Award of the Purple Fret - March 2014

The Award of the Purple Fret is an award given by the Crown to individuals who have been recognized for service to a group, office, or Kingdom. The recipient was Terentia Faustina, read into court at the Masque of Courtly Love on 3/1/2014.

• Direct Link: Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts
• Title: Four Gospels
• Origin: Eastern Mediterranean, Greece (Thessalonica, monastery of Philokalos) 

The Award of the Purple Fret was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton goauche and  Speedball calligraphy ink using a C3 nib. The text reads as follows:

Before those here assembled it shall be know that we Cellach, King by right of arms of the Middle Kingdom, and Vukasin our Queen, do recognize the exemplary service that Terentia Faustina hath freely given through her dedicated work as a Minister of the Arts and Sciences. Therein, we publicly commend her and are pleased to bestow upon her the Award of the Purple Fret without let or hindrance. Given by our hands this first day of March, Anno Societatis XLVIII (48), in our Marche of Alderford.[Greco-Latin: Gaudium scientia et servitium, “the joy of learning and service” in the quatrefoil.]

Finished work.

Inspiration piece.

Order of the Willow - March 2014

The Order of the Willow is an award given by the crown to those who have shown proficiency in the arts. The recipients are known by the badge blazoned: Purpure, a willow tree eradicated Or. This award is equal to the awards: Order of the Silver Oak.

The Award of the Purple Fret was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and  Speedball calligraphy ink using a C3 nib. The text reads as follows:

Let the words of the Crown be sung throughout the lands of the Middle Kingdom! Pleased are we to recognize the enthusiastic pursuit of music and the tutelage of the Cleftlands Choir shown by our loyal subject Patrick of Cleftlands. Henceforth he shall be numbered as a companion of our noble Order of the Willow with the right to bear the badge: Purpure, a willow tree eradicated Or Given by the hands of Vukasin, Royal Patroness of the Arts, and Cellach our King on this first day of March, Anno Societatis XLVIII in our glorious Marche of Alderford.

The wording of the text feels a little out of order from the standard Midrealm Scribes handbook. The recipient was in court, receiving his Award of Arms (I think for the second time) when his Majesty asked him if he had a Willow. Patrick politely said no, your Majesty by which King Cellach commanded that the award be changed to a Willow and Herald Make It So! The award scroll was created after the fact, so I tried to impart a little of the imperative tone of the edict. Hopefully it came through as more of a missive and declaration rather than a casual invite to the order.

Finished work.

Inspiration piece.

A Valentines Day Massacre

One of the premier fighting and shopping events of the Midrealm is St. Valentine's Day Massacre, or Val Day as it is commonly known. I've traveled to the wilds of Kalamazoo once before for the event and it was grand, but I haven't made it the last four years. This is the year of a historic Baronial investiture, a pairing of mother and daughter to lead the Barony, and one of them is a member of our Sisterhood. To support them during this time, the Team has made preparations to head north for the investiture... and to look dapper while doing it.

Ginevra has been documenting the steps of creating her dress for Val Day and it sort of guilted inspired me to do a little sewing of my own. The stash fabric on the right has been languishing in my closet for at least five years; it was a Pennsic purchase that I didn't have anything particularly in mind for. It doesn't exactly scream Italian, but it's pretty and Italy did enough trade with the Turks/Persians, that I figured it was OK.

The whole project started off well enough. I had just enough fabric for three rectangle skirt panels at 47 inches long, plus enough material for a bodice and sleeves. Success! I wanted to try using the gamurra block pattern since it is flexible, custom, and worked well when I made all my easy wear items for Pennsic. The skirt construction was easy, three straight seams, so I moved quickly on to the bodice where I used two layers of linen/cotton fustian heavy weight fabric and a medium weight white linen as lining. I felt I had some time, so I added channels and hemp boning, just like my other Italian gowns. A bit more sewing and the bodice was done.

It was a piece of cake.

And then I tried on the bodice. Apparently I didn't learn my lesson about cake when watching Labyrinth a thousand times. The bodice was a bitter piece of marble cake and a bit of a hot mess. It didn't fit quite as well as I would have liked and the neckline was just that - at my neck. The nuns called and said I was pious enough for the convent it was so high and modest. Not exactly what I was going for, so back to the cutting board.

It was Wednesday night, meeting night, and already after work. I threw the section of material I had set aside for sleeves down and very quickly cut out a new bodice with proper pieces from Period Pattern, Italian renaissance, view VII. It went together more quickly than expected (without boning, alas.) And on Thursday, I was hand sewing towards the end of the business day so I could attach the skirt and sew down the lining by the end of night. I was able to throw a hail Mary pass and get it into enough shape to wear it, but the fit still leaves a little to be desired. It will still need to be taken in a little to make it worth wearing again.

