Monday, April 26, 2010

Fort Frederick Trade Fair

The first 1700’s event I ever attended was the Fort Frederick Trade Fair. I had a wool wrap skirt & leggings, a muslin trade shirt, Ft. Ligioner mocs and slept under a dog tent of shelter halves ca 1860. The first thing I bought was a set of woven garters and a sash, the second was a blue striped hunting shirt. That year and for the next 8 years if you look close at the aerial camp photos you can find my CW dog tent at Ft. Fred’s Trade Fair. Then the fair went juried and for several years it was the same weekend as either Orthodox Pascha or Carly’s Party. So I didn’t do Ft. Fred as it were. This year I was off for Ft. Fred, so Jane & I decided to make a day of it Saturday, mostly to visit with friends._MG_1602

This is Missy Clark helping a customer try on a bodice. It didn’t fit, she needed a smaller model. Missy lives in New York state so Jane & I don’t get to see her much, which doesn’t please any of us. Much good music has been made with Missy at her lodge.

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Here’s Henry, he does first class leather work. Plus his lovely wife feeds hungry waifs from the 21st century at the drop of a hat. I dropped my hat a lot. So did Jane.

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Dulcimer Dave & his wife out shopping, Dave’s lodge is the main music venue at OVPR.

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A fine Russian Orthodox cross from the late 19th century. If I’d had the money for this it would have followed me home !

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After Ft. Fred closed to those without proper attire, Jane & I headed off to my Urchin’s place for dinner and a night of rest. This is Urchin with Wicket, the Smallest Ewok Kittah.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Jamestown Military Through the Ages

Jamestown Settlement host a Military Timeline event that is 2nd to none !  The idea is to have juried units from various eras to come and put on their display for 2 days.  Military here refers to any organized armed group.  Thus national armed force units sit cheek by jowl with militias, household guards, mercenary groups and even civilian privateers.  

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An Early Scandinavian Sea Wolf

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Swiss citizen soldiers

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Member of a Mercenary group returning home from Byzantium

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The River Rats - a British colonial Pirate, I mean Privateer crew

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A Highlander Jacobite

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An American Seaman from the Chesapeake Bay

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Continental Revolutionary War Soldier _MG_1525

A British Soldier and a Boer Militiaman from the South African Zulu War

All in all, one day was nowhere near enough time to do this event.  The units started ca 720AD and continued into the current era.  I spend most of the day in the earlier time periods, at one point I even managed to remember enough Latin to hold a conversation with a Provincial lady ca 1460.    I also like the various militia/home guard units, especially the Irish Republican Army ca 1920.  This is one event I want to attend again !

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