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Irvine,
California I am in California! It's warm here (30C/86F), sunny and dry. Here I am on the front porch of my host family's home. Isn't this a cute sculpture?
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| My host family is in the "Society for Creative Anachronism," and as part of a larger project, are making some beaded bracelets. I got to help! |
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They got the supplies at a local store called "Tall Mouse."
Cool name, huh? |
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| Now, it's time for supper. Here, I am eating salad bar with Nezumi (the agouti) and Boushi (the hooded). Their names mean "Rat" and "Hat" in Japanese. My host family's oldest child - she is 16 - is studying Japanese in college. |
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| I am borrowing this sleeping bag while I am here. It's comfy and warm! G'night! |
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| Here I am standing with a Shishi at the entrance to the garden. Shishi (or Jishi) is translated as "lion" but it can also refer to a deer or dog with magical properties and the power to repel evil spirits. A pair of shishi traditionally stand guard outside the gates of Japansese Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Shishi are depicted with their mouth open (to scare off demons) or closed (to shelter and keep in the good spirits). |
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| Here I am looking at an origami display. Even the flowers on the little model house are made of origami. The Nishikigoi (Japanese koi) have washi paper spots. Koi were first described in writing from a Chinese book written during the Western Chin Dynasty, A.D. 265-316. |
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| The garden is decorated with multiple pagoda lanterns, of all shapes and sizes. Stone lanterns were originally used to light the way in gardens and at entryways to temples. I am standing here on one, next to an origami tulip I helped to make. |
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I went to an SCA tournament! The avowed purpose of the SCA is the study and recreation of the
European Middle Ages, its crafts, sciences, arts, traditions,
literature, etc. The SCA "period" is defined to be Western
civilization before AD 1600, concentrating on the Western European High
Middle Ages. Under the aegis of the SCA folks study dance, calligraphy,
martial arts, cooking, metalwork, stained glass, costuming,
literature... well, if they did it in the past, somebody in the SCA does it now (except
die of the Plague!). This event was in the Barony of Lyondemere in the Kingdom of Caid. We
sat with the group from my host family's Barony of Gyldenholt. Here I
am on top of the Baronial banner (look closely  ). |
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| I think this armor is too big for me ... |
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| I watched some heavy weapons fighting. Fighting in the SCA evolved from what happened when two armed knights were unhorsed and had to fight on the ground. It resembles nothing so much as medieval foot tournaments. The fighter keeps faith with his honor by accepting blows that would be killing or wounding. |
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HRM Nuala, Queen of Caid, granted me a personal audience! It was very
kind of her to take time out to speak with me.
It was a fun day! |
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