The Adventures of Goldilocks and Her Bears

Yesterday, joycebre and I made a foray into some of Giambattista della Porta's hair dying recipes (thanks to falzalot who provided the braid to experiment with).

We made homemade lye* and quicklime. That was cool. We tried a few abbreviated recipes, without much success. That is, the recipes went together fine, but I haven't seen any changes in hair color. The recipe with the saffron and honey smells fabulous, though. I have locks of hair soaking in just lye and just quicklime and haven't seen any changes in color despite 20 hours in the baths.

We'll be shopping before we try again, to see get some of the herbs and such we didn't have this time around**.

I have seed on the way to grow some of the plants. I have a suspicion that the fresh celandine, for instance, will give us a good hit of yellow. Who knows? Perhaps we'll find that they were putting yellow pigments atop their hair color, rather than bleaching and coloring as we do today.

Let's do some more science!

* By the way, home soapmakers, I have about a gallon of lye. If you need some, let me know.
** We'll skip the recipe that calls for Gold Litharge. It turns out that's just a fancy way of saying lead oxide. We're not keen on the saltpetre, vitriol, sal ammoniac, and cinnabar recipe, either.

I've been cutting out the under branches of our* oak tree. Partly, this clears out space for walking. It also takes a bit of weight off the fence. This is my second week of filling the green bin with twigs and leaves. I expect to do this for a few weeks more.

Do any of you workers of wood want the larger diameter pieces (1.5"- 2" now,  and larger once we can get up there with the chainsaw) for knife handles or anything? Most of the pieces are gently curved or crganically straight. None goes more than a foot and a half without branching. I'm happy to save them for anyone who can use them. Otherwise, they'll be firewood for later.

I have been saving the mid-sized branches because I want to burn them for ash to make lye. I want to make lye, well, mostly because I can. But also, because joycebre and I have settled on a day for abusing hair in a period style. We're going to be trying out a few period recipes for hair bleaching, and lye is a component. Yes, we're trying this at home! We're using donated hair, by the way. We're enthusiastic, not crazy.

I'm going to have the samples at A&S for my "Make a 16th century hair bleaching hat" class, but it you want to check them out some other time at the event, I'm happy to play show and tell.

In other news, I took a closer look at the garlic. It was severely afflicted with rust. I trimmed off the worst-affected foliage today and sprayed the rest down with fungicide. The garlic picked up the rust from the mallow that afflicts my yard. Pleasantly, the onions, which are right next to the garlic and theoretically closer related, are completely unafflicted.

Since I was already spraying fungicide on a day clearly unsuited to it (stupid wind), I decided to go ahead and spray the nectarine tree, since that is already showing signs of leaf curl (thank you neighbors who can't be bothered to treat their heavily infected tree). I sprayed the roses, too. Mostly they are looking healthy. I only have one which had a nasty bit of rust (that I cut out mercilessly), and another which is still fighting black spot. No powdery mildew so far this year! Considering how much rain we've had this spring, and how that interferes with keeping the plants treated, I'm rather pleased.

However, if it should decide to rain in the near future, you know who to blame. Spraying the plants is rather like washing the car; Mother Nature takes it as a dare.



* Strictly speaking, it's the neighbor's tree, but it grows behind their shed where they ignore it and over the back fence, where we can enjoy its shade.

First, I decided that I needed a 16th C kirtle to wear at W-A War. I thought red would be a good choice, since I have the red ropa to the wearable, yet insufficiently-bling'd stage.

Second, I went through our linen closet (linen storage in my house is bins, but still...) and discovered that I have insufficient red linen. There's a sexy natural + russet herringbone and a light blue, but no red. Oh, Yeah, I have a wool to match the herringbone. And I have the light blue wool-cashmere coating and a light blue and yellow silk cross that I had planned to make a warm ropa out of but never decided on the design for.

Third, I went to the Tudor Tailor. Nuff said.

Now I want to make a light blue kirtle and the light blue ropa. But I still can't decide on the ropa styling. It'll have long sleeves. Puffy, long sleeves. Beyond that, I'd love suggestions. I'm up for fancy or sedate, puffed, slashed, or even pinked. What do you suggest?

I wonder some times how much people pay attention to the oaths that they take during the invocation of the lists. ( And the honor of their consort )

It happens every month around this time. I'm getting jazzed up about Wednesday fighter practice and then realize we have our shire meeting on te first Wednesday of the month.

Still, all is not wasted. falzalot and I figured out the Acceps stuff last week, so that'll be getting sigs and getting sent out. We've put together the text for the event website.

We should have Acceps available to sell Esfenn Feast tickets pretty darn soon. I'll post here when we do.

We'll also have a few paper-in-hand tix available, too.

A fine idea has been tossed around in a couple of conversations and again in the Mists Management Meeting this past Sunday. I'm really hoping that something comes of it (is that the sound of me raising a hand to see that it happens? No, I'm still typing, maybe after). To wit, the Principality could purchase and maintain an inventory of feast serving dishes.

There are a whole bunch of things that would need to be ironed out, but in concept I think this is great. Ultimately, I'll write up my suggestions to our Beloved Seneschal, but for now here are a few things that I'm mulling over.

( Things to chew on )

We had an awesome weekend!

Saturday, moriven did super well in the tournament. I think he was #5 in the day. He beat Viscountess Brin and Herzog Matthias in super cool fights. He held his ground and kicked some donkey even with Matthias all over him with his dagger. I'm so proud :) He also had an awesome fight with Sir Conall. They looked like they were having so much fun! That makes me happy.

Sunday, we went down to the races at Laguna Seca. It was my first time going to a race. It was pretty cool - especially the Porsches. I think I grinned like an idiot for most of the day because moiven was having a good time and having my honey happy makes me happy.

ETA: He was fourth in the tournament!

( For the dozen people who I have not brought to my bed... I bring my bed to you! )

I just did a run through the numbers from the feast with falzalot. We had 91 people at the Esfenn event! That's pretty darn good for a small shire day event.

I was not ready for the war to end. That war could be a week and I would go every time. What's not to like about good weather, clean air, and good fun with new friends and old in a place of beauty? Now with showers!  

The drive there and back wasn't as expensive as we budgeted for. Of course, with a 40 gallon tank - I laugh! laugh! at all of you complaining that you're just starting to pay more than $100/tank - we can go each way on less than one tank. Cheap Oregon gas is tasty.

Signs that interested me on the drive:
"Thank you firefighters" (honestly touching) 
"[something] Antiques" with a sandwich board: "some used" (Ya think?*)
"Loleta Cheese" (I have to ask: who's milking the lolitas? Uh, yeah. My mother-in-law told us the cheese up here was good.) 

I had one good class and one that no one showed up for. Eh. C'est la guerre. 

Gianetta  found a picture of a period washstand in a new book. It looks a bit like a coatrack, and moriven and I are totally going to make it. I met a Caidan potter who is willing to make the jug and basin in exchange for persian clothes! 

I also consulted with ermine_rat about two (!) calligraphy projects. I am excited.


*Yes, I get it. Some of the furniture is not old enough to be antique. But the way people put together words interests and excites me.**
**Obviously. Else I wouldn't remember days later. Or post it in my blog.

I have been informed that I need to paint my pavilion (after the bed, after the war...). Anyone have any ideas about what I should do? Period examples? Mottoes? Really cool stuff? Favorite paint?

That's it in my userpic, by the way. The dags are outlined in blue. 

My colors are blue & white, moriven's are red, black & white, tho' we're not limited to those - I dig a nice gold here and there.