Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Purposely Farby During a "Pandemic": Having a Bit o' Fun in Spring 2020


Hey!  Why are you dressed like that?
Steppin'  in a time zone...
I asked and many answered.  Not nearly as many as I thought or had hoped,  but,  well,  Facebook prevented me from asking too many at once.  But those who responded told me they had fun doing it,  which is what I was hoping for!
And it shows in the photos in today's post.
You see,  with the coronavirus/covid-19 keeping everyone quarantined for who knows how long,  I came up with a fun attempt to help alleviate some of the anxiety for those of us who reenact.
I put the call out to a few friends to dress in their period clothing - whichever era is to their liking - and to photograph themselves in a sort of paradox:  period person in the modern world.  And the response was pretty good.
Now,  most have pretty bad snarky commentary,  courtesy of yours truly.  In other words,  some are historical,  snarky,  and/or historically snarky.
But I'm no comedian,  so take it as it is - - and,  if you'd like,  add your own snarky comments!  I mean,  it's all about the fun, right?  So with that being said,  I think you will enjoy this somewhat unusual post:

First up for this 1700s version of,  shall we say,  creative anachronisms,  we'll begin with something a little serious,  for we have Rae Bucher,  who happens to be wearing a  "circa 1765-70 Robe à la Française in silk.  The finishing done by hand."
In 2018,  she wore the dress to the Fêtes Galantes costume ball held at the Palace of Versailles.
Rae also attempted to style the wig,  while the necklace she is wearing was made by Lauren Roosien.
"Hmmm...I wonder if they will dance the 'Nae Nae'
at the Palace of Versailles.  Lord help me if they do, 
for I do not know that step.
Maybe Youtube can help!"

Next up I see Beth Beley and Felicia Bevard - -
There's nothing like a pizza made of hardtack 
covered in sauce from a Civil War-era Target store.

Hey,  Kevin Amos---watch where you're pointing that thing!
Kevin is in the Civil War Union artillery and is seen here taking 
part in the Canon demonstration.

It looks like Vickie St. John's horse was in need of feed.
You know...even horses had to stop for feed.
Why not horseless carriages, too?

Ian Kushnir shows he's not chicken - - - 
The colonel of his regiment said he had a new
finger-lickin'-good  chicken recipe to try.
Ian licks his fingers every time he eats,  
whether it's chicken,  hog-jowls,  or mashed potatoes!

Cyndi White Carlson proves a point!
I've heard people were much smaller in the old days - 
I suppose this proves it!

Ah,  here we have Heather Bradley - - -
Miniskirt? 
No...
Cut-a-way blazer?
Nope.
A midi-dress?
uh uh.
Oh!  Here's what I'm looking for!
Petticoats,  short gowns,  and bedgowns!

E.J. Mailley does his chores.
"Go on,"  she said,  "It's the way they used to cut grass in the old 
days,"  she said,  "Tony will really think you're authentic!"
Harumph!

Jennifer Mailley does her chores.
“They wash here the whitest that ever I seed for they first Boyle all the Cloaths with soap,  and then wash them,  and I may put on clean linen every day if I please.”
Yup - - that's just what she did!

Hey Joey - - after the battle,  you need to help your wife!
It was not very long ago that men were still charging the 
battlefields and attacking their enemies on horseback.  But one 
piece of battlefield technology that doesn’t get nearly enough 
credit is the motorcycle.  From facilitating mobile musket fire at 
Bunker Hill to enabling recon missions at the Battle of 
Trenton,  our trusty two-wheeled steeds have helped us get the 
job done,  time and time again.

Amanda Fackler,  Joey's wife,  is not too happy:
A scullery maid!  That's what I feel like!
I don't care that I don't have to haul buckets of water 

from the river any more,  I still feel like a scullery maid!
Two-wheeled steed indeed!

My son,  Robbie Giorlando,  looks at his Victrola music collection...
Hmmm...a musical about John Hamilton?
Why in the heck John Hamilton?
He thinks he's so special - - 
Oh!  Just wait til Adams,  Jefferson,  and 
especially Burr hear about this!  
They will not be happy - - !

Meanwhile,  in Heather's world...
If they'da had it,  they'da used it!
I have it and I'm using it!

And they will rave about my fine stitching
and no one will be the wiser...heh heh heh!

Carrie Kushnir  (aka Agnes the servant)  is not too keen on her cheese snacks:
It certainly does not  taste like real
cheese to me as it says on the box!  
I've not tasted cheese like this before.
Looks like I will have to make my own
.  
Ian!  Get me my churn!
100% cheese indeed!

Rae Bucher prepares for her night at the Palace of Versailles--------
I do it all:  I sew,  I stitch,  and I do my own ironing,  too!
But the only time I ever enjoyed ironing 
was the day I accidentally  got gin in the steam iron.
Oh my!

Now we see Larissa Fleishman - - -
Oh!  Hi,  Beckie...What's that?  You want to hang out?  
Well,  I don't know.  We've been pretty busy at the farm.  
Doing what,  you ask?
Well...
Hitchin' up the buggy,  churnin' lots of butter
Raised a barn on Monday,  soon we'll raise anutter
At 4:30 in the morning I'm milkin' cows
Zane feeds the chickens and Mike plows
And I've been milkin' and plowin' so long
that even little Titus thinks that my mind is gone

Gonna have a period party!
We living historians only have period food and drink: 
Coca Cola is from 1886 - close enough!
Pizza has been around for a thousand years,  so we are way good with that!
And our bottled water comes from a spring.
So,  what's the problem?

Sue Hansen learns a new way to  'make'  clothes:
I need to sew a new dress,  and then I need to make a new day cap,  and then I need to spin wool so I can knit new stockings, and then I----hey!  American Duchess has gift certificates!

Susan Hansen is also a farmer's daughter:
"This big-wheeled load ain't goin' any faster.  
So just smile and wave and tip your hat to the 
18th century lady up on the tractor."

Yes,  yes,  I know  they're British!  And I
know  they invaded America in the 1960s.

But they're the Beatles!

No,  no,  no!  I did not shout,  "The British are coming!" 
This google thing has it all wrong!

Jennifer Mitchell mistakens the fridge for a cold cellar~
Let's see...no roast mutton,  no stewed liver,  
no frizzled beef or oyster pie...  
But I do see ham on rye and 
maybe pork and beans.
Oh!  TV dinners!

My wife,  Patty,  and Beckie Goodenow...they're just cool.
We can do it....in any century! 
Because we're just coooool....

And yet,  another one of  Beckie,  this time striking the Fonzie pose:
Straight from the tin kitchen to my table!
And I got my water directly from a spring - - 

it says so right on the bottle!

Here's my son again - - -
Tell the 1st Pennsylvania they'll have to wait
until I'm finished with Assassin's Creed!

And my Coke.  
Both are the real thing.

Beth Beley goes out to get supper = = = =
I'm not sure what kinda bird that is,  but I'll load my shotgun with rock salt and bacon rind and season his hind quarters for him.

And finally,  Karen Gillett  (and myself)  in a different sort of pose /\__/\
One would think by looking at us that we would be a couple 
of pot heads.  
But looks can be deceiving...

And we can end with this bit from The Onion:

Nation’s Historians Warn The Past Is Expanding At Alarming Rate
WASHINGTON—Painting a stark portrait of a phenomenon that appears to be irreversible,  a report published Thursday by the American Historical Association has found that the past is currently expanding at an alarming rate.
The comprehensive 950-page study, compiled by a panel of the nation’s most prominent historians,  warns that the sum total of past time grows progressively larger each day,  making it unlikely anything can be done to halt,  or even slow down, the relentless trend.
“We believe the past is larger now than it’s ever been before,”  said College of William and Mary professor Timothy Gibbon,  lead author of the report,  observing that whole generations of people have already become a part of history,  and that if nothing changes,  an untold number more can expect the same fate.  “Many things that are in the past today were, during our parents’  and grandparents’  time,  still in the present—or even the future.  Based on precise measurements of its size,  we believe the past has subsumed every single person and event that has ever existed.”
“It’s shocking to contemplate,  but in the relatively short stretch since 1984,  when I first began tracking its growth,  the past has expanded by more than 30 years,”  he added.

(To read the entire  "article,"  click HERE)

.............................................

Being in a lock-down quarantine can make one a little nutty,  you know?  And not having any historical places to go or reenactments to attend only adds to my insanity.
And,  no,  I am not quitting my day job to become a comedian  (though I must admit,  there were a couple here I really laughed at---though it was way past my bedtime when I wrote  'em)~
Anyhow,  if I was able to get you to even possibly crack a corner of your mouth into almost a smile,  then that is good enough for me.
If not,  well,  thank you for checking in anyhow.

Until next time,  see you in time...

(They're coming to take me away ha-haaa...)






























~   ~   ~

2 comments:

  1. A comment from Slogger Rose of the Ragged Victorians reenacting group:
    "Hahaha... brilliant! Especially loved seeing you with your Beatles albums."

    ReplyDelete
  2. Made my day. A little, or a lot, of comic relief and very well done. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete