Fair at New Boston (2)

The Fair was glorious, I have a sunburn, and somehow my face made it onto the Springfield News website as I was examining at an 18th century apothecary kit.

I hope they roll it back to the 1700s next year, as I just don't find the Jane Austen era costumes to be all that appealing. Also, they can't go any later in time without losing Tecumseh, who was killed in fall of 1813, and it would be a shame to lose him as a speaker.

The food was nicely authentic, and what's more: mostly gluten-free. You have no idea what a blessing that is to people like me. I had turkey leg, chicken legs, garlic mushrooms in wine, New Boston stew, corn chowder, and ham&beans. Had to pass on the bread&butter, gingerbread, and peaches with pound cake, but I'm sure they were also amazing.

Of all things, people seemed most fascinated by REAL LIVE ANIMALS. There was a falcon in the Shawnee village who was drawing most of the attention, a Shetland pony carrying crated hens, and a goat tethered under a tree that the owner milked, as well as the usual horses and oxen.

Last year at the Fair, I discovered the pleasure of Bohea tea, a loose leaf black tea whose leaves are smoked over a fire. It tastes nicely smoky with milk and perhaps a little honey. I have never found this tea anywhere else, so I stocked up again this year. If you like a smoky taste, I recommend giving it a try.

Accordions, and the Fair at New Boston

Like most people, I've never actually handled an accordion. Til today, anyway. Let me say, they make a most appealing wheezing sound when you pick them up. I was tempted to buy it -for about 5 minutes. Just think of the GLORIOUS AMOUNTS OF NOISE those things make. They are second only to a bagpipe in their ability to annoy people at a distance.

But enough of that! I'd never use it anyway. I am excited about The Fair at New Boston, a reenactment that's happening this weekend near Dayton. It's organized with great attention to historical accuracy, but moreover, they don't just lecture. They try to get the audience involved. This year is set in 1813; so someone will be flying historic hot air balloons if the weather is right; and press gangs will be impressing men into the British Navy to fight against Commodore Perry.

I got some excellent story material from the fair last year, and I expect to be inspired again this year.

Allan absolved

Did you think Allan went out to the forest to pull girls' hair?
You did, didn't you! Like he hasn't anything better to do!

As for me, in the 3rd panel I seem to have drawn Aille's hands in backward. Oops.

I shall conclude with an amusing anecdote from work:

The business I work for is not family-owned, precisely (it's a nonprofit), but it is family-operated and not without its tensions. Also, I was somewhat distracted today from trying to accomplish three things at once. So when two people came into my cubicle, er, office, and started unloading two carts of packing supplies and antiques, and one of them said "and I pried this from my sister's cold dead hands!" the first thing that came into my head fell straight out of my mouth, and it was "What, did a house fall on her?"

Fortunately she thought this was hilarious.

And so forth

So, the second job fell through. I'm a bit sad and a bit relieved. No one really wants to work 7 days a week, but... money, you know.

The next day, a friend handed me a flier for an art contest she thought I should enter. Coincidence? I don't know. I'm thinking it over.....

He has a decent singing voice.

"Oh Sally, my Dear," is an English folk song.

On a related note, I dug out one of my Steeleye Span CDs and have been listening to it in the car. English folk rock, if you like that.

As for Sally, she was also named pretty much at random. Paging through my drafts, I had referred to her at different times as Kate and as Bess. That's pretty random. I don't even remember why I switched to Sally, but it goes well with the song.

Wait, who's Sally?

You'll just have to wait and see.

 

Civil War letters and Benjamin lights

I don't think I mentioned the Civil War letters, at least not at length. One of the recent Ebay auctions I managed for work was for a collection of letters dated 1862-1863, from Simeon Darling to his wife Melinda. He wrote, among other things, about eating food meant for the horses, being ill, and going without pay for months on end. He did not say which regiment he was with, and I wasn't even certain what side he fought on. But some of the information coming from interested bidders really blew me away. The first one said that there were only two Simeon Darlings in the Civil War and that one died. Another asked if he was the one from Wisconsin or Illinois. (Wisconsin.) I don't know where they go to for this information, but I am quite impressed with their knowledge.

One of the letters had an embossed seal, with the outline of the Capitol building and the word Congress. I wish I knew what that signified, but it seemed unprofessional to ask the bidders that.

Oh, and on Friday I assessed a collection of cobalt blue glass. Beautiful color, mostly tableware; candy dish, salt/pepper, cake plate, bowl, butter dish, a number of vases, and so on. Then there were these two blue glass things that looked vaguely like jelly jars, but turned out to be Benjamin explosion-proof glass to protect very old lightbulbs. I haven't figured out why they are so dark blue, though; I've only found other examples in clear and amber. Surely blue can't let much light through. Maybe it marked an exit or something.

There's also an antique accordion awaiting my inspection.

I don't even know anyone who plays an accordion any more.

Did he say too much? Too little?

It's fair to say that work is keeping me busy, in that I'm rushing from this to that. Ebay is working out wonderfully, but there's no set system for doing things yet, so everything from the fussy printer to finding appropriate packing material for a vintage guitar amp is a stumbling block. Meanwhile, the other work (books & carts of lookups) piles up. I'm skipping Gencon this weekend, but I'm looking forward to the Fair at New Boston in a few weeks.