Award of Arms - January 2014

An Award of Arms is given by the Crown and grants the right to bear and display arms. The recipient was Bubba of Winchester, read into court on January 25, 2014 in the regency court of Calum and Constanza in the Barony of the Cleftlands.

• Direct Link: St. Andrews Rare Books Blog
• Source: St. Andrew's Psalter
• Origin: 15th century London

The Award of Arms was created on pergamenata with Windsor-Newton gouache and 23K gold leaf. The calligraphy was done by Ginevra Boscoli using black India ink and a Brause nib. The text reads as follows:

Be it known to all that we Cellach, King by right of Arms of the Middle Kingdom & Vukasin our Queen send greetings. We have heard much good of Bubba of Winchester, who has made himself worthy of advancement by his service wherever there is need and his skill with a bow in times of war. In recognition of these good works we are minded to make unto him an Award of Arms and bestow upon him the right to bear the arms Or, a   popinjay proper and on a chief wavy azure three goblets argent. Done this 25th day of January, AS 48 by the hands of our Regents Calum and Constanza, fourth Baron and Baroness of the Cleftlands, in or lands of Brendoken.

Finished work.

Inspiration piece.

Award of the Sapphire - November 2013

The Award of the Sapphire is an award given by the Crown to individuals who exhibit courtesy, grace, and honor to others and exemplify what it means to be the embodiment of The Dream. The recipient was Ginevra Boscoli, read into court on at Royal University of the Midrealm on 11/2/2013 and given on 11/13/2013.

• Direct Link: Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts
• Source: The Burney Manuscripts (123)
• Origin: Italy, Central or S. (Urbino? or Rome?) 

The Award of the Sapphire was created on Strathmore 400 Series natural parchment with goauche and Speedball calligraphy inks with a C3 nib. The text reads as follows:

Proclaim throughout our Realm that we Cellach, King by right of arms of the Middle Kingdom, and Vukasin, our Queen, send heartfelt greetings. Observe and know that it is one of the pleasures of the Crown to recognize individuals who exhibit great courtesy, grace, and honor to people of all ranks and who exemplify what it means to be the embodiment of The Dream. Therefore, we are hereby minded to make unto Ginevra Boscoli an Award of the Sapphire. We bestow unto him/her all rights and responsibilities associated with The Sapphire Light and the right to bear the badge: Fieldless, a gemstone azure. Done by our hands this 2nd day of November, Anno Societatis XLVIII, in our Barony of the Cleftlands.

Finished Work.

Inspiration piece.

La Castellana and a shot of RUM

Most of my energy these last few weeks has been focused on maintaining the online schedule for the upcoming Royal University of the Midrealm (RUM) and AEthelmearc Academy venture. I will be teaching a class called Italian Dance for ECD Feet – La Castellana. After teaching a similar version of the class at Pennsic for Contrapasso en Due, I thought I would reprise the format after the dance competition at Red Dragon.

Here are the handouts:  Class Notes | Dance Notation

If it looks like you’re seeing double, you are! The handouts (as the stand today) are formatted to fit on a half piece of paper. If you are going to print these, please print them two per page, landscape format, flip along the short side. And then share a copy with your best friend.

Love is Strange

The Goddess and her cronies.

In 2011, Ginevra and I traveled to the wilds of Tirnewydd in Columbus to attend the Known World Dance Symposium where we had a fantastic time dancing, singing, and acting. Ginevra was a principle player in then The Honorable Lady, now Mistress, Felice’s production of The Masque at Coleorton and I had a small part in the production which forced me to learn, without hesitation, War Bransle. But enough of that, the masque deserve(s/d) a post of its’ own when it was more fresh in my mind.

At any rate, one of the classes that we took was an intensive course of Negri’s Bizzaria d’Amore. We had a fun dance set – Lelija from AEthelmearc, a friend we had met at Northern Oaken War Maneuvers during a dance class, and Jlona from Cynnabar. (Yay, new friends!) We made our way through the exhausting class (it was late in the day) and even had our own special version of one of the steps to help our tired-selves through it at the ball that night. Lelija’s lord, Sionn the Lost, was kind enough to document it for us during the evening’s ball.

As it has been about two years since I took the class, my knowledge of the Bizzaria has, at best, faded. Whenever I am feeling especially motivated I say I will learn the dance and teach it! (TEACH ALL THE VERSES!) So I will say it publicly – I will re-learn Bizzaria. I will teach it. When? Not sure exactly, but perhaps Pennsic if I can get a good format down.

There. Fancy-pants dance-gauntlet thrown.

