Seabeck School 2

The lady who hired us for the Seabeck school gig just sent us some photos. I've just added a couple of the best ones to my entry on that day...

19th Century Ramblings

This weekend has been the annual Civil War shindig in the town across the bay from us, so we paid a few calls. On Friday night we rode into the woods and met up with a party of Union soldiers on patrol. They very appropriately "asked" us to accompany them (after checking to see if our weapons were loaded, being good soldiers), and we marched with them for a bit. I surreptitiously shot a few seconds of video in the deepening twilight. There would be more, but I didn't want to wave a camera around and "pop their bubble". Yes, we were in full 1860s civilian kit, including the horse tack. They were doing a "primitive" total immersion operation, and spent the night bivouacked in the forest. We rode with them for a few miles but eventually bid them good night, much to their surprise as they thought we were with the Civil War organization, and rode back to the trailhead in the dark: an adventure for us and the horses! There was a bit of a moon last night, but between clouds and deep forest, it was verrry dark and spooky. I'm glad horses have good night vision, because I have none at all.

Today (Saturday), we visited the camps as the characters we portrayed last night and had fun visiting with folks we had met on the trail. Later, we went home to change into evening kit, and I magically turned into a girl. In SL I can magically snap a photo whenever I want, in RL I actually have to pull out a camera, so of course I didn't get anything of the dance from which we just returned. These shots of us back at home will have to suffice.

Gordon is a bit trans-decade with his Mexican war jacket and Indian wars cap and boots, and I'm wearing my 1860s tea gown with an 1850s hairdo. How's that for being eclectic? We still looked pretty spiffy, I think (so do the cats, apparently).

Yahoo Video

As my many readers have probably noticed, I've switched my video-hosting over from YouTube to Yahoo. I'm sure both of you are finding, as I have done, that it's a slightly spiffier gizmo. So far the only thing Yahoo video does not offer, that I've noticed, is a "private" option. All posted vids are for public consumption. So, for rough cuts that I only want to share with collaborators, I'll still be using YouTube.

Peep Show

I was only going to get one of each, but the lady at the feed store gave me such a deal...! So now I have five little chicklets: two Rhode Island Reds, two Buff Orpingtons, and one Barred Rock. I may be able to trade one each of the Rhodies and Buffies at the chicken swap meet in Poulsbo this Sunday, but we'll see.

Gimli has been doing chicken toasting duty, sitting on top of their crate, since I brought them home day before yesterday. Today I caught Beany in the act. The stack of pewter plates and serving dish is to keep the kitties from interacting too closely with the peeps, because these peeps are much better than mere marshmallow peeps, you know. Luckily, they grow up to be big, scary clucks who chase kitties, as it should be.

June Faire Vid: Warhorse Guild

Edited together a little short thingy of our first public outing of the year. June Faire for us is basically a dress rehearsal with an audience or dressed-up practice for horses and riders. Still, it's a nice event because it's just across the bay from us and a whopping eight minute drive:


Just thought I'd mention that this is the longest short I've ever put together so far. I'm slowwwwly getting the hang of editing, and since I'm using Win Movie Maker I'm already getting frustrated with its limitations. Still, it gets a product out, and since I'm basically just making a video diary of personal and Warhorse Guild endeavors it's ok. For now.

Update 01-08-09: I just looked at this vid for the first time in months and noticed that I totally left Squire Robert Cannon (of Ravenrook) out of the credits! Yes, that's him holding Woody's head under the opening titles. D'oh!

Seabeck Elementary School

Did a school demo on Tuesday, and it went pretty well despite our forgetting the bridles (duh) and then getting rained on (big deal). Gordon did what he does best, which is talk about military history, especially horse-related. I think I looked right smart in a combination of his and my Medieval stuff (just ignore my modern riding boots).
Can you see the rain in this one?












Gordon and his giant lance.