House Capuchin Shield2This was one of those weeks when it seems like nothing got done, and a lot did. Amor checked in from Eskalya and sent pictures of a couple of interesting projects. More embroidery/sewing happened. More plants got taken care of and the roses are starting to come up (we think…. we hope) so that’s progress on some of the

Tvarog – As you can see it’s already 1/2 gone!

current projects. A cheese happened, and lentils. …and there are some fun writings, too!

  • Herb Bunch – At Ancient Light, Saturdays, 11am-1pm
  • Sewing Time – At Ancient Light, Saturdays, 3-5pm
  • Project Day – At Ancient Light, Sundays, Noon to 6pm
  • Next Potluck – 8/19, 9/16, 10/21
  • Winter Feast Date is 2/17/19

Here is the direct Portfolio link which has all the past Project Day reports and various projects, original here:  https://housecapuchin.wordpress.com/portfolio/  and new one here:  https://housecapuchin2.wordpress.com/portfolio/ and number three is here: https://housecapuchin3.wordpress.com/portfolio/

A History Lesson – From Facebook by Kendryth Filia Gerald Used with permission

So I’m watching this documentary on the history of Britain, and they mention something I have to have heard about a million times (as, I’m sure, have you), but which hadn’t really sunk in till now: The Plantagenet Dynasty, which lasted for over 400 years – 331 of which were spent on the throne – got its name from the fact that Geoffrey V of Anjou liked to wear a sprig of straw in his hat.

Stop and think about that for a moment. Four *centuries.* Over 20 generations of people. All named for a fashion quirk made by a dude who was never king himself. Didn’t invent anything, or revolutionize anything. Didn’t cure any diseases or get himself sainted. And we’re not talking about a Prince-level fashion quirk, here – nothing as obvious as wearing purple assless chaps and a coordinating turban. Dude stuck a sprig of straw in his hat. He took quite possibly the smallest item he could, put it in one of the smallest fashion accessories you could find, and that act branded an entire dynasty. All of this has led me to form only one, clear conclusion –

Geoffrey of Anjou had to have been the sexiest mofo ever to walk the earth.

Broom – Planta Genista

Seriously. There was none hotter. There will be none hotter. Dude must have been like the distilled essence of, like, Jason Momoa and Idris Elba and Chris Hemsworth and Sung Kang. His eyes must have been literal prisms. His aroma must have been the first Viagra. You must have been able to literally cut paper on his cheekbones. He must have literally had buns of steel. His voice must have been just liquid sex. He must have been able to impregnate an entire village just by riding by. Don’t get me wrong – sure, the guy was smart, politically savvy, and he was a good general. But not, like, outstandingly so. Besides, it’s not like he did anything epic with that. Dude couldn’t even make his wife queen of England. But when he tszujed his chappeau Europe collectively came so hard that, hundreds of years later people were like –

“Why are y’all called Plantagenets?”

“Well, see, Geoffrey of Anjou put a spring of straw in his hat and that’s how we all got our name.”

“So? What’s the big deal about straw?”

“DUDE! Listen to what I’m saying: Geoffrey. Of Anjou. Like *the* Geoffrey of Anjou. *He* put a sprig of straw. Into his hat. Do you get it?? He did it! He put straw! In. His. Hat!”

Geoffrey V of Anjou. Master of Branding. Sexiest mofo the world has ever known…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Plantagenet,_Count_of_Anjou

Early Week – …was trying to get the Hedeby Bag done and of course, Anja was embroidering. Anja set up a tvarog on Monday, too.

Amor got hold of us to show off a couple of pieces that he’s been working on, on Tuesday. He still working on obsidian knapping and tools and was complaining about the curvature of some of the obsidian blades he’s been working on. “Knife. Fairly solid thing. Obsidian flake, two soft wood slats and stripped out Paracord.”

Tvarog – As you can see it’s already 1/2 gone!

Cookery – Anja wanted to start a cheese on Monday to get cooked on Tuesday. A tvarog has to sit out, culturing, overnight. 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk 4 1/2 of milk 2 cups cream all went into a 1/2 gallon jar to sit out on the table. Tuesday evening it went into a pot on the fire and, once again, Anja got distracted and let it go to too high a temperature. It seemed to curdle just fine, though, and after hanging for several hours was salted and packed at room temp, not fridge temp, which made the salting easier. On Wednesday it went into a pocket bread sandwich with fresh tomatoes. Not period, but really tasty!

On Saturday a pot of lentils got started, so’s to feed people on Sunday.

