of support, my font of ideas, my light in the darkness, the one who just leaps in and solves what needs to be solved, and the one who makes it possible for all of this crazy imagining to come to fruition - Maître Lucien de Pontivy.
Thank you all - I am a lucky event steward. May your event aftermath be as brain-full and delightedly exhausted as my own.
Greetings artisans and scientists of the East! I write to inform you all that, due to wildly enthusiastic responses, I have elected to close the challenges of the Laurels' Prize Tourney to any further entrants. The principle goal of the event is to be able to provide excellent conversations between challenge-offerers and challenge-accepters, and I want to make sure that everyone has enough time and space to be able to have those, just as originally promised.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact me directly at molly.eskridge@gmail.com.
Thank you so much for your enthusiasm! It speaks so very well of the manifold talents of the East.
Late-breaking news from the Laurels' Prize Tourney!!
Mistress Elysabeth Underhill is offering a research paper challenge - bring your pages to us! I quote directly from her excellent challenge:
"Is your true art in the SCA the 'art' of research? Do you love writing papers and documentation? Do you typically find yourself exceeding the documentation page limit in competitions because you have so much contextual and historical information about your project that the judges 'must' see. Are you doing data analysis or conducting a study or experiment? If any of these situations applies to you, then this is your challenge!
"Bring your research to the Laurel’s Challenge. Research should be presented in the form of a paper with sources and a citation system of some type. There is no page limit - write until your heart is content. Challengers are encouraged to bring multiple copies of their work to hand out to interested people at the event."
Please note that it is 100% ok to bring an unfinished paper to the event, since this challenge is being offered so late in the game.
Good day, fabulous artisans and scientists of the East! The Laurels' Prize Tourney is only a month away, and here are two messages from the event steward:
(And of course, if you would like to preregister for the event, that is always something that will delight our gate staff!)
- Due to the above-mentioned enthusiastic response, we must regretfully report that we will no longer be able to offer display space for folks who are not answering a challenge; we simply must prioritize space for people who *are* answering a challenge.
If you have any questions or concerns about either of these matters, or anything else related to the event, please drop me a note at molly.eskridge@gmail.com.
Thank you so much for all your wonderful interest, and we look forward to seeing you in Carolingia on March 25!
As the moment of the winter solstice passes, what better time than to consider a challenge of Astronomical Science? For our last challenge, Master Anton invites you to make one or more astronomical instruments of a type known to us before 1600, and then use it and see how it works!
There may be even more challenges coming in the turn of the year, and we will keep you posted. In the intervening time, may the returning light illumine your arts and sciences with clarity and purpose - so that you may bring your excellent work to the Laurels' Prize Tourney to share!
As you plan for winter holidays, forget not the Feast of Fools! It is in that spirit of revelry and spectacle that today we turn to challenges of Performance and the Arts that accompany it:
- Mistress Lakshmi invites you to create a moment in time; use performance in persona to transport your audience to elsewhere and elsewhen!
- Mistress Catrin invites you to design a mumming, masque, or disguising; be it diorama, sketches, finger puppets, or other modality of your choosing, explain to her your theatrical vision!
- Master Peregrine challenges you to write and perform a brand new original piece of music in a style that existed before the year 1600; create something never before heard!
- Mistress Anne asks you to present a performance of an existing piece of historical text - sung or spoken, bring the words of our ancestors to life!
- Master Christian invites you to compose and present a poetic dialog - perform it in any way that makes the two (or more!) voices distinct and clear for your hearers!
- Master Lucien invites you to consider the Robert ap Huw manuscript and perform - on the harp - any single piece from that manuscript!
One of the deepest rabbit holes of historical recreation is that of Material Culture - what do people have in their homes, their shops, their pockets? What do they carry when they travel? What objects populate their everyday existence? The Material Culture challenges of the Laurels' Prize Tourney invite you to journey down this very rabbit hole!
- Mistress Ygraine invites you to recreate an item that would be useful to a hunter or archer, or something with a hunting or archery theme.
- Master Aleksandr would like to see something that would be found on the route one travels between Muscovy and London in the late sixteenth century.
- Mistress Morwenna asks that you bring her an item that would be familiar to a gentlewoman of Elizabeth's England.
- Master Angus invites you to create an everyday tool, something that would be at the hand of a craftsperson every day that they plied their trade.
As you can see, our Material Culture challenges are our broadest in scope - let your imagination run and think capaciously! And when you have finished, bring your challenge reply to the Tourney in March in Carolingia. We look forward to seeing it!
Have you ever considered how to mark something as "ALL MINE!!" in an attractive and historical way? By lucky hap, there is an entire world of heraldic design and practice that is aimed at solving precisely this problem!
For the Laurels' Prize Tourney, Mistress Brunissende challenges you to make an item that uses your personal registered heraldry (or that of a group to which you belong) in a way that your persona would have utilized it.
