Camping with costumes

This past weekend the family went out to June Crown an SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) event. SCA is a group that takes aspects of medieval history, lifestyle and sciences and recreates them to learn about the time period. There are people who do heavy fighting (armored fighting with full speed attacks) using practice weapons. While the weapons have no edge and are slightly padded they leave very real bruises that are incentive to not get hit.

There are also dancers, drummers, musicians and craftsmen who attend these events. Beth and I really enjoy this time because we get to go hang out with friends and get away from the world for a while. It is like a Rennaissance Faire with sleeping in a tent added.

Rowan had a great time. What little time she spent in our arms she would ask "Walking?" (walking around on her own, exploring), "Dancing?" (listening to drums and dancing around on the ground),"Down. Please Down. Down Daddy. Down Mommy. Please?"

About the only time she cried was because we had taken her into our tent for her to sleep and she wasn't walking, dancing, running with other kids there or playing with our friends at camp.

While watching her can be a monumental task with all the stuff going on (campfires, being in a hay field, tent strings, dirt, rocks, bugs and cooking tools) our friends were a tremendous help and would give us breaks so we could enjoy ourselves. Beth and I really enjoyed the time we got with each other away from the normal chaos of home. So, here are some pics and some captions, too.





First Pic, last years SCA(2005), a comparison photo of Rowan's size change. Also note that I seem to be in the same costume this year for both sets of pics. I really do have more than one. I swear.











Rowan enjoying a fistful of Pringles. Little size change, no? More hair, too.








Here is Rowan showing Momma what she has learned by watching Momma spin poi. These are practice poi. The real things are small balls of fire that the dancer spins around to make intricate (and entrancing) patterns. I love watching Beth and Rowan spin, pretty soon they will be spinning together.










Here are the girls spinning poi with Rowan showing off in the circle. Daddy is in back playing lookout so she doesn't run into any of the dancer's spinning.










And now, CRAFT TIME! Beth (brilliant woman that she is) brought large wooden beads and hemp string for her to play with and make necklaces. Beth's ingenuity in entertaining Rowan never ceases to amaze me. Plus the beads and string are perfect for the time period.

I can just hear Rowan's mind saying "One bead...two bead..."







Rowan in her pool. Nothing cools you off better on a hot day than carrying a dripping baby. If you notice she was in her "little swimmers" in the poi pics. This was a busy day for our little adventurer.








"OH! COLD!"
"Rowan, when you squeeze the handle you need to point it the other way."


Looks surprised, doesn't she? Don't worry, it is just water inside. Again, another of Beth's great ideas for cooling off.










Trust me, she loves the costume. She is mad because Mommy and Daddy have her in the tent and she isn't "Walking! Dancing!" Our little girl, always on the go. We only had her in the tent to put on the costume and take two photos. Like I said before, she loved being outside.







So, Rowan had no bugbites, no sunburn, was entertained at all times and got to dance, walk, play in dirt, play in the pool, string beads, play with kids and run around.

A great weekend for all of us.

And, finally, the most beautiful woman in Rowan's and my world and largely responsible for the success of this weekend....

.