Feast of the Hare 2009
Feast of the Hare 1999 was our first event. This officially marked a decade in the SCA. Piers got his AoA at court, which was a fabulous 10th anniversary present for him.
In many ways, this Hare brought us full circle. At our first event, everything was fabulous because we'd never seen anything like it and everything was a new experience. This may have been my favourite Hare ever. I had some lackluster ones between 2003-2006, but eventually I learned that the only person who could make or break Hare for me was myself. I stopped complaining that there wasn't anything to do and I started making my own fun.
It was the most bardic Hare of any that I have attended. Marie ran a period drinking song class and I ran a bardic circle. Both were attended by about 7-9 people. At some point between the 2 of them, most of the top bards and singers of the barony stopped by. I met a woman who is new to the canton and is working on her first song. I got to sing my unfinished first song. Marie taught us to sing a few naughty songs. Hey You did one of Hector's poems. I had one of my pieces requested. I came overly prepared and had pieced that I never performed. I was happy about the synergy and how one thing flowed into something else. It was as good a bardic circle as I've seen in Caldrithig for a while.
We did children's theatre at feast. I did "The Coming of the Tuatha de Danann" with me narrating and the kids acting it out. Projection wise, it worked better than trying to get the kids to project to a feast hall. I think people liked it. In addition to the regulars (Grainne, Cristobell, Elizabeth the Fierce, and Guin), I had two children from Kitchener (Isaac the Pirate and Emma of Ramshaven). Even Avalon wandered around. The best complements I got were Isaac and Emma's mother thanking me for doing this with her kids and Duchess Rustique telling me that when her boys are older than she would trust me completely with them. It's a real honour that people trust you with the most important thing the SCA has.
Feast wasn't my favourite, due to my own pickiness and not any fault on Siglinde's part. My favourite dish was the veal pie. We were a table of 7 instead of 8 and I somehow got to be the person who got the extra piece of pie. Actually, I ate far less than I normally do at feast and this is a good thing. I have been on Atkins for part of 2009. Prior to dieting, my portion size was out of whack and one of the things I changed about myself was to learn to be happier on less food. My dinner companions were awesome: Jacomo, Heather & Tempus, Gabrielle, and Llewellyn and yet I barely got a chance to talk with any of them. Between the children's theatre (which I ran) and the drinking song contest (which their Excellencies had asked me to help judge), I was in my seat for less than half of feast. Instead of asking myself "Did I eat $14 worth of food" (which is always where I go wrong at all-you-can-eat buffets), the question for the night was "Did I have $14 worth of fun at feast?" That answer is a resounding "yes".
The drinking song contest was fun. Marie sang on her own and she had a group of singers, which some how included me, do the Alehouse song. I had prepared a song, but luckily it was not needed. Luckily both for their Excellencies as I still need work and also for me as it meant that I did not have to win carrot vodka. :) Her Excellency successfully completed her White Wolf Fionn project. Marina, Henrietta, and Emelot all declared their challenges.
Court was very long. As I am part of baronial entourage, I had to stand on my Irish shoes. Yet, although it was long, it was good and I can't think of anything that could have been cut. The cantons presented their taxes. Elenud had organized the children to present taxes. I had written something for Grace to read, but she refused to do it. Court was after feast this year and the kids were tired. When my kids get tired, they get: 1) hyper and silly, 2) whiny and ready to cry over nothing, or 3) crabby about everything. Grace was #2. Fortunately Emily and Micaylah read it. There were many baronial awards and pieces of tail given out, including Jason and Elenud's twin girls. Aelfleda was given the Hare sword for the person who contributed the most on the day of the event.
Kingdom court was wonderful. Many years people get awards who are from other cantons and I've never heard of them. This year, I not only knew every single person who got an award but I agreed with all of them. AoAs went to Piers, Michael Easterbrook, Isaac Spinoza (from Trumbrand and Kaylah's reign two years ago), and one I can't mention as s/he wasn't present. Constance and Baroness Rozalynd both got AMH. Master Brand got an ASB. James Blackcloak got an Orion for dance. Pier's scroll was done by Corwyn and Domhnaill Galbraith. It gold with Celtic knot work and it is stunning - like as stunning as my 3 scrolls put together. I am so pleased for him, especially since he has got into scroll work and tries to make nice scrolls for other people.
Piers had a good Hare. He brought artwork to work on and had conversations all day. I got him to stay for court by telling him that he should come and watch Grace make her presentation.
Grainne had a good Hare. She played with the other girls. She loved performing at feast. Avalon was picked up by my father between 1:30-5 for a break for her. I was surprised at how much fun she had with the other children. There was one mishap when she fell off the stage while trying to jump like the bigger girls. She ran around too much during court and ended up on the Baroness's lap at one point. Other people seem to have children who wear Elizabethan and never get dirty. Mine always seem to look like medieval urchins. Avalon's dress still has the grass stains from Pikeman's. At one point, they had both taken their shoes off and were running around barefoot. Grace managed to keep her purple belt on all day, but I had to confiscate her circlet because she was lying down and it was always askew. They both need new garb for Practicum.
Jeff briefly showed up to get rid of some of Genevieve's fabric that he has been storing for 7 years. I took some and the rest is going to the BST auction. That is full circle too - at my first Hare, I wore one of Genevieve's dresses. A decade late and I have been enriched by her fabric horde.
Hare was Genevieve Constable's 16th birthday! They let her sit at head table. She said that she had a wonderful day. Piers had done a piece of artwork for her to thank her for helping look after our girls at Pikeman's. Since it was her birthday, it was a bit like a present.
