Border War

***WARNING- Long photo laden post ahead!***
Tom and I spent this past weekend attending our largest SCA event yet-Baronial Border War at Bertha Brock Park near Ionia.
We knew we were in for some rain so we got the tent set up in the Novus Soldalis (new memebers)camp and the car unpacked as quickly as we could Friday afternoon. After a brief rainshower we visited the Dun Traigh camp next door and did a little wandering exploring the beautiful park and checking out some of the other camps. We ate a simple dinner then prepared to go to a dessert revel at the Northgate camp. We didn't make it past the adjacent camp before the thunderstorm started. We tried to wait out the storm under cover of Vlas and Ermas' pavillion but after about a half hour we gave up and returned to our tent where we played dice by candlelight. Lady Sophie (who had made it to the dessert revel before the rain started) was kind enough to bring some desserts back to our camp to share. After sampling the sweet treats I decided to call it a night while Tom ventured out into the rain to find the party at the Northgate camp. The thunder and lightning continued well into the night but out tent stayed dry and cozy.



Saturday was the busy day of the event. After my morning coffee made in my french press pot (a lifesaver!) I headed over for my shift at "troll". (Troll is the check in point for new arrivals and I have no idea how it came to be called that. LOL)Then I followed Malise over to the lodge for her beaded boomark class. It turned out that I was her only student so we could have done the class right in camp but I'm sure the exercize didn't hurt either of us. After the class I wandered through the merchant area were I didn't see anything I had to buy but I did run into a guy that has worked at the same place as Tom for the last 30 years but we had no idea that he was also into ren faires and the SCA! Tom found me wandering and we returned to camp for lunch then carried our chairs up to the battlefield for the afternoon's main event- the war between the Barony of Andelcrag and the Barony of the Northwoods. I admit that I have no idea how war points are counted to determine the winner but I had fun checking out the garb and armor and did a little hand sewing on a linen apron between battles.





Then we headed over to the lodge for the class on migration era Hungarian clothing that Istvan was scheduled to present. He was a few minures late since he had to rush from the battlefield back to camp to change then rush back up to the lodge for the class. While we were waiting I was entertained by observing Her Majesty Queen Runa converse with a young couple who we too new to realize that they were speaking with the queen.
I wasn't sure which side won the battle until it was announced at court later in the afternoon that the army of Barony of Andelcrag were the victors. I love the pageantry of court as well as witnessing my new friends receive recongnition for their contributions to "the dream".











Saturday evening there was a party at the ballfield that included a chocolate chip cookie contest with samples for all, Middle Eastern dancing and drumming, and a bit too much sampling of the labors of our local brewers. LOL We had the honor of meeting a young squire called Jasper who was sitting vigil for his elevation to knighthood.(I hope I phrased that correctly. I'm still new at this.)Jasper is only 25 years old but, accordng the stories we heard that evening, he is very deserving of the honor and mature enough for the responsibility. We had a great time with friends old and new and it is probably best that we have no photographic evidence of the evening's happenings!
We packed up and left fairly early Sunday morning to get back home and celebrate Fathers' Day with the family.