Banner Project Finished

2013 has been a very frustrating year.  What with extra training at work and thus no vacation time I was hard pressed to get even the most basic of routine tasks done.  But I did get one project done I’ve wanted to do for quite some time, so it wasn’t a total loss. 

This is a merit sash of sorts.  The top half is shooting or buckskinning organizations I’ve joined at one time or another.  Then there are events were I was part of the teaching or demonstrating staff.  Near the bottom are patches from the ATC from my early backpacking days, a BSA badge from a Ukrainian Orthodox summer camp where I sang in the choir for the closing liturgy, and a Girl Scout patch from my 1st ever historic presentation (I was a scout in Juliet Lowe’s 1st troop on the occasion of the centennial of her birth).  At the bottom there’s a State Seal of Michigan patch (my home state) and a patch from my Girl Scout Camp.  My 1st experiences with living outdoors came during those 4 years at Camp Shawadasee and they were very very good ones.

Witch Way is Which – OVPR Formal Tea

Ever since Hector was a pup there has been a Ladies Social at the OVPR ‘Vous on Saturday at noon.  It’s a Hoot.  The ladies all put on their best attire and sashay over to the Tavern where Hootie Owl serves up his finest concoctions while Dulcimer Dave, the Preacher and sometimes various other instrumentalists provide the music. 

Historic Information Marker

But this is not the only Hen Party at the OVPR.   One group of women in particular has hosted an Afternoon Tea around noon on Friday for several years now.  It hasn’t been held every Vous.  Sometimes the weather hasn’t been accommodating  and sometimes the Four Hosts haven’t all been there to well host things.  But it generally happens and it certainly happened at the Fall 2013 OVPR. 

The All Important Directional Sign

First a bit about the Host Sisters.  They have long graced the Ladies Social at the Fall OVPRs.  All Four of Them - Cousins to the Weird Sisters of MacBeth’s Scotland in All Their Glory. 

Witch Host is Which?

So of course they host a Witch’s Tea.  In all its glory.

Ah The Party Notice

The Tea Table

And the table is most richly laden.  For what’s a tea without tea snacks?

The Final Touches

And the Weird Sisters work very hard to see that everything is in its proper order.  Hum, eye of newt, wing of bat, now where’s the web of spider?

Web of Spider Located

Ah, there it is.  The Tea is Ready.  And so are the eats.

Bill of Fare

Like all Good Establishments the Bill of Fare is Prominently Posted.

The Sponsor

Of course an event of this magnitude needs a incorporate sponsor.

Fly-By Window

And offers the Complete Take-Away Service via a Fly By Window.

Fortune Teller with a Client

New this year – Bobalicious the Fortune Teller dropped by and helped one and all see what the future held for them.  Yours Truly has a Separation from Service by Reason of Retirement in my future and Good Luck will Grace my Lodge if I Rendezvous Frequently.  I can go with that.

Tea Attendees

The tea was well attended by the OVPR Women.  Note in particular the Witch in Training just to the left of the flag pole.  And yes, witches are very patriotic.

More Tea Attendees

All the usual suspects were there.  With more besides.

Best Dressed Award

And yes, like the Ladies Social on Saturday, finery is the Order of the Day.

Thank You to the Weird Sisterhood for Hosting this Tea!

OVPR Fall Rendezvous

Ah late October, time for the OVPR Fall Rendezvous!  The weather was a bit chilly but otherwise it was Shining Times All Around!

My Lodge

There were fewer folks at this year’s fall Vous largely due to a scheduling conflict with the Southeastern National Rendezvous, but that sure didn’t stop the OVPR from being a 1st class fun event. 

Some of My Lodge Neighbors

I ended up camped in an area I’s never setup in before.  The usual lodge where I set mine was off at the Southeastern.  Just across the way was a lodge of OVPR 1st timers, a father & 2 sons.  They were very pleasant company and yours truly made sure they knew about the Sat. night camp feed, the music at Dulcimer Dave’s Marquee and the Special Non-alcoholic beverages available at the tavern.  They had a grand time & I do believe OVPR will see them again. 

The Blacksmith

I set up right across the road from the blacksmith.  He prefers to camp in the woods were there is less wind to play havoc with his forge.  He also fixed my lantern stands so my new lanterns fit them properly.  If I decide I need any new ironware I know who I’ll see first.

Lew’s New Lodge

Lew also has a new lodge.  Brock approved and a few of the OVPR lads built Lew a little weatherproof cabin .  Its just big enough for a cot and a bit of floor space too.  There’s hooks and some shelves for his gear.  This will allow 80+ year old Lew to keep camping at the Vous, a situation all of us like.

The Vous Family Behind My Lodge

OK, I’ve like outdoor doings ever since I was too young to be outdoors doing by myself.  So I really like Vous’ing families with kids doing the outdoors doings.  If this family wasn’t having fun they sure were doing a very good imitation of sounding like they were having fun. 