Sewing – Amor – “1 1/2 hours from “I should make a vambrace” to finished. Not pretty. No plans. Pocket knife, Paracord, spare wallet leather. Excess Paracord was not intended, but serendipitous for a ” oh crap! I need cord!” Type of scenario. Leather was just stock, not softened or stretched or really worked at all. A bit stiff but after wear, I think will be decently comfortable. So long as I don’t pull it TOO tight… 🙂 ”

Sewing – A little embroidery happened in early week, but most of what was getting done was very mundane. A little more happened on the feast tokens on Tuesday (but no pix).

Sewing Time – Saturday – Anja finally got to stitching on the Hedeby bag again. The two pieces needed to be joined at the top and then grommets done so that the expansion pleats would be in the right place. 8 hand-stitched grommets needed, of which one happened on Saturday.

Final part is to stitch it to the finished frame and then put the shoulder cord in.

Herb Bunch – A lot of plant tending needed to be done this week. A few more needed to be divided. The big thing is that new stuff is coming up in the rose pot. There were some garlics showing last week, but here are the parts that are showing. The question is, “are they roses or potatoes?” 🙂 The baby aloe has already been adopted.

Project Day – …went sideways. It was just Loren and Anja and their shop was swamped. By 6pm they were only just sitting down to work, so that will get reported on next week.

Miscellaneous pix

Music

Ansteorra Bards – Saga of the Smith

Wind and Water, Fire and Earth,
into the forge is brought.
Then by the Smith’s strength and will,
into a new thing wrought.

What magic does he use you ask
to make these four things one?
Listen close and you will hear
the Hammer and Anvil’s Song.

It’s not for honored seats in halls
or thrones or Crowns he seeks.
But just to better tools provide
and thus our labors ease.

A pot, A knife, A woodsman’s ax,
iron plows to split the sod.
Horse and ox do better serve
when they are metal shod.

And if our homes we must defend
he’s made us shirts of steel.
With iron helms and sword and spear
raiders we’ll rend and kill.

The Hammer and Anvil’s Song is pure
the smith’s arms and will are strong.
But how we use what he creates
is our choice and ours alone.

So when the smith comes to your hall
quickly fill his glass.
And offer him an honored seat
and board of great repast.

Sing his songs out loud and clear
so all the people know.
It’s by his tireless skill and craft
that all our people grow.

Here’s the morale of this tale
our children need to learn.
Craft and skill for greater good
Is how Respect is earned!

Gird Truthsayer { 969 A.D.} or 6 / 12 / 18

Links

Funnies 

Swiped fromMichael ‘Pike’ Olsen‘s news feed on Facebook. – “After putting everything I own (pretty much) in this storage unit, I can’t help but feel like it could be used for the intro to someones series of sci-fi/fantasy/supernatural books…..”

*opens rollup door to storage unit, dust explodes out*
“Sorry about that, defense mechanism.”
-“What is all this stuff?”-
“Just things I’ve collected over the…..*ahem* years….”
-“Full pirate outfit?”-
“Oh yeah, I showed Blackbeard a cool thing to do with match rope….”
-“Two different types of crossbows?”-
“Ahh, yes. One shoots tennis balls, the other shoots bolts of pure heavenly silver light. Can you guess which one is used on werewolves?”
-“The one with the silver light?”-
“Oh GAWDS no! The tennis ball thrower!”
-“Why that one?!”-
“So they run away from you! It’s almost impossible to kill them!”
-“What about all these pillows?”-
“Oh, that’s for after the werewolf is tuckered out from the tennis balls, and needs a place to nap….”
-“……..”-
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?!”

From Facebook by Joe Cook-Giles – History trivia.

The Anglo-Saxons developed a particular kind of knife known as a seax. It has been compared in many ways to a more modern Bowie knife.

Simple yet effective in design, the seax was both practical and a weapon. Being fairly medium in size, they were too awkward to be worn in front.

Modern scholars speculate that they were worn to the side from a belt but NEVER worn in back.

Why not?

I guess they just didn’t approve of butt seax.

Loren, Anja, Amor (V),

divider black grey greek key

Largesse Item Count – (includes gifts, prizes, auction items, etc.)

  • ASXLVII = 24
  • ASXLVIII = 88
  • ASXLIX = 794
  • ASL = 2138
  • ASLI = 731
  • ASLII = 304
  • ASLIII – 7 plus 25 pouches for block-printing, 15 (plus 25 unfinished) pincushion, 2 sewing kits (except for bone needles), varnished stuff (124) 7 snap pouch, one double drawstring pouch, 4 brocade pouch

Total as a Household = 3671 handed off

moving writing pen motifIn ministerio autem Somnium! Anja, graeca doctrina servus to House Capuchin
Page Created 7/23/18 & published 8/5/18 (C)M. Bartlett
Last updated 8/5/18