My experience with colgaffneyis at Mankato was quite different from Big Island. It is a smaller event, and our presence there was considerably smaller than at the previous weekend’s show. No internal ceremonies, or special dinners among ourselves. In fact both Thursday and Friday we cooked dinner and then brought it up to the lodge to share with the other re-enactors, who had brought their own contributions. Sort of a time-travellers’ potluck :-)>

Except in one respect, it was a much lower pressure event than Big Island. The exception was that the school children who came on Friday were very numerous and not nearly as well controlled as at the other event. We had to repeatedly warn them away from the fire and the muskets. and tell them they could not play with the hatchets and other sharp objects.

We did not have much of a military presence on the school days, and instead concentrated on crafts. mage_ironwolf, who had done a woodworking demo at Big Island, was not able to come, so I did that demo with my stuff. That went OK. I also did some simple leather work, making cases and blade guards for some of my tools. However, I referred anyone who was seriously interested in that to Pegeen R, who had brought her full cordwainer’s kit.

I enjoy doing the civilian stuff. I don’t have to think about my misgivings about the military part of what we do. Besides, I am making things. Afterwards I have something to show for my efforts.