Another OVPR Family

Of course it doesn’t take 3 generations in one camp to be a Rendezvous Family.  These folks run a very friendly camp too.

The TeePee Crown Returns

The TeePees were obvious by their absence during the last few OVPR Vous, but here they all were again back in full smoke-flapped grandeur.

A Rendezvous Cook of the Finest Kind

This camp also holds one of the best campfire chefs – I have never seen or smelled burned parched corn, half done jerky or any other such abomination in this camp.  This fellow’s cooking could be served with ease at any number of dinners with pride.

Staying Warm Talking to Old Friends

There are various contests at Rendezvous but time spent with friends is more important than any contest score. 

Art & His Matchlock Smoothbore Gun

Art usually runs the smoothbore range and he did so for this event.  That’s his new matchlock going out for its first competitive event. 

Peep’s Lodge

When the sun is almost gone & the wind is kicking up this is the place to be.  They have the perfect combination of lodge setup and location to make for a very toasty camp.  And it did get right brisk of an evening.

More Old Friends

Health situations can lay us all low, so it’s a double pleasure when friends who have been beset with health related stuff in their life get better and can return to OVPR.  It was very very good to see these 2 ladies back in camp.

A New Trader for OVPR

Some of the regular Fall traders were of at the Southeastern, but this lady came to OVPR instead for the first time here ever.  She had scented soaps and candles for sale, several of which followed me home after and appropriate exchange of letters of credit.

Blanket Trading Starts Early

Not all trading is done by traders on Traders Row.  These 2 young traders were driving some very hard bargains under the watchful eye of their father.

Pumpkin Carving Family Style

 The October chill didn’t impede the pumpkin carving.  There were at least 14 carved pumpkins at various camps by Friday Morning. 

The OVPR Signature Pumpkin

My Personal Favorite

Of course not everyone chooses to actually carve their pumpkin.  These are just two fall arrangements which graced the camp.

 Pumpkin Still Life

Mums with Lantern

I suppose Rendezvous means different things to different people but for me watching families having fun is a big part of why I keep coming back. 

Lunch in Camp

Just Back from the Shooting Range

Da Urchins Improving the Camp

Twa Brothers Construction Company LTD

The Tavern didn’t open at night, it was too cold to play or even sing much unless you were in a heated marquee.  But the Ladies Social on Saturday was its usual success.

Hootie Owl & His Barmaid

I’m not much for hard liquor but if Hootie had been serving Irish Coffee I’d certainly would have had some. 

2 Ladies Dressed for the Social & the Cold

No rendezvous is a rendezvous without some guns and shooting.  Plus hawk and knife throwing.  And even some primitive archery tackle.  Maybe even a skillet throwing contest.

These weren’t for sale, just the firelocks of one camp. 

No That’s Not a Typical Flintlock

The final parting shot . . .

A New Lodge in Camp

N.B. There was a fine ladies tea & witches gathering too.  Its in the next posting

Spending OT Pay

The current staffing shortages at work means mandatory overtime shifts and mandatory overtime does produce OT Pay.  Personally I’d rather have time to spend with Da Urchin and friends rather than money to spend but such is life.  At least there’s a bit of a silver lining to the work cloud.  Most my OT pay is going toward paying for some dental work but I decided to spend some of it on Rendezvous gear.

These 2 fine brass ship’s lanterns will now be hanging from iron lantern stands at my lodge.  I choose brass over the much less expensive tin both for historic accuracy and corrosion resistance.  No one with a lick of sense would use tinned iron in a wet environment.  Tinned iron is fine for carrying a lit candle outside from the inside of one building to the inside of another building.  The heat from the candle will dry the lantern and thus minimize the rusting of the lantern.  But a tinned lantern used outside rather than inside just plain rusts while you’re looking at it and there really isn’t an “inside” when you’re camped out in a tent.  These lanterns came from Jas Townsend & Sons.  The brackets on the back are for long term mounting to a wood pole or mast. 

I also use these 3 lanterns in my lodge.  I’ve had the brass lantern for over 9 years.  Its has glass on 3 sides so its great as the locator lantern for my lodge plus the brass back reflects light forward nicely.  The yellow vigil light I hang near my bed.  I use a battery powered “candle” in it, the light looks right but is safe to leave lit in the tent.  The copper lantern is an original “Lou Light”, or “Loo Light” if you prefer.  It was made by Lou, a buckskinner in his 80’s who has forgotten more old time skills than most of us have learned.  Its great for walking around an event or making the dreaded 2am Loo Run.  The handle on the top slides up to keep you hand from getting burned while carrying it.  It also folds together for easy packing and to protect the glass front. 

I found this the other day at the local WalMart – bet you didn’t know WalMart sold rendezvous supplies other than food and candles.  This is the smaller of the 2 sizes they had.  The candle inside is another one of those battery operated units.  I also bought a regular 4 inch candle for it.  Its not a copy of a historic design but it sure is a neat lantern anyway. 

