WPI Filming

A big Thank You to everyone from WA who participated at the WPI Higgins Filming. We had an interesting weekend. Wolfe Argent has been involved in a Higgins/WPI video project that started back in the Fall with the horses and dealt with medieval "shirt fighting" and a high table scene this past weekend. It was fun and hectic. We were treated to dinner afterward.

Our weekend began with the purchasing of various edibles for the high table. We decided to make a pottage. The favorite has become "Savory Green Soup" from the book Pleyn Delit. Anyone who has had this soup absolutely loves it and cannot stop eating it...even cold. It's delicious.

We bought a lovely roast and just put a rub of salt and pepper on it and put it in the rotisserie. It came out medium rare and had a very mild flavor. Sometimes the simple spices work the best.

On Sunday, Bob and I loaded my car, a dodge of the stratus type. You'd be amazed at how much stuff you can fit into this car. In the trunk, three LARGE tupperware containers of clothing, in the back seat, the delicate trestles for a table, the robust trestles for a larger table, a legged bench chest that contained the board clothes, pewterware for the high table, napkins, glasses, mugs, bowls, cutlery; and a vast wardrobe of uppercrust clothing for various extras on the set. Alas, we needed a second car for the board itself, plus other members kit and accessories.

Arriving at the museum, we off-loaded the car. When the museum closed, we were off and running. With the help of Rachel and Renie, I put on my full regalia: brocade and velvet under gown, silk modesty panel, brocade foliate overgown, Yorkist livery collar, broad belt, and hennin with long silk veil. Rachel wore my other Burgundian gown and flowerpot hennin. Despite the fact that the gown was a few sizes to large, it looked all right.

We became the members of the aristocracy who sat in on a Master teaching his students (extras) and became the focal point for the high table. Andy and Pieter did a wonderful job as carver and butler. The book of Carving came in quite handy.

After the dust had settled, we packed the car, changed, and sat down to a lovely dinner provided by the museum as a thank you to the volunteers.

We didn't get home until almost 10 pm and then many of us took off the following Monday due to a snow storm that dumped a foot of snow in our area. Weee...

Here are some behind the scenes Photos. Keep in mind that any photos will contain modern objects as these are set up and after shoot photos.

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Updated Web Site

Hi All,

Well Morgan finally prompted Jenn into kicking in full throttle on the web site redesign. Something about advertising on Craig's list and it being akin to having people show up at your house when you haven't had a chance to clean it in a year. So she's updated a lot of it. There's still a few pages under construction, but it's almost "complete".

I think Kit Guidelines, Equestrian, and part two of the Ordinances are the only things remaining.

So far the response is favorable.

http://www.wolfeargent.com

Bob

From the Desk of the Chef de Chambre

This is the first blog entry. Jenn felt that this might be a good way to communicate after action reports of group activities. So without further adieu...

First of all, I'd like to extend our thanks to Sherri Connors and the Connors family for allowing us to use the barn facilities for our drill yesterday.

Those of you who attended our first mixed drill yesterday know we had a pretty good day with Norm and Phantom, and in doing our drill entirely 'en Français' for the first time. Phant actually went up to Renie and sniffed her maille and lipped it, which is a huge step forward for her, while Norm was as accepting of everything as he always is.

We have a light schedule for July, with our Higgins Saturday being the weekend after the 4th of July. The idea was put forth of having a company meeting, which is a good idea as always, and so I thought we would have a "Drill and Grill", with as many members attending as humanly possible, as well as extending an invite to Nevilles company. The idea would be to have a "costumed" and armoured drill at the barn, beginning in the ring, going out into the barnyard, then the pasture, and if we are still doing okay at that point, going a bit up the dirt road on the property. Afterward, a meeting at our house, with everybody bringing a little meat or the like for the grill, and having a meeting afterward. I'm looking at the third full weekend in July - the second week after the Higgins - SATURDAY, JULY 21st

I'd like to see a good turnout for this, instead of just the 5-6 'usual suspects', as it is a sort of daytrip field event, until we can get insurance squared away so we can have a proper event. It is also *vital* to get *both* the company horses up and running as proper reenactment horses, and I need people at the barn in kit from time to time to accomplish this, not to mention to get me into armour. If you don't have all of your kit, I don't care, if your kit isn't all up to snuff, I don't care, we need a good mix of anybody willing to hoist a halberd or pike, and learn the drill (which everyone should know, regardless of role). I envision this taking no more than 2-3 hours for the drill, followed by a liesurly barbecue and meeting.

Jenn has put some photos up on the net in our Flikr account of the Drill, including of Alex on Norm with the company pennon after my ankle gave out - he did pretty well for a person who has only ridden for his fifth or sixth time.

So, I look forward to seeing everyone in July.

Cheers,

Bob