Warming the Heart of a Duchess

There is very little about owning Loch Avie that makes me happier, than to find that the land is well-loved and well-used by many.

Just this week I experienced a very heart-warming day. When I popped into the house late in the evening, I found that there were 5 others in the Loch at the same time. 2 couples and one of my dear Loch Avie Academy of Arms students, Malachi Fouroux.

Malachi awaits a sparing partner at the Loch Avie Practice Green

A rather modern looking couple meeting in Loch Avie. Actually the Caledon gentleman generally looks much more in period and theme when he uses the loch for his building and creating.)

A young couple takes advantage of the Fae swing at the south end of the sim.

I also give to you some other pictures of Loch Avie from the last week or so, plus a few random shots from other Duchys.

Bow practice (or am I hunting wild haggis?)

Edmond Spenser (1552-1599)

from Amoretti: Sonnet 67

Like as a huntsman after weary chase,
Seeing the game from him escap'd away,
Sits down to rest him in some shady place,
With panting hounds beguiled of their prey:
So after long pursuit and vain assay,
When I all weary had the chase forsook,
The gentle deer return'd the self-same way,
Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brook.
There she beholding me with milder look,
Sought not to fly, but fearless still did bide:
Till I in hand her yet half trembling took,
And with her own goodwill her firmly tied.
Strange thing, me seem'd, to see a beast so wild,
So goodly won, with her own will beguil'd.

After bow practice, I headed to Speirling and found myself meditating in the Bardhaven Cemetary.

Mr. Exrex Somme dressed for Halloween joined us briefly for dancing in Caledon Carntaigh.

Dancing at the Halloween party at Viderian's fine Castle in Cymru.

Dancing to Angel is the Centerfold (how appropriate. ;-) ZenMondo at the turntables.

Fencing instruction with Colonel Somme at Polymath Upstairs, Caledon Middlesea.

A collection of poems by by Ralph Goldstein.

-- THE EPEEMAN --

The Epeeman, the Epeeman, in frayed and tattered gear
Can lick his weight in wildcats and can drink his weight in beer
And for the foil and sabreman he hasn't any fear
For he's a late edition of the dashing Musketeer.

His jacket's a wreck from many a peck of the sharpened pointe d'arret
His pants are torn, his nerves are worn and ears been ripped away;
But should you care to question him, you'll surely hear him say:
"I'm an Epeeman and I guess by damn I'll always be that way."

He'll drop his elbow out a bit and wait for your attack
But then he'll swiftly parry and he'll nail you going back,
But when he's got his point in line and thinks he's guarded well,
He never seems to see the touch that creeps around his bell.

At times he'll answer any feint. At other times he won't.
The time that he should answer is the one time that he don't.
He'll parry almost anything between his head and toes,
But still a simple stop-thrust is the best defense he knows.

You'll always find an Epeeman where the lovely ladies are,
Boasting of the fights he's had, and showing off his scar.
And see the lovely ladies as they hang on every word
For he can tell the tallest tales that you have ever heard!

The woe befell the Epeeman, he met the March of Time.
They wired him up for sound effect, with flashing light and chime
For now it’s just a battery that determines right from wrong,
And every touch is heralded by the chiming of the gong.

-- THE FOILSMAN --

The Foilsman likes to dance around on swiftly moving feet.
He spends long hours practicing to beat a quick retreat.
He lunges fifty times a day and sweats his youth away,
Until at last he wises up and learns to fence Epee.

-- THE SABREMAN --

The Sabreman, the Sabreman, is a thrilling sight to see.
He twirls his weapon 'round his head and hacks away with glee.
His savage heart is filled with joy to hear the steel at play,
But someday he'll be civilized and learn to fence Epee.

-- THE WOMEN --

And what about the women now
They're fencing mainly foil
They're getting tougher all the time
You've seen how hard they toil.

"That day will come," I hear them say
"With all the weapons we will play"
You can be sure the best of them
In time will fence Epee.

*sighs happily*

Really -- this is how it should be.