Decluttering Continues

I am making good progress decluttering! In the process I came across this artwork from years ago. I posted on a Middle Kingdom Facebook page, and hope to locate a Kingdom Historian or someone who will treasure it.

I bought it at an auction that was in support of ... I don't recall, probably the Pale ... on the impression that I was getting original signed artwork, but it is merely  cover from an issue of the magazine, signed and matted. I was disappointed but not going to complain since it was an auction for a cause, but I do like to get a little original art now and then.

However I haven't done SCA in decades and this really should go elsewhere.

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My walk today was to a chip drop on Donovan where a neighbor used all the chips they needed, and needed the rest gone. I did five trips of 2 buckets each, picking blackberries on the way and gathering apples from a neglected tree. I froze the berries and tomorrow I'll have to process the apples I guess.

 

Election of the Doge, Barony of Septentria, SCA

Septemtrian 300 Ducat coin,
 5.4 cm (about 2.1 in.)

In recent memory (EDITOR'S NOTE: Syr Randall means 30 or 40 years ago), The Barony of Septentria of the Society for Creative Anachronism hosted a day-long Election to determine the next Doge of the Republic of Venice.
Renaissance Venice being a republic ruled by the wealthy, the rules for voting were simple: whoever amassed the most ducats won the office - for is not the accumulation of wealth, by any means whatsoever, the surest sign of
both ability and divine favor?
All who signed the event book got a stack of ducats to do with as they pleased:

* Wager on battles, arts contests, etc,
* Pay fighters to switch sides mid-battle,
* Purchase promise of public office,
* Anything really.
The sun shone as if approving on a glorious day of combat, contest, politicking and haggling. Factions quarreled, negotiated, and merged behind a few candidates. Glorious!
At Court that evening, the Baron called for The Accounting. The leading candidate produced a suspiciously large pile (but there was no rule against amassing wealth by suspicious means.) The Baron stood to proclaim the new Doge.
A voice rang out, "Wait!"
The last remaining opposition candidate strode forward and spilled an even larger pile of ducats on the floor!
"Count them both!" ordered the Baron. A helpful bystander lept to help each candidate count.
Much to his surprise, the challenger was found to have far fewer ducats than he had calculated. The other candidate was awarded the robe of the Doge and a mighty feast was held!
Afterward, it was observed that the volunteer counting the challenger's pile was a close friend of the winner. Did this not demonstrate the wisdom of the new Doge?

The Pig Brains Story

At one time I was active in a medieval recreationist group: kings & queens, lords & ladies, tournaments & feasts & all that. It was great fun and remains great fun to this day for many family and friends. At one such feast, the King was presented with a special dish: pig's brains.

[... They say this is a great delicacy, for brains are mostly fat and convey flavor well. I shall never know by direct experience, for that would require consuming pig's brains. If you know the truth of it, please comment after. But I digress...]

The king and his party sampled as much as they wanted. Much remained.
The King called over the Master of the Feast, who was not his friend.
"Offer this," the King commanded, "To the entire hall."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Master of the Feast struck the floor with his staff * BAM * BAM * BAM * commanding silence.
"MY LORDS AND LADIES! THE KING WISHES IT KNOWN THAT HE HAS THE BRAINS OF A PIG."
The King grew red, understandably so.
"Take that," the King commanded, "back."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
* BAM * BAM * BAM *
"MY LORDS AND LADIES! THE KING WISHES IT KNOWN THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE THE BRAINS OF A PIG."

Nordskogen Crown Photos

In my undergraduate years, instead of mundane activities such as studying and planning a future, I mostly read fiction, gamed and attended events in the Society for Creative Anachronism. Thus I am the man I am today ;-)


This photo is from the 1977 Crown Tourney in Nordskogen. Next to Syr Randy (myself) is Lady (later Baronness) Christianna della Septemtrionsylvia (later my first wife and first ex ... let the record reflect that she was very patient!)

This photo is part of a set of photos from that event, courtesy of Sir John of Bellwood, who recently contacted me on facebook.

It is pleasant to look back and smile!

Syr Randall and The Parsleye

Years, nay decades ago, I was active in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). It was fun dressing forsoothly and delighting in combat with my peers on the windy plains of Michigan and thereabouts.

One problem is that I had only the vaguest notion about athletics. I was healthy and reasonably large, but mostly I got by with cheerful daring rather than skill and practice. Ah youth!

Not that my friends & I didn't try to improve our performance by thinking (...as opposed to, say, aerobic conditioning...). We understood that dehydration was a problem in the long-drawn out woods battles. Rumor had it potassium replenishment would be helpful ... but how to carry potassium-bearing foodstuff into battle?

"Bananas are a good source of potassium!" we cried! But there are two problems with carrying those golden fingers into battle: imprimis, they didn't look like anything I'd recognize in any period illustration, and secundus, they splatter when hit. I didn't want a pouch full of banana jelly in the hot hot sun.

"Parsley!" said a friend (was it Jon the Hobbit? I don't recall). "Just the thing! Laden with potassium, conveniently bite-sized, and splatter-resistant!"

It sounded ideal. I gave it a try. You may infer the results from my expression: