Blimey, what a weekend! We had a lot to do beforehand when organizing the event, and it was right stressful, but it all paid off. From 22nd to 25th of September we had scheduled the 1st
International Hobbit Day and Uncivilisation Campout. The concept was simple: Have a good time and a lot of good food, do some bushcraft, crafting in wool, wood and steel, campfires, storytelling, hanging out with good folks, music and general fun.
Nick had prepared an arrow target complete with a net and stuff to do some archery...
Jonas, our "apprentice" was helping out.
The finished arrow stand.
It was still quite empty on Thursday, when people came from all over the place. They came from all over Germany and even Ireland to visit the event.
This is exclusively for Gorges ;-), a gorgeous pig we prepared for the roast... turned out the spit could do with some mods still, but generally it could be made working.
The magic troll amusing herself by watching Panda from Ireland smoking his axe ;-). Panda is one of my favourite human beings to date, even if I tend to like humans ever more and more less these days...
The fireplace in all its beauty. Thanks to our senior blacksmith, the place was shining in the vibrant colours of flowers, and he added quite some hobbit flavour to the event, because he did not like at all all the dwarves spoiling his solitude...
Erich brought this lovely water boiler... the original dates back to the Viking age... and the replica worked a cinch!
Each and every morning Panda made us some lovely Irish pancakes for breakfast. In fact, we were eating the whole day through, just as it should be!
Ben and Tina from the Westerwald enjoying their breakfast...
...as does Julia..
Dr. Ilgenstein trying to save the life of licce piggy with matron Jan handing the tools...
We stuffed the pig with dumpling dough, dried plums and apricots, celary, carrots, apples, onions, garlic and spices...
Nick doing some physiotherapy... but alas, piggy did not actively work on its recovery...
So we simply put it on a rod to cure in the flames.
Kathrin and Julia were preparing dream catchers from chestnuts and wood and wool for the public which came in on Saturday.
Jonas working on a splint for securing the pig additionally on the spit.
Declan from Ireland (from the bonnie wee town of Ballycotton ;-)) discussing matters with Nick.
The dreamcatchers for sale on Saturday.
The booth of the lassies... ;-)
...
Woooooool to catch your dreams.
Socks made by Panda in naalbindning technique...
This is some lovely Viking jewelry Kathrin and Julia made from brass, copper and silver wire in Viking knit technique.
...
Tina was offering tutorials in making leather pouches with the kids.
Henning in a joyous mood... most people were relaxed and laidback, and not many quarrels in sight ;-). perfect. And I daresay a huge portion of the relaxed and laidback atmosphere is due to Henning´s intervention. He just knows a thing or two about working with people, and I cannot thank him enough for taking over this duty when my nerve failed me.
Ben was a right pleasure to have around... dude, I´ll miss exchanging insults with you- and not meaning it. ;-)
The ladies righteously proud of their achievement.
Now this was an absolute highlight. On a re-enactment fair at Altena we recently met with the band
"Amulett", and it turned out they were actually fond of coming, and it seems they liked it a bit...
I should say there was a friendship forged, there, beside the campfire and under the mighty oak. Look at their website to listen to some samples of their music. I found it extremely cool that there was no huge combat bagpipe that was last tuned in the factory nor a big fat drummer clothed in drumsticks in sight, and they made some actual music. I had little time to listen, but what I heard was really pleasing my ears that are a bit sore from listening to that bagpipe mayhem that´s nowadays tauted "medieval folk music". Way cool! ;-)
Danuta enjoying the sun!
Our new treasurer keeping an eye on financial issues. Jan really worked his arse off and even found time to persuade his granddad to come, and Mr. Diefenthal actually came to visit.
Now anyone know Bill Moran? Yeah, THAT Bill Moran, as in founder of the ABS-Bill-Moran. Now Bill Moran learned a trick or two from the "Reichsschmiedemeister" of the 3rd Reich
Paul Müller. Now Mr. Diefenthal was apprentice together with this guy and thus shares the same knowledge. But while Paul Müller was a Nazi, Mr. Diefenthal was not. I had the outright privilege to talk to him, and he agreed to tell us what he knows, and I hope to be able to persuade him to make a blog post about him later on. Anyway, Jan would very much like to keep up the family tradition, and we will try our best to contribute to that!
Julia enjoying herself...
The campsite. The magic troll had brought our new tent, and while it was damn cold at night, I have rarely slept that much relaxation into four hours of sleep!
Panda and Tamara, his lovely woman.
...and their... ahem... bunny? Bunny apparently fun himself, even if he slept most of the time. He certainly is one of the laziest hares I know.
We partied well into the night...
Passements by the magic troll...
Erich enjoying a "
Schlenkerla" Frankish smoked stout. That beer is one of the best I tasted, and one of the most unusual to boot. We drank gallons of it and it´s just one step short of becoming the official ironforge beer! Tina, the "landlord´s black-eyed daughter" all the while has a laughing fit. Laughing fits were easy to come by... :-)
Henning in re-enactment attire...
Erich shopping for honey whisky...
....
Yours truly having a sit-down and a cuppa coffee.
...
Ronja, the granddaughter of the beaming Ewald (our landowner) enjoyed the company and getting the archery and storytelling bug bad.
Crazy Irishman being lazy... lack of potatoes, I guess ;-). (By the way, how many potatoes do you need to kill an Irishman?
---NONE---)
On Saturday it was Jan´s birthday, and Panda made him a Pandapancakebirthdaycake...;-)
Panda practicing his supernatural Pandapancakemaking-skills...
....
More axe-smoking....
The pig was delicious...
Erich came over with his vintage Ford van. We hid it behind the re-enactment tents, but it certainly did not deserve to be hidden.
Nick enjoying a pipe...
...
Pics from the camp...
Nele watching... erm ... anyone know what became of those gummy bears? :-D
It was a really cool weekend with really cool people. I am looking forward to next year´s events!
If you want to join in the next International Hobbit Day Event from Friday, the 22nd of September to 24th of 2017, please apply to the Ahlhauser Hammer site on facebook or at
www.retzgen.de/hammer. We welcome any traditional craftsmen, bushcrafters and reenactors with the one limitation in the re-enactment camp that we want to concentrate on early, high and late medieval re-enactment (and high quality LOTR enactment) and do not want to put on a "common" LARP or MPS event, because there are enough of them around. We will also dispatch sensibly and make clear which is which.
We look forward to meeting you in person!
