Bad Weather = Good Project Time

Well the cut short OVPR Rendezvous was a disappointment, but it did give me an extra 2 days to work on projects.  So Saturday I unloaded the mule, cleaned everything, sorted and repacked my gear, and then moved onto getting ready for Sandy.  I reinstalled the storm windows on the house, moved the motorcycle trailers onto the gravel by the kitchen door, moved the utility trailers onto the side yard away from the trees, and generally went around and secured anything loose so it wouldn’t blow around.  That evening I cleaned house and painted a King’s Broad Arrow and “GR” on one of my haversacks.

British Rev War Haversack

Sunday was cloudy but there was almost no wind and no rain so I headed off to groom and otherwise spend time with the horses Irish and Louise.  Both horses are growing a nice winter coat and were very frisky in the cool weather. 

Aprons

Sunday evening I finished putting Sno-Seal on my camp shoes and then cut out 2 aprons and put 1 of them together on Monday and the other on Tuesday.  I also got a belt made, to be put on my trade blanket next season, and started on another belt for myself. 

Trade Blanket Belt                            Buckle Stitching Detail

The Trade Blanket Belt is 50 inches long and 1.5 inches wide.  It adjusts from 40 to 46 inches but could have holes added for a smaller waist.

I’ve decided that by spring I want to have 4 full sets of Euro-American attire put together.  I’ve now got 4 aprons, 2 bodices, 1 set of stays, 2 shifts and 2 skirts.  I’ve already got the material for 2 more skirts and another bodice but I’ll need to get material for more shifts.  I’m about to be a sewing fool.  The Mad Stitcher strikes!  Truly Hansoon Lives! 

Oh, as for Sandy – it rained here steadily from Sunday night until sometime early Tuesday morning.  It was a bit windy, with a few nasty gusts but that’s all.  No snow, no power outage, no downed limbs.  Deo Gratias.

OVPR Fall Rendezvous–October 25 to 28

Oh boy, oh boy, its RENDEZVOUS!  I got all packed up last Sunday, everything but the sharp edged things and the food was in my mule Methuselah.  I got home Wednesday morning, slept for 4 hours, put the rest of my kit in the mule, saw to the cats’ needs and I was off!  There was a bit of traffic around Richmond but I made it to camp in 4 and a quarter hours.  Unfortunately I didn’t make it to camp in time to set up before dark but I found a good spot and had the mule parked and set up inside for sleeping. 

Henry & Deborah

So Wednesday evening I cruised around camp and got in some good old fashioned socializing time.  In particular I spent some time with Missy Clark and then had a great catch up on all the news chat with Henry and Deborah.

Morning at the Registration Hut

Bright and early the next morning I unloaded the mule, drove it out to the parking pasture and then registered for the Vous on my way back into camp.  By 11AM I had everything set up and had changed into my event attire. 

My Fall OVPR Camp

The weather was delightfully warm and sunny, an excellent time to stroll around camp and finish my Hello How Are Yous.  It took me awhile to make it all the way around camp but who cares, its Rendezvous!

Jay with his Double-barreled Shotgun

I had a nice but short chat with Jay who was heading out to shoot in the smoothbore match.

Sleeping Buck Skinner

I let sleeping ‘skinners lie and returned later to chat with this fine fellow.  He sure looked cozy though.

Backroad Misfits

I was checking for good blanket trades as I wandered around but most folks didn’t have their trade blankets out yet.  These folks had a blanket out but they didn’t have anything I wanted.  They do have a really nice wood sign for their camp

Here’s another camp with a nice handmade wood sign for their lodge.  I like how their medallion board hangs from lodge sign.

Friday was just as nice as Thursday – a bit cooler and cloudier but still a fine day to sit, enjoy the great outdoors and socialize.

Preacher Ken & Son

The Preacher Ken & his son played some mighty fine music of an evening at Dulcimer Dave and Mary’s lodge.  No they’re not arguing, just looking pensive on purpose for the camera. 

Late Breakfast or Early Lunch?  Who cares?  The weather was fine for bacon and eggs in the sun.

Lou at Feather’s Lodge

Feather (back left) has traded his wedge for a low sided wall tent.  That’s Lou in the back right, 80 years young.  Feather was still getting set up when I came by, his fire pit wasn’t even dug yet.

Wandering John (left) & Hootie Owl (right)

As Friday afternoon began folks were pulling into camp and the area was filling up nicely.  Wandering John had come from the Southeastern and his camp was squared away when Hootie and another friend sat down to chat.

Chantel & Youngest Son

Chantel was seen in camp fixing a cloth stuffed toy escorted by her ever valiant younger son.

