sarahbyrdd

This Summer at Camp Pennsic ...

Seriously, I was telling my mother all that I was up to and she said it reminded her of my reports from summer camp when I was a kid, with me hanging out at the crafts house doing all sorts of fiddly things interspersed with group sing-a-longs and the like. If I'd managed swimming and horseback riding, it would have been just like.

There's more swirling around in my head than I can possibly remember, but first I have to thank the folks at the Black Pearl and O'Choda for being so welcoming, and of course bytchearse for bringing me back home after all these years, and showing me that it was better than ever. I didn't want to leave.

The short list of great stuff

-2 weeks almost entirely unplugged, with no family worries … and lightning didn’t strike me

- Lots of yummy food cooked by my camp mates
-Walking with Ostgardr in the opening ceremonies (complete with our own band), which got me a prime view of the action on the dais (eventually I'll figure out how to upload the pictures)

-Beer! Cold Beer! Home Brewed! ON TAP! In camp! :-)

-Teaching a successful group voice lesson to new victims (ahem) students, and learning a thing or two about how the bardic arts operate in the SCA from my co-teacher, Katherine (Thank you Katherine for co-teaching and rolling with my haphazard organization!)

-Attending other classes on "period" repertoire and realizing that I'm ahead of the curve on knowing what is available (which sets me to plotting and planning for better classes next year)

-Figuring out that I can successfully do blackwork, which I've been interested in for a dogs age

-Very interesting classes on needlework and block printing fabric

-Getting to feel cannons set off at close range …fffssssssssssssssssBOOM!

-4pm sewing/crafts projects time ... with beer! on tap! in camp!

-Being blown away by the artistic prowess of my camp mates

-Running into the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance …. SPOOKEY COOL!

-Getting to spend some quality time with new people and turn acquaintances into friends

-Overall, great weather: warm days, cool nights, not too much rain when I wanted to be running around

-Afternoon naps … oh how I miss you now!

-A certain walk on a star lit night with bytchearse

-There IS such a thing as a hot renaissance band

-Pick-up madrigal singing with other guests up at O’Choda

-Realizing that I too can look sexy in certain Middle Eastern costumes (and be much MUCH cooler than running around in European clothes)

-All walks with bytchearse, star lit or otherwise, plus the luxury of being able to say good night and good morning in person for two whole weeks

-Running into one of my first ever SCA friends and having him tell the story of when he "abducted" me at my first Pennsic (lo those many years ago) to some of my newer SCA friends.

-Seeing stars, LOTS AND LOTS of stars, AND THE SPACE STATION!

-Primo people watching of all sorts

-Having my head stuffed full of ideas for more projects than I’ll ever complete...