today's newcomer's picnic
Last spring, when we were discussing whether or not Frostheim would host the Medieval Days at Hägnan this summer, I agreed to be on the organization team, on the condition that we also have some sort of Newcomer's event within a couple of months after the event, and Norrskensfest both on the calender before Hägnan, so that we would have places to invite the new people, and, perhaps, actually gain as members some of the people who show interest at Hägnan.
The date we wound up choosing for the Newcomers event was this weekend--reasonably soon after the start of the new school year so that students aren't yet worried about exams, but after the initial start of the year welcome to uni party weeks orientation weeks. We decided on a nice, easy, low key afternoon picnic in a grassy area on campus, with Frostheim providing some food, and participants encouraged to bring their own food as well. We had also offered the fighters the opportunity to have a tournament, but only one of the local fighters was able to make it, so that didn't happen. There were a couple of fencers who put on armour and played a bit, which was nice. The local archery club that had so much fun helping out with the archery for the public at Hägnan showed up again today, in their lovely costumes, and were a wonderful addition to the event. They helped out with setting up my pavilion and sunshade (brought as much as a "look, medieval stuff here" sign as anything else), brought more food that they put out on the common table, brought a period board game (which was in use all afternoon), and participated in the dancing. There were a variety of students who came without costumes, and some of them borrowed from the Frostheim loaner costumes, but there wasn't enough of that for everyone, so we just made them welcome anyway. I am not certain how many of them joined us because they walked past and we looked interesting, and how many had seen the flyers or announcements on FB and came on purpose. But there must have been at least 30 people present. (My apprentice had a book in which she got everyone to write down their names and email addresses, but she took it home with her, so I can't look it up yet.)
In addition to the live music and dancing, my friend E. and I did some acroyoga. I am pleased to report that I can now manage to get into the shoulder stand on her upraised feet on my own, though the process of getting there feel like (and probably looks like) it was drawn by Warner Brothers. First she lays on her back, with her legs straight up in the air, and I stand by her head. I bend forward and put my shoulders onto her toes, and hold her upraised hands. Then I jump up and roll forward a bit so that my weight is on my shoulders on her upraised feet, and on my hands holding her hands. I scramble frantically with my feet, trying to them them high enough that I can stand on her fingers. Once I manage that I can force my butt higher into the air, so that my upper body is truly upside down, and then I can manage to roll my legs up till I am fully upright. I tried, and failed, to find a photo of someone on line doing this pose, but the closest I can come is this one, which isn't quite the same because 1) I am so not ready to let go of her hands in this position, and 2) I actually lift my legs upright and point my toes to the sky. However, we do cross through, more or less, this pose on the way down--I bend with my legs out like that, then shift my weight onto one shoulder plus both hands, and he takes one foot off of one of my shoulders, bends the other leg and lowers me till she can tuck her foot into the hollow between my outstretched leg and hip. Then I shift my weight to that side, and she moves the other leg to my hip before we go on to the star pose.
The date we wound up choosing for the Newcomers event was this weekend--reasonably soon after the start of the new school year so that students aren't yet worried about exams, but after the initial start of the year welcome to uni party weeks orientation weeks. We decided on a nice, easy, low key afternoon picnic in a grassy area on campus, with Frostheim providing some food, and participants encouraged to bring their own food as well. We had also offered the fighters the opportunity to have a tournament, but only one of the local fighters was able to make it, so that didn't happen. There were a couple of fencers who put on armour and played a bit, which was nice. The local archery club that had so much fun helping out with the archery for the public at Hägnan showed up again today, in their lovely costumes, and were a wonderful addition to the event. They helped out with setting up my pavilion and sunshade (brought as much as a "look, medieval stuff here" sign as anything else), brought more food that they put out on the common table, brought a period board game (which was in use all afternoon), and participated in the dancing. There were a variety of students who came without costumes, and some of them borrowed from the Frostheim loaner costumes, but there wasn't enough of that for everyone, so we just made them welcome anyway. I am not certain how many of them joined us because they walked past and we looked interesting, and how many had seen the flyers or announcements on FB and came on purpose. But there must have been at least 30 people present. (My apprentice had a book in which she got everyone to write down their names and email addresses, but she took it home with her, so I can't look it up yet.)
In addition to the live music and dancing, my friend E. and I did some acroyoga. I am pleased to report that I can now manage to get into the shoulder stand on her upraised feet on my own, though the process of getting there feel like (and probably looks like) it was drawn by Warner Brothers. First she lays on her back, with her legs straight up in the air, and I stand by her head. I bend forward and put my shoulders onto her toes, and hold her upraised hands. Then I jump up and roll forward a bit so that my weight is on my shoulders on her upraised feet, and on my hands holding her hands. I scramble frantically with my feet, trying to them them high enough that I can stand on her fingers. Once I manage that I can force my butt higher into the air, so that my upper body is truly upside down, and then I can manage to roll my legs up till I am fully upright. I tried, and failed, to find a photo of someone on line doing this pose, but the closest I can come is this one, which isn't quite the same because 1) I am so not ready to let go of her hands in this position, and 2) I actually lift my legs upright and point my toes to the sky. However, we do cross through, more or less, this pose on the way down--I bend with my legs out like that, then shift my weight onto one shoulder plus both hands, and he takes one foot off of one of my shoulders, bends the other leg and lowers me till she can tuck her foot into the hollow between my outstretched leg and hip. Then I shift my weight to that side, and she moves the other leg to my hip before we go on to the star pose.
