Greetings, Shirefolk,

We are all catching our collective breath now that the 100 Minutes War has come and gone. First I wish to thank those who participated in the Arts and Sciences display for their patience. I had deliberately made this a display and not a competition to take the pressure off the participants during the time of year when the stress of the looming holidays is starting to increase. Also, life had presented your servant with a few surprises and unexpected obligations; I tried my best to juggle all the respective spheres. 

The five participants, one from the Aethelmarc, one from the Midrealm, and three from the East, took my basic concept theme of Autumn’s Sunset and  exceeded my expectations with the flair that such talent and grace bring to bear, along with informative documentation. I am leaving out the images I took of these items until I find the form needed to place them here.

The Honorable Lady Elinor Walden from Aethelmarc’s Barony of the Debatable Lands display of the evolution of the geometry of the gable hood had me mentally revisiting early 16th century garb, and that is saying something, partial as I am to garb three centuries prior.

The Honorable Gentle Runa Eikenbrandskona from the Cleftlands in the Midrealm brought two 12th century table woven bands that would be used with a Norse style headwrap.

Closer to home, Emine bint Hamza from the Shire of Barren Sands graced the display table with a nalbound hat and pair of fingerless gloves that many a gentle lovingly and gently passed their own fingers over.

Closer still, lady Ana de Roma from the Shire of Midland Vale presented samples of preserved lemons, with a short paper on the various methods used to brine and preserve this citrus for later use. She presented four mason jars with fabric over the tops of each so gentles could sniff each sample to ascertain the different results for themselves.

Last, but not least, our shire’s own noble Valentine Ambrose presented for the populace’s pleasure a pyrograph of pigs, with a paper titled, “Pigs and Acorns, Must be November…,” detailing the care and feeding of pigs in the fall, and the method of burning images onto slabs of wood.

There were also three gentles who graced our halls with music: the good Lady Lady Sólveig Bjarnardóttir, Magistra Margreþa la Fauvelle, and her apprentice Lady Adelisa Salernitana, who presented an extensive repertoire that spanned nations, languages, and centuries with discreet professionalism and sweet charm. This Castilian was more than pleased to hear some Cantigas de Santa Maria on what turned out to be the 803rd birthday of Alfonso X.

Again, my thanks to the gentles who graced us with their talents and fruits of their labors. It was a lovely harvest for those of us who were not engaged in martial pursuits.

I will also be posting at a later date possible upcoming classes at an actual in-person location that has become open and available to us.

At the service of your honors,
M. Ana de Guzman
Minister of Arts & Sciences, Rusted Woodlands

P.S. An added thanks to Magistra Alys Mackintoich for providing heraldic consultation to those who wished for it. The hall was crowded, but there was enough room to accommodate both heralds and gentles seeking their help.