stellar_muddle | Back again, again.

So, back from a 5 day long medieval camp. Yay camping :)

But before the aforementioned tale, for the Stross fans out there who don't already know about it: free speculative fiction from Charles Stross, or at least links thereto. Luckily Z has a book at the momment or I wouldn't have the computer for a day or two.

But back to the medieval stuff.
MLHNZ camp so all period tents and cooking over open fires, with a no plastics or mundanities visable outside tents (or too much visable inside open tents) policy. No schedule bar packup and takedown times/dates. Lots of curiousity driven projects etc - forge, pole lathe. Usual copious quantities of nice food.

Weds 14 Nov. Heavy on and off rain with occasional hail at home, so didn't exactly rush out to site. By the time we did (5pmish and via the supermarket and petrol station), the rain had stopped, the wind was medium (compared to slight gales at home) and

alpha_angel reported little rain and wind. Tent was put up easily, stuff exploded into the tent, had dinner (yay macaroni cheese) and there were discusions round the campfire til late.

Thurs 15 Nov. Morning ritual of oooohing at the various visiting ducklings established. A few more people arrived. Finished Z's trousers. The oven was shifted (on its last legs but able to last most of the event before the bottom burnt out). First finger incident (knife). Sun showers with torrential rain for about half an hour - get sunburnt and soaked at the same time. Fun, but no rainbow. On and off rain fro the rest of the evening. Very nice goat and venison* casserole for dinner - hey,

alpha_angel, post the recipe for that one :). WRT the rain, remember to chack that your groundsheet (yay for oilskin) isn't poking out the wall of the tent such that water can run off the walls and run inside. While the puddle was under the mattress, luckily the mattress and blankets were in the swag, so protected by 2 layers of oilskin and waterproof clth. Again, yay oilskin. Discovering this fact just as we started heading for bed as opposed to when it started raining was less good**. Everything else was safely away from the walls and all fine though.
* The start of eating the uber piece of venison brought down from Z's parents. Think it has done 5 meals so far and the last bits will be reheated for lunch tommorrow.
**"Trenching in the rain, just trenching in the rain..."

Fri 16 Nov. Overcast, but not bad (?at least not raining). Worked on naalbinding a sock - bit loose a weave, but at least managing (and am still remembering) the Oslo stitch ok. Finished the sock (heel a bit big), and started on the next, with a tighter weave. Will probably keep making socks until I come out with a comfy pair I am happy with. Then I can start on a pair for Z. Z set up a forge I think. Occasional scout groups through which Z was happy to rant at (or was that Sat?). Dinner was pot roast venison. More people arrived. Attempted bunny shooting failed. Late night tall stories and more discussion round the campfire.

Sat 17 Nov. Z got up round dawn for attempted bunny shooting round two, but failed to get anything. Apparently the ducklings huddled sleeping round the campfire for warmth were very cute. Venision steaks for breakfast (as well as the standard poggo etc) Warm and sunny day. Sunny enough day that while Z was arching, I decided to use a pattern we had taken off a straw hat (off Vernons collapsable one, from China, so not that documentable) to make a leather broad brim hat. 6 panels stitched together later and only 1 awl hole in the finger and rather stiff fingers, I had a daffodil shaped hat and was begining to be known as the bluebell fairy :). But I made it through the camp with no sunburn :) Various people daytripped out and there were an interview team from National Radio (?) wandering around and asking things. There was sorta some singing:). Edit: Seond finger incident (crossbow). Dinner was pot roast hare legs. Very nice desserts, ranging from sticky pudding earlier (Thank you

mmy_me edit: and

sir_asbjorn) to pears in red wine later in the evening (thanks

alpha_angel and the really nice very decadent soft cheese wheels fried and coated with cinnamon sugar mix (mmm want that recipe too :) Late night talking, then campfire and staring at stars, with the occasional meteor (doubt any were Leonids though).

Sun 18 Nov. Pack up day. Sigh. The usual big breakfast as leftovers are used up. The theme was bacon and there were threats to do a raid on the scouts and force feed them bacon. Mmmm, thick bacon steaks... Warm and sunny for packup, which is all to the good for getting tents and groundsheets dry. Brimmed hat was definitely useful. A bit of archery before packing up. An uneventful packup, with only a little looting of the jarra bits of telephone pole brought in as firewood. Then home to unpack, wash hair, get distracted by dramas about the Chatterly Affair, and eventually sleeeeeeep....

I have a few photos, mainly from Sun and as packup started. May get around to posting them and some of the NAAMA ones but run out of room on the current Flickr account and don't quite think the cost of a paid account is worth it. May borrow some space on Z's one. Anyone know any other ok free photo hosting sites?