PS. To My Rendezvous Readers – This post is mostly for my non-rendezvous friends who are curious about my hobby toys.  There will be more posts sorta like it on cookware, clothes, etc. 

 

AWK!

OK, so you my faithful readers surely are thinking I Fell Off the Face of the Earth – and in a manner of speaking I did.  I knew last January that work this year was going to be grim, but I underestimated just how grim.  First there was an extra 4 days of Glock training for everyone.  Then there was an extra 2 days of Learning Team Training plus half a day of PREA training  for anyone who missed the PREA training during their in-service week.  The PREA training even had to be done by the end of August.  Plus the Night Shifts are understaffed as usual.  So if I wasn’t in training I was working extra days for someone else who was in training.  I not only couldn’t use my earned Vacation and Compensatory Time, I couldn’t even count on my regularly scheduled days off.  My Beloved Employer even called me at home one morning, woke me up to ask why I wasn’t at work for a training session – except the schedule had me listed for a different session and no one had gotten around to informing me of the change. 

Now I did had some good times this summer and I will post the glorious details soon.  I was able to get to 1 day of the Fort Frederick Trade Fair,  the Front Royal Wine Festival, and the Primitive Man-less Settlement Win-e-vous #2.  Gypsy Jane & I went paddling on the Rivanna Reservoir once and paddling with swimming at Chris Greene Lake twice.  I also got to spend a few Saturdays with Da Urchin at her place and she came to my place with her puppy once.  But mostly I scrambled around trying to get routine chores done and sleep too. 

The Biggest Thing of this Summer was my decision to retire come February 1st of 2014.  I had thought to work until 2016 and Medicare but this last year has convinced me that that is not a wise course of action.  So here’s to more visits with friends & family, more historical events, a motorcycle rally or two plus a great deal more fishing, paddling, and horse riding.  With house maintenance & repair thrown in for fun. 

 

Yorktown Victory Center

I got packed up in record time at the end of the OVPR PMS so I headed over to the Yorktown Victory Center for a busman’s holiday.  The Center has a nice museum, a colonial farm and a military encampment area.  During the summer they have a lot of local students doing Living History at the site.  But by late September there are just a few staff here and there at the farm and encampment. 

Obviously it was laundry day at the farm.  I’ve done laundry colonial style, it’s a whole lot of hot, hard and wet work. 

The majority of the farm crops had already been harvested.  Most of what was left were various squashes and a few beans.  Only heritage seeds are used on this farm.

These bowls hold a representative sampling of the foods harvested from the farm gardens.  The garden crops are all food crops.  There were also tobacco and large scale corn fields.

The storehouse also had these dried cooking and medicinal herbs hanging from the rafters.  They were grown in another garden patch all of their own that was quite close to the kitchen area.

The farm is middling in size and prosperity.  This is the primary common room of the house.  The cooking was generally done either in an outdoor kitchen area or a separate kitchen building.  Kitchens burned down frequently so it wasn’t a good idea to have it as part of the rest of your house building.

The farmer and his wife have a ground floor bedroom with a nice bedstead.  The bed was most likely made by the farmer or gotten from a neighbor skilled in basic woodworking and paid for through barter. 

Family members who were old enough to climb a ladder safely would have slept in the loft on pallets laid right on the loft floor. 

The military encampment is on the far side of the museum.  Photography isn’t allowed in the museum, so there are no pictures to post.  It is quite nicely done.

The Rev War cannons used as mobile units in the field were quite small particularly when compared to the Civil War cannons which commonly grace courthouse lawns these days. 

General Washington had a lovely marquee to run the war from but line officers quarters were more often wall or even wedge tents.  This is the quartermasters tent.  The area in front of the tent is shaded by a fly, in part because various stores are kept there.

This bed is in a Captain’s tent.  The ticking is filled with straw or cornhusks depending on what’s available.

This tent houses 2 line officers.  The folding cots were not always available so the officer on the right has procured other means to keep himself off the cold and often muddy ground.

 

 I’m tempted to duplicate the “bed” supports for my own light camp at events.

This tent just inside the museum foyer (were photography was allowed) would have been assigned to 6 foot soldiers.  Two of them would have been on duty at any one time so the tent only had to sleep 4 men at a time.  Common soldiers often received a bed sack for straw or corn shucks but had to find their own way to elevate the bed sack off the ground.  (There were common soldier tents set up outside but there were several school groups in that area of the Center eating lunch.)

Clearly this regiment has a well appointed surgeon.

He has all the common medicinal herbs and several drugs from overseas also.

Common soldiers daily stew cooking over the fire.  This is one of 8 such cooking areas arranged in a circle.  The dirt from the trench and cooking holes is put on top of the ground in the center.  This British system of organizing regimental cook fires concentrates the fire’s heat under the pot so less wood is used.  Small fires are safer than large fire too.  The food cooked in this pot would serve 12 men, ie 2 tent’s worth. 

(I think I need to back here in mid-summer.)