01, Sunday -- Bog Baronial Business Meeting at Hiram G. Andrews Center
07, Saturday -- Winter Rose - St. Dorothea's Day - Ball (Sylvan Glen)
10, Tuesday -- Ceili Night at Adams Memorial Library (Latrobe/BSSB)
21, Saturday -- "2nd Annual Day at a Medieval Faire" Demo (Kings Crossing)

Greetings Fellow Boggers,

     Another 12th night is just a memory, but what memories! Congratulations to Don Lodovic of Grays Inn for becoming a White Scarf, THL Hrothgar for being inducted into the Order of the Gage, Lady Talishar for receiving a Keystone, and for Lady Emily for her AOA. We would also congratulate the following gentles for receiving recognition from the Barony Lady Talishar (Special order of St. Swithin's), THL Hrothgar and Lord Ludwig ( Martial activities), Lord Bastiano and Lord Rudolph (Service). These good gentles all are most deserving of these accolades. We want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this years 12th night one of the best ever, from the cooks and set up staff, to the scribes who made some of the most amazing "scrolls" we have ever had the honor to give, to the people who just did what needed to be done.
     Spring is just around the corner and we hope to see many of you at the weekly fighter practices. HRM Henri has called upon the Barony to prepare for War. Fighters, fencers, archers, throwers and artisans ready yourselves.
     We will be accepting items for the Royal gift basket for Coronation in April as well as items for the gift baskets for Pennsic. Please see either of us at meetings or Sunday practices.
     Please send any award recommendations to our heirs, Dame Vivienne and Don Quinn.

So long as the Raven flies and the Cattails grow, we remain in service, to Crown and Bog.
Aquila and AElfra, Baron and Baroness of St. Swithin's Bog

Greetings Friends, Family and Fellow Boggers:

     To you all do we, Don Quinn & Dame Vivienne, send our warmest thanks and appreciation. We are touched beyond words by the trust and confidence that have been placed in us. We will work to be worthy of these great gifts. As we prepare to continue the tradition started by Baroness Charmaine and proceeding to Baron Aquila and Baroness AElfra, we realize the shoes we fill are large indeed. It is our fondest wish to follow in that tradition with the same grace, honor and dedication. And to that end we swear to dedicate the next three years.

In Service, pas pour vous, pas pour moi, mais pour nous,
Don Quinn & Dame Vivienne

Greetings Gentles,

     The Incipient Shire of Kings Crossing sponsored by the BMDL is pleased to announce the "2nd Annual Day at a Medieval Faire" Demo to be held at the Washington Mall (PA) on Saturday, February 21st from 11:00 to 5:00.
     The demo includes heavy weapons tourney, fencing tourney, all day medieval dancing, performing arts, a wide variety of A&E, vendors and more.
     Armoring and inspections begin at 10:00 and should be completed by 11:30 with fighting activities starting at 12:00.
     Come spend a day showing what we in the SCA so proudly do, with usage of the entire Washington Mall, Washington, PA.

Directions: Find your best way to I 70/79, Murtland Ave. Exit (Rt.19S). Washington Mall is located immediately off the interstate at the 1st light on Rt.19 south. (J.C. Penney/Home Depot)

     Congratulations to all Award recipients and our new Bardic Champion, Lady Katya. Vivats to the autocrat and all who helped to make this another wonderful Twelfth Night. Now if we could just do something about the snow and bad roads!
     My term of office expires in July, anyone interested should contact me. At the business meeting we discussed sending yearly postcards inquiring how people need to receive the newsletter; and the possibility of donations to help pay for stamps and paper. Any thoughts? Please contact me.
     As always, if you have any submissions or suggestions or artwork for the cover or as inside filler, please contact me, Cait (aka Kathleen) at 724-238-0114 (if you get the answering machine, please leave a message) or bogchronicler@yahoo.com.

In service to crown and bog,
Lady Caitilin "Cait" ni Mhaolconaire

From the Scribal Guild Mistress

Dona Caroline will retire from the position of Exchequer in March 2004. Anyone interested in taking over should submit their letter of intent to both Caroline and Talishar.

     We need to raise monies for Gobi night and for the Barony's dinner which we are to host this year. These funds can not come from the Barony so we discussed several ways to raise funds.