References

• Renaissance Dance Database: Bizzaria d’Amore
• SCA Renaissance Dance Homepage: Bizzaria d’Amore
• YouTube: Bizzaria d’Amore [Credit: Alla Danza.]

Red Dragon 2013

As previously mentioned, Red Dragon is one of my favorite yearly events. It takes place in the Marche of Tirnewydd in Columbus, Ohio which is just over two hours south of my home in the Cleftlands. The event site is gorgeous, the weather is wildly unpredictable, and the food is amazing. (The people are pretty awesome, too!) This year had the extra added bonus of being Midrealm coronation for Their Royal Majesties Cellach and Vukasin.

When these stars aligned, Ginevra and I quickly sent in our early registration for the event, only later to learn that our four would be two due to last minute conflicts that prevented our respective Lords from attending. Undeterred, we planned for a 6:00 AM (!) departure on Saturday to the event with a brief stop to pick up an item for a field court, then a stop at Waffle House where bumped into two of our Furies Keep sisters. What are the odds of that?

We arrived on site with 30 minutes to spare prior to court, so we quickly dressed and made our way in to watch the coronation, which was fantastic. Afterwards, we checked in, then caught up with our beloved Patron and other Sisters. Around noon, we tried to make our way to a honeycomb pleatwork class taught by Genoveva von Lubeck of German Renaissance fame, but the class was already packed. (We will, of course, still DO said honeycomb pleatwork, but on our own time.) Undeterred by our failure, we proceeded to look at the A&S displays and then prepare for the 2:00 dance class.

Ginevra was asked to teach the dance this year, Caroso’s La Castellana*. The odds were definitely not in her favor, to borrow the near-reference from The Hunger Games. The lodge was packed with four other classes, it was humid and hot, and there were well over twenty students of varying degrees of expertise in attendance. Master Philip White summarized the entire class best:

Her circumstances were dire! It was humid. And hot. The room was crowded. Four other classes were going on and good was being served. It was loud. I could barely gather the energy to stay in the same room! But she was cool and calm. Soothing for the 25 or so students she ended up with who were of varying skill and experience. She was bright and helpful! Tentative and well paced! And somehow had boundless energy! Her students clearly had a great time and learned a lovely dance. Well done!

And all the while wearing our court clothes (see also: layers! intense heat!) I give Ginevra credit a thousand times over as it is deserved. I partnered with the lovely Sally of Red Spears at the far end of the hall and we had a grand time dancing for the hour of the class. During the half hour break before the competition, I continued to DJ the music for anyone who wished to practice, and practiced with anyone who wished to dance. Emine (bint Istani) was a pleasure to partner with, too!

Around 3:30, His Majesty Cellach, Her Majesty Vukasin, and His Majesty Trimaris Yoan arrived to proceed over the competition. Sally and I danced in the first group of performers and did well, then we were up again in different arrangement for the third run-through. Each group of five or so couples and performed twice, on the second positions were switched for faced the presence. The panel of judges conferred, then let us all know that the winner(s) would be announced during evening court.

Fast forward to evening court (see authors note below) where TRM called forth all the children, gave praise/thanks, then asked the parents if they would be allowed to go out and play with Gebhard Rauten, squire to the King and Deputy Kingdom Youth Minister, because court would be lengthy. I’m not sure if it was a precedent, but it was definitely a first for me to see. Classy!
Court ran through the usual paces, and when it was time for the dance competition winners to be announced, I was surprised to hear that Sally and I had been chosen. Yay, us! And I’m excited for next year’s challenge!

After court, we proceeded to the feast hall to have, quite possibly, one of the most amazing feasts I have ever been privy to, stewarded by my old friend Malachai and Team Anubis. Course after course of tantalizing dishes made it near impossible to pace ones self until the end. We closed out the night with a grand ball and live musicians.

A picture-perfect end to a picture-perfect event.

A family photo: Colette, Luther, Felice, Ginevra, Crespine,
Philip, Genoveva, Gianna, Zsof, and Elizabethe.

* La Castellana is one of my/our favorite dances. After a dance bender, feeling particularly distraught with our lack of Italian step knowledge, we tasked ourselves with learning not only the dance, but the terminology. It has become one of our signature demonstration pieces.

• Renaissance Dance Database: La Castellana
• YouTube: La Castellana [Credit: Etienne de Clermont and Adele Desfontaines dancing Caroso’s 1581 dance, La Castellana. Filmed at Musician’s Day, Grey Gargoyles (University of Chicago), October 2003.]

Authors Note: I wish I had summarized the event within less than 30 days of the event. The epic tale has been slowly fading out of memory as time progresses. Such is life! (This post is slightly back-dated to make things flow a little better than my writers block allows for.)