What do you want to tell the world belongs to you? Or speaks with your voice? Fly your flag high!
This beautiful challenge and many more are part of this coming Spring's Laurels' Prize Tourney in Carolingia - step up to a challenge that inspires you!
Good day, artisans! Not only are we in the thick of the festive season, but we are heading into a *weekend* in the festive season - what better time to think about challenges concerning Food and Drink?!
The Laurels' Prize Tourney offers the interested cook or victualler five separate challenges:
- Mistress Morgaine challenges you to learn about honey-based drinks through research and making.
- Mistress Johanna celebrates fairs, feast days, and holidays by inviting you to make food that would be served on those occasions.
- Master Alesone invites you to make something that would be been have been purchased from a London grocer.
- Master Magnus challenges you to recreate a historical beverage without relying on a redacted recipe - meet the source! - Mistress Caryl invites you to try to make Thomas Dawson's fascinating "Water of Life"!
These delicious challenges and many more may be found at the Tourney's site, where you can also find additional information about the event itself (including that it is March 25 in the Barony of Carolingia). To your very good health!
Good morning, artisans! Today, the Laurels' Prize Tourney invites you to consider the fiber arts - the magic that turns simple animal and vegetable matter into beautiful clothing and objects.
We have two marvellous challenges for you to consider:
- Mistress Nicolette Bonhomme invites you to tackle two possible approaches to weaving - weave from an extant historical pattern or blaze a new trail and make your own draft from an extant piece!
- Mistress Angharad verch Reese invites you to create a version of an extant knitted item. What could be a more delightful project for the fireside?
These challenges and many more may be found at our event site - each one accompanied by the chance to sit and chat in depth about your work with someone who is deeply engaged in exactly that subject!
Good morning! It being the season to think about *more* clothes rather than less, and also it is the season of festive decoration, let us consider today's Laurel's Prize Challenges - Clothing and Accessories!
- Mistress Elysabeth Underhill invites you to try your hand at making a beautiful glass bead - or a whole string of them.
- Mistress Cassandra Grey of Lochleven invites you to consider an old-but-beloved piece of garb and make it over to make it even more accurate and beautifully made than before.
- Mistress Agatha Wanderer invites you to take a fun and historical look at your very most inner layer - your underwear!
These challenges and many more await you at the Laurels' Prize Tourney - March 25 in the Barony of Carolingia. Come and play!
What will you be doing with your winter hours by the fire? Consider answering a Laurel Challenge!
The Laurels' Prize Tourney in Carolingia is March 25, 2017, and that is only four months away - but time enough to take on a new project for the winter months. Over the next several weeks, I will be drawing your attention to the *24* different fascinating and fabulous challenges that we are offering - each one offers the opportunity to take a deep dive into a subject with someone who is engaged, excited, and knowledgeable about it.
Today, let us consider the scribal arts:
- Mistress Eleanor Catlyng and Mistress Rhonwen glyn Conwy invite you to show your work - bring three successive stages of a calligraphy and/or illumination project, and demonstrate how you have progressed from one to the next, and how you have learned from that progression.
- Mistress Eva Woderose challenges you to make a tiny scroll! Calligraphy of at least 150 characters, and illumination if you would like; enjoy the aesthetic of period proportion and style in miniature.
More details for these and the other challenges can be found at the event website, as well as detailed information about the event itself. Please come and play!
There is an exciting SCA event happening on March 25 in Carolingia! The Laurels' Prize Tourney presents a collection of in-depth, focused challenges offered by Laurels in many different disciplines - choose one or several, and bring your results to the event to have a one-on-one meeting with the person who issued the challenge.
This event is explicitly designed to give folks the opportunity to dig deep on a project and then get intensive, informed feedback from someone who knows a great deal about that subject. There is no winner for the day; each Laurel decides how they would like to recognize entrants. (Some may choose a favorite, and others may offer recognition to every entrant.) The focus is on the learning and the collegial connections.
For the theatrically curious - next month I am part of a fabulous ensemble that is staging an adaptation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, written by Mary Zimmerman. It is by turns funny, heartbreaking, creepy, and romantic, as myths often are, and I invite you to come check it out!
(Also, it is in Davis Square, so your pre- and post-show drink and nosh options are manifold. :-)
This past Saturday, I spent the entire day in awe of people that I love, because the way they express their love in return is both humbling and splendid. The occasion was my induction into the Order of the Laurel. (Informally, we have decided that my discipline is "enabling".) It is a beautiful and strange thing to have so much happy attention directed at one, and I want to thank those people who made it a reality, even as I try and set it all straight in my memory and hope I remember it all correctly to do them justice.
A month ago, my beloved and Alexander St. Pierre constructed a writ so perfect for me, that online discussion about it actually turned into a tiny tool for learning. You can see it here.