1. Tee Shirts
2. Skull caps (head rags)

both of these with Bog/Gobi/SCA related print on them

3. yard sale
4. silent auction
5. money can at fighter practices (pending ok from HGA)

     We also discussed security for Gobi night. The Gobi servers and bartenders will not serve anyone who has not proven age by showing the "security Chief" ID and getting stamped. With many unknowns coming to camp we don't really have a choice but to protect our selves. We will close off much of the camp to party goers via a sheet wall.
     We also want to try to get the Tinkers to come again for Gobi night
     We will have 2 Gobi nights Tuesday is open and Thursday is closed to Bog and invites only.
     Comments? Suggestions?

Tuesday, February 10th, from 6:00pm till 7:30pm, is the Bog's Ceili Night at the Adams Memorial Library (1112 Ligonier St., Latrobe, PA; 724-539-1972) - everyone is welcome!  If interested or if you have any question, contact Rose Thorne (Beth Rose 724-850-7404 RoseThorne@att.net).

Greetings fellow Boggers!

     Let's cross our fingers and hope that those sprite of winter take pity on us mere mortals and stop with the snow already! Okay, if you are one that feels the need to strap those silly boards that are longer than you are tall onto your feet and glide downhill at a great rate of speed...I'll cross my fingers that the snow falls only on the slopes that you like to challenge!
     Adam's Memorial Library continues to be reserved for us the second Tuesday of each month with the exception of June. We have been looking into alternative places to gather both in a formal fashion to talk about activities out this way and just to hang out. Some of the most promising are Barnes and Noble's coffee shop where we can converge at anytime, DV8 coffee shop in downtown Greensburg, and Dingbats restaurant (located adjacent to Barnes and Noble). If we are going to have a large group, Dingbats has requested that we give them a week's notice so they can have an extra server on staff for that day.
     As summer approaches, we are all readying ourselves for a summer of events and wars and outdoors. Since much of the activity revolves around the martial skills, I thought it might be nice to have an activity that involves the magic of mechanically cooled air and that will engage our minds! Barnes and Noble offers a monthly book club program that we can take advantage of. They can provide us with suggestions for books relating to the Middle Ages and Renaissance to read and give us a 20% discount on the books. They are also willing to provide us with someone who can guide the group, unless we would prefer to forge ahead on our own. Interested parties should contact me with a couple days of the week and time that would work for them.

In service,
Rose

Let's do it again next year!

– Baroness Charmaine

     I, too, would like to join her Excellency, Charmaine, in thanking everyone for their efforts. Together we always make it happen and have a good time at it!
     Congratulations to all of those who received recognition and awards at the event. Well deserved!
     Cait, I would like to thank you for doing the Heralding in court which allowed me to enjoy a really wonderful 12th night.
     Especially, I would also like to thank Don Lodovick and Lord Bastiano for going out and brushing off the cars in the parking lot. I always wondered who was doing that in the past, always up to something: Don Lodovick.

I would echo Charmaine: Let's do it again next year!

Baronial Court Report

Report for the Court of Their Excellencies, Aquila and Ælfra, at the Barony of St. Swithin’s Bog’s annual Twelfth Night on January 17th, AS 38 (2004). Lady Caitilin ni Mhaolconaire and Dame Vivienne Marie de Beauvais, reporting heralds.

His Royal Majesty, Henri, gave leave for Their Excellencies to hold court, and the following is the results:

And so the court of The Excellencies, Aquila and AElfra, did close with thanks to HRM Henri.

Submitted in faithful service by Lady Caitilin ni Mhaolconaire

"All the world is a stage and the people merely players" Forgive me I couldn't begin an an ad for a possible Thespian's guild without quoting Shakespeare. While the quote could apply to all Scadians who dress up and get together to play on a regular basis. My aim is to see if there is any interest in starting a formal Thespian's guild i. Several areas within the Kingdom have such guilds including Sunderoak and Endless Hills. I have quite some time ago had offers from Baron Connor Mcliam to teach a class if I could find folks interested. Before formally contacting him again I'm trying to gauge interest in forming such a guild or having such a class. I would ask that anyone interested contact Michela Summervale (mka Michelle Gelles) by e-mail mgelles@charter.net or phone 814-539-4498.

I would also be interested in opening my home for a Bardic Circle at some point if people are interested. Though I've no talent for singing myself I do enjoy poetry and have given a recitation or two. I would imagine most of us share a love for period and/or fantasy literature and song and would enjoy having a celebration devoted to the same (especially with the release of return of the king fast approaching:-)

Michela