A Tale of War

To say that Pennsic was a blur is to put it mildly. I’m not sure if the blur was primarily before or primarily after, but as per usual I overloaded my schedule with things I wanted to accomplish and managed about a quarter of them. (Up from years past, though. Two thumbs to me!)

The thing that makes PW42 more surreal is the fact that it was my first time teaching at War. Nevermind the fact I hadn’t taught many classes before; very little could have prepared me for the nervous rush of teaching at such a large venue. I taught three classes: Whose Partner am I Anways?, Italian Dance for ECD Feet – Contrapasso en Due, and Mimed Bransles. They were more than enough (from a stress perspective) yet not enough because I would have liked to round out my four allotted classes as well as provide a little relief for the other teachers who had multiple classes. Best to start small, though.

Whose Partner was the first of three and had the most students, although I will shamefully say I invited half of my camp to attend to make sure at least someone was there. The dances were relatively simple, spirited, and fun. The version of Cuckolds taught was one that Ginevra and I had worked on through the long and cold Cleveland winter. Explaining the last verse (with pousettes) was made especially classy when you let the ladies know they can hit their partners over the head with a rolling pin as they chase them. Think about it… One of my house sisters recorded a video of Cuckolds for us – tilt your head to watch it.

Contrapasso was a well-attended class, although it seemed that the students were either already familiar with the dance (yet not ringers) or the steps translated exceptionally well to ECD (English Country Dance) terms. The dance was taught in pieces, starting with the chorus (figure 8’s or chevrons), then adding each of the verses, then a chorus, then repeated the process for each of the eight verses. We ended up with time to spare, so switched partners and danced it a few more times before class was adjourned.

Mimed Bransles was a lightly attended class, partially because it was up against Mistress Felice’s Gracca Amorosa flash mob and partially because the subject matter had been covered several times by then. It was a great opportunity to work with a small group of dancers and to practice listening for music queues to identify the dance. Which oddly enough…

… came in very handy during the Grand Ball! There were a small group of us willing to participate in the bransle challenge which consisted of randomly played bransles, dance til you drop, so on and so forth. Months of reviewing bransles really paid off! Towards the end, Ginevra and I were calling them as we went along. One of the funnier moments was during Bransle Aridan and the infamous bunny kicking giggle-fest, but you kind of had to be there.

Here are the class notes (etc.) for Pennsic 42:

• 7/27 - Whose Partner am I Anyway?
• 7/28 - Italian Dance for ECD Feet – Contrapasso en Due
• 7/30 - Mimed Bransles (Appendix)

A Box Without Hinges

A box without hinges, key, or lid, Yet golden treasure inside is hid.

It was serendipity when Bilbo and Gollum discussed the riddle dedicated to the incredible edible egg just as I was peeling a dozen for my latest culinary adventure. My initial exposure to a pickled egg was at a feast in January of 2009. A friend who specializes in medieval mustard and sauces provided mustard pickled eggs for the feast and since then I have been hooked. They definitely take a moment or two of texture analysis upon consumption, but if you can get past that then you are golden! (No pun intended.)

My take on the pickled treat went slightly askew when I stumbled upon a purple pickled egg fondly known as the Pennsylvania Dutch Pickled Egg. The coloring agent is none other than the offensive-to-some yet beloved-by-others beet. I looked through a number of different recipes and settled on a blending of the traditional sweet-acid mix plus spices. We'll see how it turns out later this week for the Cleftlands Cook's Guild egg-themed challenge.

From an SCA/medieval cookery perspective, I have been halfheartedly looking around the internet for methods of egg preservation during the middle ages. I have seen references to eggs being boiled and stored during Lent since the consumption of animal products (milk/eggs) were forbidden during the High Holy time. Also, the pickling of eggs in Greek, Roman and Persian cultures. I'll come back in and flesh this particular section out, though! It's definite food for thought. :)

Spiced Pickled Eggs

• 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 1/2 sweet or yellow onion, sliced
• 1 14 oz can of sliced beets, liquid drained and set aside
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup white sugar (what I had on hand)
• 1 T whole black peppercorns
• 1 t kosher salt
• 3 t Penzyes Tsardust seasoning (salt, garlic, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, marjoram)

Prepare hard-boiled eggs per your favorite cooking method. In a large glass container, place onions, beet slices, and hard-boiled eggs. In a non-reactive pan, combine sugar, spices and seasonings, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves, and the liquid from the can of beets then bring to a boil., then pour into glass container with remaining ingredients until they are covered. Seal, shake, then place in refrigerator to brine. Eggs will be ready to eat after 24 hours, but preferably within 2-3 days as each day will deepen the color/flavor of the egg.