Turning to the day of, the crack team of lisagw and artisticphoenix organized, provisioned, and ran a beautiful vigil that allowed me to sit in contemplative peace and talk to many, many lovely and cheerful and well-fed people. industrialblues, lanome, and baronessv loaned their beautiful furniture and helped put everything into place. lisagw, artisticphoenix, marysdress, rufinia, decimusaurelius, ubiq31, Raziya, Camille, and Zsuzsy provided the tasty and attractive vigil food that kept me and everyone well-fed and not starving.
I want to pay special heed to the team of amazing folks who built a cloister for my vigil. I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that these people, led by xdaemon, dulcinbradbury, and Harvey, took a simple room and created a candle-lit, meditative stone chapel with a stained glass window. It took my breath away, and made it possible for this quiet introvert to spend a whole day in conversation with dozens of people without ever feeling overwhelmed, because I was always in a place of peace.
As the day drew toward a close, I learned that peregrinning would be playing a conductus for me, and although the lovely woodwindy could not be there to play with him (we missed you!), the inestimable hudebnik stepped in on short notice and they were gorgeous. Eric Michaelsson and Christopher Michaelsson carried my banner (splendidly realized by Antonio Patrasso) and my regalia, marysdress, lanome, and avaldr went before me in procession, and my own beloved escorted me into the Masonic Temple's exceptionally beautiful space. (What a sky!)
I knelt, and then avaldr spoke for the Chivalry, lanome bore Avelina's words for the Roses, marysdress spoke for the Pelicans, and peregrinning bore jdulac's words for the Laurels. I am doing my best to sit carefully and thoughtfully with everything they said; there isn't really a way to prepare for it, and I think I will be some time thinking. I don't yet have words to know how to thank someone for what they say in that moment, but I can tell you that I received it fully and with all of my heart, and I remain deeply grateful for all of you.
To conclude a day of profound riches, I received awesomely beautiful regalia, and a magnificent scroll. lanome made one of the magic mantles from the illuminations, and you guys! It works just like the pictures! lucianus made me a luminous brooch that is so very very right for Dreda. Brose - in the run up to her own investiture! - made me a marvellously shiny enameled medallion that just glows. Ygraine made me a fillet, barbette, and veil that are a wonder of delicate and subtle embroidery. For perhaps the first time, I feel transported by my own clothes. And Isabel took rising_moon and peregrinning's heartfelt words and made me a scroll that is simply beautiful, and beautifully judged - I have been smitten by the DeBrailes Hours for years, and to find my own self in a miniature, just like Susanna, just makes me jump up and down with glee. I promise not to lick it, I really do, but it's a near thing!
Truly, it is an experience that for all my words, I do not feel I will be able to adequately encompass, and I feel like I will be trying for a long time. But all of these people have my love, and I am humbled by theirs, and by their regard.
Most especially, my own beloved rising_moon. From beginning to end, she touched every element and made sure that it was something that would delight me, and she was wildly successful. My love, thank you for your wisdom, your care, your perception, and your endless supply of sparkly fairy dust. I would not be here were it not for all these amazing people, and most especially, not without you. Thank you.
One of the delightful things about working with Verse and Vodka is exploring plays I do not know. "The Madwoman of Chaillot" was heretofore completely unknown to me, and I now feel as if I am making up for lost time - it is witty, charming, pointed, and terrific fun.
Won't you take the opportunity, this weekend or next, to begin your own making up for lost time? We promise you won't regret it... Shows are at the Arlington Elks Club at 8pm on Friday, January 30, Saturday, January 31, and Friday, February 6, and the house and bar open at 7. Tickets here!
Prompted by casual conversations within earshot, posted here because of presumed demographic density.
Why would I want to go to Arisia?
This is a genuine question. Lo these many years ago, I knew of Arisia only as a tangential support system for That Kind of Party. (Immaterial, since I lived many miles away.) Later on, I got a much fuller picture, but I still haven't quite figured out why I would want to go.
Good afternoon, local folk! As you know, we are moving to the sylvan Heights of Arlington soon, and thus our lovely apartment in Davis Square will be uninhabited.
Would you like to live in said lovely apartment? Do you know someone else who might like to live in said lovely apartment?
- 5 minute walk / 12 minute drive to Davis Square - First floor - Two bedrooms - One bath - Gas heat/hot water/stove (hot water radiators) - Your own laundry in the basement - A modicum of basement storage - On-street parking, but it's a quiet neighborhood and we rarely if ever have trouble parking - Completely fabulous neighbors - Neighborhood wild turkey for photo ops - Stellar paint choices, including a cheerful marigold kitchen - First-rate KittyTV - $1700/month, water included (but not other utilities) - Available January 1
Curious? Interested? Drop a note here. Tell your friends!
Not only can you get a lovely drink, spend an evening in the company of people who really want you to have a good time, and enjoy a complex and fascinating play...
... the language is so luscious that you will actually be measurably smarter at the end of the evening.
Curious? Come to see "The Lady's Not For Burning" this weekend or next!
