A week in the middle ages

I'm about to spend a week in the Middle Ages.

The year is 1371 and we are travellers on our way to Canterbury.  Why are we going there?  Well, that's what people did in England in 1371.

One of the local parks has this event every year where people set up some tents and live life medievally.   All the cooking will be by fire, our days will be filled with medieval tasks with weaving and spinning and many other beautiful things.

(some photos from past years - a few from my own camera and a few from other's in the group)

This is really exciting for me, as not only will I be learning to cook over an open flame, but also learning (and teaching) many exciting things.  The park is open to the public during the day, but we will be there twenty four hours (except maybe to go home for a shower from time to time).  I'll be mostly in the kitchen or textile pavillion.

Although, I admit, the people I'm spending the week with are a bit intimidating - because they have done this many years before and know so much!  This will be my first time.  Even if I had an extra year to get ready, don't imagine I would feel that I know enough.  But if I look at this as an opportunity to learn, hopefully everything will go well.


It also means that for most of the month of August, I won't be near my computer.  This week, I'm getting ready to time travel.  Next week, the computer hasn't been invented yet, and the rest of the month, I have for catching up on the many things that need doing on the farm.

I need a new belt, so I'm attempting to get my head around tablet weaving.  So far the result is lovely but  keeping the warp threads organized is hell.  Eventually I'll figure something out, I'm sure.