Brigand's Grove 2011 Page Menu: 1 2 3 4 E <<First
Brigand's Grove 2011 - Charlestown, IN
Photo: Mission
Jenna Esarey of the Courier-Journal interviewing Top
Hat Guy, whose name I studiously avoid learning.
Epilogue. Featuring some last bits of forgotten information; photographer's credits; another thing on Lob (You can never have too much Lob in your life.) along with some other stuff that I wanted to shoehorn in here. Speaking of shoehorns, I discovered this weekend that my metal spoon can double as a period shoe shoehorn. You might ask why I don't just buy a shoehorn. The answer is simple: I'd never remember to bring it. I don't always remember to bring my spoon either, but it is more likely to be remembered than a stupid shoe horn.
There were a couple of reporters wandering around the camp this weekend, which will hopefully help Nathan get some good PR for his John Work house project. On Saturday we had Mary Lyons of Channel 11, who published a whole slew of pictures she said I could use as well as a nice article on our event which you can readhere. On Sunday, Jenna Esarey, special reporter for the Courier-Journal was on hand to report on our doings for her newspaper. The articles feature some quotes from Rusty Spike and Larry Burns. (Oh, and quotes from Nathan, but that just makes sense. Mostly.)
I am grateful as ever to the photographers who allowed me to use their work in this Journal. Without them I'd likely forgot most of what happened. You can see their photo collections by clicking on the photos of them below. (Except for me - by clicking on me, you can see what I've posted on the Surgeon's Journal Facebook Page for this event, which is only a fraction of my stuff. You have to read the journal to see the rest of them.)
Jessie Dickenson Photo: Kate Bagley |
Kate Bagley Photo: Jessie Dickenson |
I didn't have a photo of Mary Lyons, so I am substituting a rather obscure reference with apologies to her if she she ever happen to find this page. |
Mary Lyons Photo: unknown |
Mission Photo: Mary Lyons |
Photo: Mission
Pip communicating with spirits. Or something.
And now a special feature for all you bloody loonies ghosthunters out there.
Using the mystical powers of Pip and his magic fan, I have managed to procure actual photographs of what the John Work house almost certainly looks like to the myriad spirits who you no doubt inhabit it. Although I can't explain how this was done (mainly because I did so many weird things to the photos in the process of getting them to look like they do that I forgotten them all), I can assure you that this really is how the place appears to the honest and for true ghosts that you are probably pretty sure inhabit this place.
You may be amazed that someone as young as Pip could be the source of such power. Or, maybe not. (Those who buy into the mystical nonsense also seem to think that children have insight that adults do not despite the fact that psychology proves to us their brain is not fully developed until their teens or even twenties.) Whatever the case, I don't want to keep you in suspense any longer. Here are the dramatic photos from the ghost POV!
 Photo: Mary Lyons Pretty spooking-looking, isn't it? (No, I said 'spooky, not 'stupid.') |
 Photo: Kate Bagley You can just feel the spiritual eminences |
Photo: Mission
Look, in the sky! Is it a plane? A ghost?
Photo: Mission
Nathan in groovy togs
Speaking of the unexplained, while the Sailor's Divvy was taking place something strange and mystical happened. There were suddenly lights in the sky accompanied by strange music! What could it be? Everyone turned and gaped. Nathan went into a reverie, recalling the period when he was a part of that teenaged counter-culture crime-solving trio... Haight Ashbury... sitar music... paisley vests... believing Yoko Ono actually had musical talent...
However, the lights and music turned out not to be an Unidentified Flying Object or hippie flashback, but a car full of teenaged boys who were coming over the hill in a vehicle with a cockeyed light. For some reason they decided to park at the house and come to watch the rest of the auction. They didn't bid on the Cran Ohlandt map of Paynetown, which astounded everyone. When the auction ended, they all jumped into their car and left without another word. In retrospect, a U.F.O. might have made more sense.
Photo: Mission
Larry Burns & Don Dunkelberger hanging out at Larry's Place
Lest you think I have gone completely off the deep end in this Epilogue I wanted to mention Larry Burns again because I actually spent a lot of time talking with him during the weekend. Most of our discussions were just folksy chatting that doesn't necessarily make for great copy. He wasn't in any of the battles or enactments and, coupled with the fact that I didn't really get any great photos of him, that made it tougher to give him the face time he deserves in my recollections.
Still, he's the kind of guy that generously offered a sip of his home-made rum concoction to you . It seems everyone has some tarted up version of a rum drink for events, but Larry is not the sort of guy who just makes such a thing to amuse folks. His fellow re-enactors told him he was such a good researcher that he should be able to research and find a period rum drink for them. So he did some research and... couldn't find one. Drawing on his knowledge of period, he decide a proper recipe might include all spice, sugar and Barbados Rum. He figured that a dark rum like Barbados Rum would be close to the coarser rums of period. It was good and even better that he freely offered it while we were all sitting around chatting on Friday night.
Then there was Lob. You've already heard about Lob's adventures with the goats and Lob getting a new face, but we haven't done the usual Lob thing where various people do weird things to Lob and Lob gets into weird situations. So now we must do that. These are a little less horrible than usual, but it is tradition. First, Lob: People.
 Photo: Kate Bagley Take that, Tycho Brahe! |
 Photo: Mission The 1st idea for Lob's new face |
 Photo: Kate Bagley Lob, formal (an unusual pose) |
 Photo: Kate Bagley Swaddling the monkey |
And then, for variety, Lob: Places
 Photo: Mission Lob hanging around (Ow! Stop that!) |
 Photo: Kate Bagley Lob signs up to help. (Ouch! I'm telling ya', quit hitting me!) |
 Photo: Mission Lob says we should split. (Quiddit! I'm gonna tell mom!) |
 Photo: Mission ♫ Look at me...I can be... center-field. ♪ |
Now some random other photos I wanted to post somewhere because they are goofy. (Unlike the rest of the journal.) First the farm fotos:
 Photo: Kate Bagley Michael learns a stray terragator ran Bocephus down while he was scratching fleas. (Bo, not Mike.) |
 Photo: Mission "Finish feedin' Jr. so's I kin hook 'im up to the plow." |
 Photo: Kate Bagley Now that's some right smooth ol' moonshine there, maw! |
Photo: Kate Bagley
Melody smiling because grain is in the offing.
Photo: Mission
Lily, trying not to be seen.
And since you can't have a decent farm without animals, I have to include some animal shots.
I couldn't quite squeeze these in to the main text for various reasons. It is interesting how many animals show up at the Paynetown and now the Brigand's Grove events. It must be part of the whole cosmic family-4H-whale-tree thing. Anyhow, here's some more animal shots for you to savor. Or something.
 Photo: Kate Bagley The rare creek toad, captured by Kate. |
 Photo: Kate Bagley Ridem' Lob-boy! Tame that Spaniel! |
 Photo: Er... well... You MUST have seen this coming... |
And then there's these, which I just didn't want to lose in the shuffle. (Lob and Brandon have a lot in common. I can't exactly explain what they have in common, but they do.)
 Photo: Kate Bagley Whatever Jessie is up to here can't be good... |
 Photo: Mission It's sticking it's tongue out at you. |
 Photo: Kate Bagley Aww...a heart-warming ending |