Happy Independence Day!

I spent the day doing many usual things, including having homemade burgers, pop, etc. to celebrate the holiday. Picnics are great, even when they are inside due to rain!

Since Constanza and I are in Bulgaria, we didn't get the usual fireworks display (although we heard a few in the distance, for some reason...). Instead, when we went to the grocery store for picnic supplies, we got to see the first stork of the season flying across town to the river. I wish I had had a camera along. You have to love this country too! Chestita!

Dance and garters

We had a small dance practice last night - some very simple bransles - and I was given a new pair of garters by Lady Constanza. She is a whiz with yarn and knitting needles! They are period, based on a pair in the Museum of London. And if you look back to the June 12 post, you can see her knitting them at Winchester!

One more done!

I finished the lover's knot pillow top and now it just needs to be sewn into a pillow. Woot! I quite like it and am looking forward to picking out the backing fabric.

Winchester wrap-up

We spent a more peaceful night Saturday. I don't know if we were just too tired to be cold, had figured out how to layer clothing to be more comfortable, or had just settled into camping mode, but I think we all slept soundly. Some folk attended the morning service at St. Cross, in garb, of course, while some of us got started with camp break-down. Then it was off to the station for the train back to London.

There are just a few more photos I wanted to post that didn't follow my earlier narrative, but were too nice to leave out.

Winchester, Day Two

So, after a chilly night in a too-small sleeping bag, I was up and around several hours before anyone else, due to the time difference for me. It was quite nice to go sit in by myself the walled garden and watch the birds. I wish I had the camera that morning, but I didn't want to rummage around for it and wake up my tent-mates, so you only get a description. There were ducks (ordinary mallards) living at the Hospital and one of them flew up from the river to perch on the roof ridge next to the weathercock. It was quite amusing to watch him balance! Even better was the hawk who caught a meadow mouse not ten feet from me and flew off to breakfast on it. It was quite the feat.

Once everyone else awoke, we had tea - yum! - and apples, and bread and butter. Then it was time to start the Pilgrimage. Lore Rafe sent us off in groups of three or four, after taking a portrait of each group. Here are some of us waiting our turn to leave.



Edith, Constanza, and I made up a group and we were among the early departures. The path was along the river, shady in spots and quite sunny in others.




We encountered swans and cygnets...



Other pilgrims...



a blind beggar, a pair of young ruffians, a poor widow, and several learned folk who tested us on our ecclesiastical knowledge and ascertained that we knew how to be pilgrims.

We saw a beautiful castle...



and finally made our way to Winchester Cathedral. (Oh-bo-de-o-do... Makes you hear the song to read it, doesn't it?) We saw Jane Austen's grave, the Winchester Bible and some truly lovely architecture. We finally succumbed to heat and hunger and made our way through the gaping tourists ("Might I ask why you're dressed like that? Oh, may I take your picture?")and found an excellent pasty shop. Then it was back to the Almshouse to watch the afternoon fighting demonstration.





Some of us were a bit tired by then.




After the demo was over and the crowd cleared, Their Excellencies Daffyd and Chiara held court, then it was off to the feast.




It was a lovely evening, ending up around a makeshift "fire" of lots and lots of candles on the green. There was singing, poetry, and storytelling and it was perfect, really!

Long time, no see...

The Winchester Pilgrimage was amazing, but it's been crazy at work catching up after the time away, so no blogging till now. I flew over to London on the 28th and had a nice evening of pizza and packing gear with the daughter and SIL.

We took the train to Winchester on Friday and were lucky enough to get a table so we could spread out a bit for the hour-long journey. Once there, we headed to The Old Gaolhouse for some lunch and to meet up with Genevieve. After lunch the SIL and I and all our gear (lots of rucksacks and tents) settled in at the Royal Oak (Yes, another pub. Why do you ask?) while Constanza, Genevieve, and Nadia (we met up with her between pubs) went off to the Knitting Library at the Winchester School of Art to do some research. It was a hard task, but someone had to watch our gear! The Royal Oak claims to be the oldest bar in England and I'd believe it. And they mix an excellent Pimms! Eventually the ladies rejoined us (after much knitting goodness) for a round of drinks before we headed out to the site of the Pilgrimage.

Once we reached the Hospital of St. Cross & Almshouse of Noble Poverty, we set up our mundane tent in the meadow behind the church, whilst those with period pavillions set up on the green.



Here's our modern tent. It looks lovely next to the church, don't you think?




After we got everything set up - which was a rather hilarious undertaking, because I'm pretty sure a non-native speaker wrote the English directions for setting up that tent... well, you can imagine - we checked in at Troll, got our tokens (amazing pewter pins of St. Swithin's basket of eggs made by Lord Robert), got into proper dress, and settled in to the Hundred Men's Hall. We then had an evening of traveller's fare, singing, poetry, and handwork. And some drinks, too.



Then off to bed to be ready for the morning Pilgrimage. More on that tomorrow....

Well, that was fun!

Yesterday was most interesting. We had a 5.0 earthquake simultaneously with a nasty thunderstorm and things were really hopping for a while. I was sitting in my living room at 7:30 pm sewing and listening to the storm blow, when the furniture started moving too. That was a little much for me, actually. We had a bunch of aftershocks throughout the evening and the best one was at 10:30 - it made my bed feel like a hammock swaying in the breeze! The epicenter of the 5.0 was only about 60 km from here, just over the border in Macedonia. The US summer school group who are currently on campus were more than a little freaked out by the whole thing. I told them we aim to provide as many thrills as possible!

Despite everything, I think I'm ready for Winchester. In fact, I'm packed!