I have a new Seekrit Project that I am working on, and it involves some pretty spiffy illuminations! The set is up on Flickr here. Here’s my most favoritest one:
I’ve got some other news too, but that can wait until later. For now, I am going to go work on my homework. :)
Hey all!
I’ve been up to lots of stuff since I last wrote. I entered the bardic competition at War of the Roses with Leiknir’s Fire, and did fairly well, though I didn’t win. It was a good experience anyway, and gave me lots of things to think about when writing my next story. I stepped down as Bard of Rokeclif, and was thrilled beyond measure to pass the title to the 9-year old Katharine (who sang a period piece and stayed in the same key the whole time!). I stepped up as group herald for my shire in Northshield, Border Downs. I got volun-told to be the event steward for our annual winter event, Yuletide.
Oh, and I entered this A&S competition at the Stellar University of Northshield… and won my category (novice)! I entered a new poem that I wrote for Their Highnesses Tom and Sigrid. It’s not up on this site yet, but should be… eventually. I’m learning that committing to time-frames is not my best strength.
Anyway, I’ve been told under no uncertain terms that I am NOT allowed to enter my poetry in the novice category anymore. I’m not sure what I think of this but who am I to argue?
Remember how I entered the Lay of Liam into Northern Lights, that big ol’ A&S competition?
I won my category.
WHOO!!
-Kat
Hear this Lay of Liam,
Loyal peer of east-realm
Charged with quest by Konrad,
King of Tyger’s homeland.
“Send for smiths of malt-surf , [beer]
Sundry brews you’ll call for.
Taste and test their spirits,
Tell me of your findings.”
East rode Alethea,
heiress strong of Konrad.
Made her camp near mountain,
Mead-horn bearers’ envy. [valkyries]
Princess, pleased by mission
Promised him her blessing.
Liam left there, Munr’s soul , [heart]
Longed for Alethea.
Liam searched for sooth-glass, [screen of a computer]
Saw he visions many.
Birds of light and breath-air
brought to all his missive.
“Send me wares of alesmiths,
Solemn quest I’m charged with.
East-king’s entertainment
In my hands is trusted.”
Casks and kegs are emptied,
Corked and sealed with treeskin. [cork]
Brewers, tribute bearing,
Beer of homelands brought him.
Lover dear of lifeblood, [alcohol]
Liam’s mettle tested.
Vessels vast were brimming.
Valiant Liam drained them.
Seasons, silent marching
Sovereign Konrad passes.
Heiress Alethea,
East-realm crown inherits.
Liam’s quest completed,
Cup-oak strong returned then. [warrior of cups]
Ruler faithful faltered,
From her lips, words tumbled:
“Olrun’s east-realm presence [Valkyrie named for beer-rune]
Earned respect through actions.
Searched and sought out alesmiths, [brewers]
Sampled, then reported.
Weary not, this wanderer
Worked for noble favor.
Love of Queen he longed for
Through love of beer is granted.”
Background: Hrodwyn’s fighting for Sir Hagan at an event this weekend. She comissioned me to write a boast for her. This is it. (she helped.)
Cecil Hagan’s Boast — Hertzkrieg, 2009 – Katerinka Lvovicha of the Two Kingdoms and Hrodwyn Trollslayer
Here stands Hrodwyn Trollslayer,
Hale-armed griffin’s daughter.
Green skinned gift to foemen,
Gone are trolls from cloudhome.
CeCil Hagan, heart strong,
High esteem is held in.
Sword-elm maiden’s mission:
Make safe Hagan’s honor.
Oak-son, framed with firebeard,
Famed his deeds through kingdom!
Clothes his kin in ringshirts,
Cares much for their safety.
Death-friend dancer graceful,
Dons both helm and shoe-gold.
Counthood earned by kingship,
Carries knighthood’s burden.
Boasts are brought forth often,
Bright clad falsehoods form them.
Plain truths here presented,
Pride shines forth in lip-song.
Hrodwyn, sword-elm, honored
to Have the joy to fight now.
For Hagan: firebeard, fighter,
Friend I’m proud to call him.
So last month, my shire in Northshield held our annual Yuletide gathering. The matriarch of the group had brought some scroll blanks and watercolors, so I painted two of ‘em.
There they are!
-Kat
Welcome to 2009, glorious readers! I’ve got several projects on my list to get done this year, and most of them are SCA related. Surprised? I’m not. :)
I really need to get back on track with my bardic stuff. I got distracted and forgot to actually get anything done in the last few months. I’ve got a couple stories begging to be put to paper and a few songs nagging at my brain. Believe me, I want them done just as much as they want to be done. Maybe more.
