[TheForge] Back from the Pennsic Wars

[Saint Phlip]

Well, there was a lot more to the War than the time I spent at the
forge ;-) Among other things, we had the Knowne Worlde Cooke's
Potlucke in camp one evening,, and most of the food was cooked in the
coals in handmade period pottery pots and pans (part of the crew are a
potter, and a professor who's into experimental archaeology), as well
as the (whole) leg of lamb I cooked in a cast iron dutch oven. Another
participant cooked a chicken and a boneless leg of lamb hanging by a
string near the fire, set to rotate so it was twisting, and thus
turning iteself. This all went on while my students were working, so I
got to combine 3 of my favorite activities (smithing, cooking, and
drinking good homebrew). And, since our Cookes tend to want to make
sure everyone was fed, the students were thrilled to get a good meal
as well as a lesson ;-)

But, there's so much to see and do, at Pennsic- incredible shopping (I
got a book on kilns that looks like it'll be a good supplement to
Mikey's book, from the masonary side), fighting, whether as spectator
or participant, archery, all sorts of contests, classes on all sorts
of topics ( only one I had time to take was reupping my CPR),
swimming, clothed or un, as you prefer, and meeting lots of cool new
people, as well as spending time with old friends. And partying, of
course, for those who like that sort of thing, everything from full
out booze blasts, to beer or mead or Scotch tastings, to quiet
campfires with various skilled performers presenting songs or stories.
And, concerts- quite a number of skilled performers mundanely will
give free concerts at Pennsic. I went to see Micheal Longcor
(Moonwulf) one evening. Didn't run into Weird Al this year.

Only 49 weeks, 2 days, until I leave for the next one ;-)

What you have is 12,000 or so highly intelligent people, from all
walks of life, allowed to spend 2 weeks entertaining themselves and
each other. It's pretty incredible ;-)

On 8/14/07, Andy Gladish <gladish at cablerocket.com> wrote:
> Wow..never knew wars could be such fun- wish they were all like that.
> "Mommy, can we go to another war real soon?"
>
> Andy Gladish
> www.elementfe.com


-- 
Saint Phlip

Heat it up
Hit it hard
Repent as necessary.

Priorities:

It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the smith.

Denial of evidence is not refutation of evidence.

Blessed be the self-righteous, for they shall inherit themselves.