Hello lords and ladies :) 

I am new to the SCA and I hope that my odd perspectives can spark some creative thoughts and rekindle enthusiasm.  I actually attended an event several years ago and while I was interested at that time I was both working and attending school.  The whole idea of starting such a large hobby was daunting. 

Now however, I work part time and raise my young daughter.  I have an abundance of time and creative energy to burn off.  Sooooo ... I'm making garb, doing research and getting to know my local community.  I recently attended my second event and while my daughter made me do a lot of running around I still enjoyed myself.  I'm hoping she'll be better behaved at the next event but I really doubt it.

In my research I've realized that while much of what I look for must be documented as to 'how' and 'when' for accuracy.  Something I've noticed though is that much of what we do today can be traced back a great distance in time.  This is truly applicable to baking and cooking.  Since many recipes are handed down from mother to daughter, we may each be carrying a gem of ancient knowledge and not know it.  The same might be said of a family with a long history of woodworking or smithing.  Small grains of treasure hidden in forgotten places.

One web site that I often visit for tips on daily life such as home made cleaning supplies or frugal dinner recipes is http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/  I visit this site and I have to wonder - how old are some of these recipes?  I know that vinegar is a type of wine ... and that the Romans drank it ... so was it used as a cleaning agent then as well?  And what other cultures used it?  Soo many questions. 

History is such a complicated web ... how much can we pluck at it's strings before the spider comes?  or our brains burst

Solveig Haraldsdottir