In many ways, this Hare brought us full circle. At our first event, everything was fabulous because we'd never seen anything like it and everything was a new experience. This may have been my favourite Hare ever. I had some lackluster ones between 2003-2006, but eventually I learned that the only person who could make or break Hare for me was myself. I stopped complaining that there wasn't anything to do and I started making my own fun.
It was the most bardic Hare of any that I have attended. Marie ran a period drinking song class and I ran a bardic circle. Both were attended by about 7-9 people. At some point between the 2 of them, most of the top bards and singers of the barony stopped by. I met a woman who is new to the canton and is working on her first song. I got to sing my unfinished first song. Marie taught us to sing a few naughty songs. Hey You did one of Hector's poems. I had one of my pieces requested. I came overly prepared and had pieced that I never performed. I was happy about the synergy and how one thing flowed into something else. It was as good a bardic circle as I've seen in Caldrithig for a while.
We did children's theatre at feast. I did "The Coming of the Tuatha de Danann" with me narrating and the kids acting it out. Projection wise, it worked better than trying to get the kids to project to a feast hall. I think people liked it. In addition to the regulars (Grainne, Cristobell, Elizabeth the Fierce, and Guin), I had two children from Kitchener (Isaac the Pirate and Emma of Ramshaven). Even Avalon wandered around. The best complements I got were Isaac and Emma's mother thanking me for doing this with her kids and Duchess Rustique telling me that when her boys are older than she would trust me completely with them. It's a real honour that people trust you with the most important thing the SCA has.
Feast wasn't my favourite, due to my own pickiness and not any fault on Siglinde's part. My favourite dish was the veal pie. We were a table of 7 instead of 8 and I somehow got to be the person who got the extra piece of pie. Actually, I ate far less than I normally do at feast and this is a good thing. I have been on Atkins for part of 2009. Prior to dieting, my portion size was out of whack and one of the things I changed about myself was to learn to be happier on less food. My dinner companions were awesome: Jacomo, Heather & Tempus, Gabrielle, and Llewellyn and yet I barely got a chance to talk with any of them. Between the children's theatre (which I ran) and the drinking song contest (which their Excellencies had asked me to help judge), I was in my seat for less than half of feast. Instead of asking myself "Did I eat $14 worth of food" (which is always where I go wrong at all-you-can-eat buffets), the question for the night was "Did I have $14 worth of fun at feast?" That answer is a resounding "yes".
The drinking song contest was fun. Marie sang on her own and she had a group of singers, which some how included me, do the Alehouse song. I had prepared a song, but luckily it was not needed. Luckily both for their Excellencies as I still need work and also for me as it meant that I did not have to win carrot vodka. :) Her Excellency successfully completed her White Wolf Fionn project. Marina, Henrietta, and Emelot all declared their challenges.
Court was very long. As I am part of baronial entourage, I had to stand on my Irish shoes. Yet, although it was long, it was good and I can't think of anything that could have been cut. The cantons presented their taxes. Elenud had organized the children to present taxes. I had written something for Grace to read, but she refused to do it. Court was after feast this year and the kids were tired. When my kids get tired, they get: 1) hyper and silly, 2) whiny and ready to cry over nothing, or 3) crabby about everything. Grace was #2. Fortunately Emily and Micaylah read it. There were many baronial awards and pieces of tail given out, including Jason and Elenud's twin girls. Aelfleda was given the Hare sword for the person who contributed the most on the day of the event.
Kingdom court was wonderful. Many years people get awards who are from other cantons and I've never heard of them. This year, I not only knew every single person who got an award but I agreed with all of them. AoAs went to Piers, Michael Easterbrook, Isaac Spinoza (from Trumbrand and Kaylah's reign two years ago), and one I can't mention as s/he wasn't present. Constance and Baroness Rozalynd both got AMH. Master Brand got an ASB. James Blackcloak got an Orion for dance. Pier's scroll was done by Corwyn and Domhnaill Galbraith. It gold with Celtic knot work and it is stunning - like as stunning as my 3 scrolls put together. I am so pleased for him, especially since he has got into scroll work and tries to make nice scrolls for other people.
Piers had a good Hare. He brought artwork to work on and had conversations all day. I got him to stay for court by telling him that he should come and watch Grace make her presentation.
Grainne had a good Hare. She played with the other girls. She loved performing at feast. Avalon was picked up by my father between 1:30-5 for a break for her. I was surprised at how much fun she had with the other children. There was one mishap when she fell off the stage while trying to jump like the bigger girls. She ran around too much during court and ended up on the Baroness's lap at one point. Other people seem to have children who wear Elizabethan and never get dirty. Mine always seem to look like medieval urchins. Avalon's dress still has the grass stains from Pikeman's. At one point, they had both taken their shoes off and were running around barefoot. Grace managed to keep her purple belt on all day, but I had to confiscate her circlet because she was lying down and it was always askew. They both need new garb for Practicum.
Jeff briefly showed up to get rid of some of Genevieve's fabric that he has been storing for 7 years. I took some and the rest is going to the BST auction. That is full circle too - at my first Hare, I wore one of Genevieve's dresses. A decade late and I have been enriched by her fabric horde.
Hare was Genevieve Constable's 16th birthday! They let her sit at head table. She said that she had a wonderful day. Piers had done a piece of artwork for her to thank her for helping look after our girls at Pikeman's. Since it was her birthday, it was a bit like a present.