The Young Dragon Lord

Said son was taking his dragon out for a walk.  He is an awesome kid, as is his older brother.

The Cloth Merchant’s Marquee

For folks that wanted to stock up on supplies for a winter of attire making the Really Nice Lady Who Sells Cloth Whose Name I Don’t Remember was there.  She had just gotten this marquee and was really enjoying the way it let her set out her wares.  I got apron tie webbing from her and plan to make my cloth for attire purchases next spring when I should have the funds to do so.

The Button Lady

The Button Lady was there too, with a nice selection of flat and shanked civilian buttons to finish off anything from a sailor’s jacket to a ladies gown. 

Missy Clark of Barkertown Sutler

Of course there were traders for folks who are not of the sewing kind.  Both Seams Colonial and Barkertown Sutler were there to cater to folks who want ready made or made to order clothing. 

Tom of The Mountain Forge

Tom was all set up for folks who needed things other than clothing – shooting bags, swords, ironware and the like.  Plus a grand selection of hard candy. 

Yes that’s a cell phone he’s talking on.  Because alas the OVPR was cut short – Hurricane Sandy was heading our way.  Rain is one thing but high winds and canvas tents are not a good mix.  The Vous was scheduled to run until Sunday noon but was shortened to Saturday noon with everyone off site by nightfall.  Tom’s calling for his son to bring the trailer in so he can pack up.  So I packed my camp up Friday afternoon with the intention of staying until later that night and then driving home.  It started to rain as I was re-parking the mule, so I changed my plans and just headed home.  It did feel really really strange to be home from OVPR before 10PM on a Friday, but there were things I needed to ready here if Sandy was coming to visit. 

The new fence around the OVPR Memorial

So it was sad to be leaving early but good that everyone got a chance to take dry canvas home and get themselves ready for whatever Sandy was going to throw at us. 

Weekends are for Working

My current employment involves working every other weekend.  This has a very negative effect on my ability to spend time with friends and family.  Basically I have to squeeze my entire social life into 2 weekends a month and whatever vacation time I can arrange.  This is not one of my job’s better sides.  So I am very jealous of my weekend social time and plan it carefully for maximum enjoyment.

So it was really odd for me to plan a weekend of working on projects.  But that’s exactly what I did.  I cleaned, sanded, primed and painted 3 bedroom windows.  I cleaned up the yard.  I sorted through some boxes of stuff.  I washed laundry, dishes and the floors.  The bathroom and bedroom got cleaned.   I evicted Lady Bugs and Stick Bugs from the window/storm window spaces.  I was a little housework cyclone.

British Canadian War of 1812 Haversack

And in the evenings I worked on history hobby gear.  I added the “GR” to the Kings Broad Arrow on my 1812 British Canadian haversack which completed that project.  I saddle soaped , Neatsfoot oiled and then greased all 3 pairs of my attire moccasins. 

Throwing Knife in its New Sheath

I finished the throwing knife sheath I started last work break.  I now know why leather workers in the age of hand sewn everything suffered from arthritis and other painful ailments of the hands and wrists.  But the sheath is done.  I even had time to practice my hawk & knife throwing each day. 

And just as I was about to start packing the mule Methusela for OVPR I got a text from my Urchin.  The couch and lounge chair she needed to move to her house wouldn’t fit into JR’s vehicle.  So several texts later I was on my way to Da Urchin’s by way of Leesburg.  The traffic near Gainsville/Haymarket was bumper to bumper returnees from a day of Fall Color drives, but I got to Amber & Dan’s place and the couch & lounge chair got loaded into my mule.  An hour later I was at Da Urchin’s where I hopped out of my van and into her car so we could meet D&D for dinner at the Amphoria.  A glorious birthday dinner was had (Happy Birthday Dolores) and then it was back to Da Urchin’s, unload the couch and chair, walk the dogs, hug Da Urchin and scurry back home.

The Universe was watching out for me and I got my weekend social time after all.  OVPR Rendezvous packing is next.  WooHoo!

Home Quiet Time

Fall in all its splendor has arrived at my home.  I’m usually energized by the cooler weather and get all kinds of things accomplished around the house in September and October.  But not so much this last couple of days.  I woke up Monday with a mild headache and generally muscle sore all over with nothing in particular to account for it.  So I got things done but at a slower pace than usual and with several naps thrown in. 

Illegal Alien Stink Bugs

I’ve got a bit more trim painting to do on the windows but discovered I also had squatter evicting to do on two windows.  I removed all the storm windows and chased the bugs out with a screwdriver blade but they just kept coming back.

