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What could be more fun than dressing up in medieval garb and going with my daughter, Eleanore to an SCA event? This one day was so relaxing and fun I forgot to look at the time. Since my work day always consists of meetings and deadlines this time-free day was lovely.

My tunic was a replica from the Byzantine era that I made several years ago. The light muslin fabric was perfect for the warm day. Elli made her gorgeous 12th century dress made out of light weight wool, and the vibrant orange fabric made her easy to spot. I especially like her turquoise booties made by a master shoemaker friend. She figured out how to construct her braid covers that were a popular adornment in that era. Her hair isn’t actually that long!

The SCA stands for the Society for Creative Anachronism and it started in the 1960s as a lark by a group of friends. Since then it has grown to an international organization with a complex and layered structure. There are guilds for members with skills and crafts they would like to share. Members can receive recognition for their contributions to the group. Some members refine their fighting skills though tournaments and can rise to different levels such as knight or king. The geography is divided into baronies that cross states and countries. We are members of the Barony of Three Mountains.

This event took place at Trojan Park in Rainier, Oregon and was a camping event for several days. I liked seeing the array of tents and most sites had a day tent for cooking and eating and separate smaller tents for sleeping. While Elli and Leith taught their class I took a walk along the river and gathered branches, grasses, and flowers. Back at the day tent I sat outside and put together a decoration to hang on one of the tent poles. While I did this, Leith and Kelly’s daughter Tully played tunes on her guitar.

The fighting that takes place in the tournament follows very specific rules and the fighters wear protective armor. The helmet is the heaviest piece (Leith’s weighs 16 pounds) and all together the men are wearing a substantial amount of gear. The referees keep a close eye on the fight and often the fighters will declare themselves “injured.” Most of the men know one another and there is a great deal of mutual respect. The goal of the fight is not to actually hurt their opponent, it is to earn points and move up in rank based on their skill.