By some amazing, miraculous twist of fate, I have Friday-Saturday off from work for March, April, AND May! This has done wonders for my event calendar, including allowing me to check another state off the list!
The day dawned cold and bright as I shook winter's dust from my gown and hood and prepared for the two-hour drive from my home in Concordia to the Novice Schola being held in the Barony of Bergental. I had prepared a small bundle of largesse for His Excellency Johannes filius Nicholai, which I packed carefully alongside a few personal provisions before setting out.
Along the way I stopped to pick up sweets to share with the event's other attendees as part of the day's pot-luck feast. That accomplished, I headed to the site without further delay.
The gate staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming when I arrived. I was checked in quickly, instructed where to leave the sweets, and given a schedule and map for the day's activities. While I was checking in, an unfamiliar lady approached me and excitedly asked to take a photo of all of my "dog's head couped argent" regalia (in other words, my use of Snoopy in my various heraldic displays). Of course, I delightedly obliged before heading off for my first class.
That class was Games, Games and More Games, taught by William the Alchemist. I learned to play a period version of Snakes and Ladders, and a card game that I was horrifically terrible at. After that, I ducked into the "What is Court?" class taught by Baron Ernst and Mistress Brid, followed by the EK Wiki class taught by Gonzalo de Corneille. Both of these were topics I'm already fairly well-versed in, but I wanted to see what questions newcomers may have--particularly about court.
The next class I attended was "The Hedeby Apron Dress: One Interpretation" taught by Baroness Nastassiia Ivanova Medvedeva. I walked into it knowing NOTHING about sewing garb, and found myself in a room with a dozen ladies who were all experienced seamstresses. Despite this knowledge gap, I had no trouble following what Tasha taught--it was all in plain English, and demonstrated as well as explained. I've had a bolt of red linen for a couple years now, given as a thank-you gift for running A&S at an event in Lochere--now, for the first time, I think I know what I'm going to do with it, AND I'm somewhat confident that I won't completely screw it up! In the future, I will look for an opportunity to also take Tasha's class on sewing sturdy seams.
I ended the day with the Discussion in the Round, where a lot of people who have been in the SCA longer than I've been alive talked about how they first found the Society and what kept them coming back for more. It made me a little nostalgic for my own early days, back in Western Seas. The Society has changed a lot in the 15 years that I have been a member...and I have changed a lot, too.
I had to hit the road to come home before court, because my current work schedule necessitates waking at 2:30AM (ugh!), but I had a delightful and informative time at my first Massachusetts event and I look forward to visiting Bergental again in the future!