More Illegal Alien Stinkbugs

By evening and cooler weather they decided to seek somewhere else to winter over.  So I got the storm windows removed, the windows washed, the window frames washed and the bugs have gone away.  I guess the painting will have to wait until this weekend. 

Painters Drop Cloth  Apron

The muscle soreness kept me from finishing my throwing knife sheath since working on leather with already sore hands seemed hardly a way to enjoy my day off.  So I made up a 2nd apron for my 18th century attire.  I had bought a 12x9 painters drop cloth last year to use as a floor in my 9x9 tent.  (The drop cloth goes over a 9x9 plastic tarp.)  Earlier this summer I cut the 12x9 drop cloth down to 9x9 which gave me a 3x3 and a 3x6 piece of tightly woven course cotton for projects.  The 3x3 piece has been hemmed and is ready for its apron ties.  I hope to get good cotton webbing at the OVPR Vous to finish it off.   The spots on the cloth are from its days as a tent floor – just a Hat Man’s Wife using what she can get her hands on!  I also cleaned up a sheet iron frying pan, saddle soaped & greased all my Vous moccasins and painted a Kings Broad arrow on my British War of 1812 haversack.  (The haversack still needs a “GR”.)  Plus hemmed a pair of work pants for good measure.

It was warm enough to sew the apron and hem the pants outside while sitting in the sun and enjoying the glories of fall.  I love fall.  Have I mentioned that before?  Well I do.  It truly is my favorite season.

Fall Has Arrived in Its Glory

North Fork Rivanna River at Advance Mills

North Fork Rivanna River looking Downstream

Rivanna River at the Advance Mills pond

Throwing Knife Sheath Project

OK, I admit it – I really enjoy history and I enjoy common daily history most of all.  I want to know what folks wore, what they ate and what their homes were like.  I want to know about the crafts, about what was made & what was bought as well as who did the making and who did the buying.  I want to know who lived in a community and what did they do as a community.  I want to find the window on the past that lies hidden in the things from that past.

This interest has lead me first to Civil War reenacting and then on to Colonial American living history and rendezvousing.  Those hobbies in turn have gotten me back into sewing and then basic leather stitching.  I’ve been pretty busy this summer with home maintenance but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have plans for some cloth and leather work.  My current project involves making a sheath for my throwing knife.  Tomahawk & knife throwing are done competitively at rendezvous right along with rifle, smoothbore and pistol shooting.  I’ve been taking my hawk & knife to the range in a haversack and decided that its about time I make proper sheathes for them both, sheathes I can wear on a belt. 

This is phase one of the project.  Throwing knives are much thicker than standard knives and don’t have cut-the-steak sharp edges.  So they need a heavy sheath to handle the weight of the knife but don’t need to keep the user safe from cutting themselves.  I’ve made the belt loop big enough for my widest belt and stitched it down on the back of the sheath.  The sheath front has the leather folded over to give the sheath entry area a rounded edge.  The brass “63” button is purely decorative, its just there to match the “63” button that will secure the flap on the throwing hawk sheath I plan on making next.  The ‘U” shaped piece of leather is as thick as the throwing knife blade and will be sewn between the front and back of the sheath.  The smaller little rectangles of leather are spacers to give clearance for the knife handles.

I’ve discovered the really good history videos on YouTube – stuff from museums, academic conferences, BBC etc.  This is very very dangerous.

October Lawn

Just some photos from around my yard as October begins.  I love October.

These mushrooms favor the area around the white pines and the maple tree in the front yard.

This is what they look like at maturity.  They’re only about an inch around when they first appear and about 4.5 inches in diameter fully grown..

There are orb spiders around the yard from mid-April on but their numbers are largest in October.  This nest is about 7 inches in diameter.  Soon I should come home to nests like this all over my yard.

As the days get cooler more critters sun themselves on the side of my house.  I wish this granddaddy long legs liked stinkbugs for dinner. 

There are plenty of stinkbugs to go around.  The day Da Urchin & I went car shopping (Da Urchin got a silver Subaru Advante AWD) there were over a hundred of these obnoxious things on the side of the house.

There are also some awesomely large spider webs made by some not very large spiders.  This little lady is less than half an inch around but her web is over 2 feet in diameter and is at least 6 feet from its nearest anchor tree. 

Yard mowing will end soon as the leaves here are beginning to turn.  I haven’t had to turn the heat on yet but I did get out the flannel sheets.  Unfortunately I am working on Halloween – but there’s another Rendezvous on the way and plenty of fall days between now and then.

Have I mentioned how much I love October?