In October, Baroness Eithni helped me cut my veil-weight silk into an appropriate veil shape. Of course, when I say “helped me”, I really mean “cut it herself while I sat by quaking in terror.” I tucked it away for a month, and then at Boar’s Head (a large Yuletide celebration in the Kingdom of Northshield) I finally sat down and edged the damn thing with a really spiffy veil stitch. Look for diagrams and pictures of me in the veil coming to a blog near you! It might take me a couple weeks though…
I’m looking foward to getting a new dress made. My old black dress is nearly done for, after a year and a bit of solid service. It was not constructed as well as it could have been, and I’ve learned a lot in the area of sewing, so I am hoping to get a new one done in time for spring. We will see, of course, but I have high hopes. :)
I don’t have a ton of time, but I wanted to make a quick post to let y’all know what I’ve been up to over the past month. The answer to that is:
A big, fat nothing.
School’s been eating my brain, so SCA stuff has gotten mostly shoved to the wayside. I did go up to The Cities a couple weeks ago to hang out with Fuzzy Viking and go to an event called Clothier’s. I learned lots of stuff and managed to keep myself mostly out of trouble. :)
I’ve got a few things coming up on my schedule in the next few months. On December 6th, I’ll be running the A&S stuff for my shire’s holiday event, Yuletide. We’ll have a walking A&S competition/display, complete with Fabulous Prizes! I may also be MoL’ing a tournament, but nothing’s been solidly decided on that yet. For Nordskogen 12th Night (held up in The Cities), I’ll be doing another walking A&S display (less with the fabulous prizes this time) and also running the A&S 50 meet up. I’m doing yet another walking A&S competition/display for Lupercalia.
“But Kat,” you cry, “whatever is this ‘walking A&S’ that you speak of? Surely we have never heard of it and without an explanation we shall surely die.” Well, my kind and gentle readers, I don’t have time to explain it at this very moment, but I will get a page up sooner rather than later and then I’ll share it with all of you beautiful folks.
I need to run off to class now. Kisses!
-Kat
Turkish Coffee
Anyone who’s ever been to Coldwood or hung out with me at NRWC has had Master Tearlach’s Famous Turkish Coffee aka Instant Sobriety aka Hangover Cure. It is, hands down, the best coffee I’ve ever had. Ever. Better than Ketil’s espresso even, and I don’t say that lightly. Here’s the recipe he uses:
Ingredients
1lb medium to dark roast coffee ground at the Turkish(finest,flour like) setting
1 Tbs ground cardamom
1 Tbs ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
Bring 6 quarts of water nearly to boiling in an 8 quart pot
Stir in all ingredients
Bring to boil
Remove from heat
Add 1 quart cold water
serve with available sweetener, milk, and much shtick
I like mine in my big mug with two full scoops of sugar, 3/4 filled with coffee and 1/4th milk or cream. I’ll usually have three or four mugs full over the course of an evening. This coffee is particularly nice served ice-cold in the morning, though it sometimes makes sense to take out your mug full and mix the sugar in before it starts cooling down. Then again, sometimes it doesn’t make an ounce of sense at all. There is no straining involved with this. The grounds and spices should sit at the bottom in a thick-ish layer. Don’t drink this unless you’re planning on being up for a while.
Look! Actual content!
Savage Dishwasher
Sung to the tune of Savage Daughter by Mistress Wyndreth Berginsdottir
Written because I guess I really like writing about dishwashing. :)
CHORUS: I am the baron’s savage washer,
the one who cleans gross stuff off of the pans.
I am the baron’s savage dishwasher,
I will not use steel wool. Hey, I have run out of soap!
The baron’s dishwaaaashing crew is savage
They’re handing out sponges and oodles of foam.
None can believe their kids are helping
They wish they could could get them to do that at home…
CHORUS
The baron’s dishwashing crew’s impressive
They got lots of dishes done in two hours!
No one quite understands their methods
They think that they must have some magical powers!
CHORUS
The baron’s dishwashers are really quite awesome
They managed to rid the big pot of the stew
It had three full inches of caked-on foodstuff
But somehow it’s cleaner than when it was new
CHORUS
We all are trained early to ditch after eating
To scurry and hurry away from the feast
but these six brave souls took on this challenge
They now are the greatest who once were the least.
MODIFIED CHORUS (below) x3
We are the baron’s savage washers
the ones who clean gross stuff off of the pans.
We are the baron’s savage dishwashers,
We will not use steel wool. Hey, we have run out of soap!
*bows*
ETA: The final line of the chorus could also read “We will not use steel wool. Oi, where’d the hot water go?!”