Barony of Dreiburgen - Article - Out of The Myths of Time: The eve of a New Year

Barony of Dreiburgen

Branches:
Gallavally
Steinsee
Mons Draconis
Sancti Geronimi

Out of The Myths of Time
The eve of a New Year

by Lord Darius "Candy or Coal" von Tannenburg

[Dover clipart]

We made it! A new year is upon us. It comes filled with the promise of many wondrous things to come. By the time you read this the Steinsee Anniversary tourney will only be a few days away. War bands are already tuning up for Angel's melee. And plans are a foot to carry the Caidian banner to Estrella. That is what is to come. But what of the past? Scarcely two weeks have gone by since we all should have made our resolutions for the coming year. Most of us no doubt took a look back at A.S. XXXVIII and said to ourselves "WOW" what a busy year. There will unquestionably be much to do this year as well. Dreiburgen will host spring Crown tourney. And then everyone will start preparations for GWW IX. Busy, busy, busy.

Lately I have read a book called "THE YEAR 1000." I rescued it from the bargain bin shortly after the turn of the turn of the century. Who would have thought I would get to use that phrase to describe something I'd done? This book was obviously put out to cash in on all the millennial excitement (copyright 1999). It gives a good look at life at that time. One of the big differences between then and now was the place of religion in daily life. The observance of holy days marked points in time for all, especially the farmer. Plowing begins after this Saints day and should be completed by the next. The harvest and the threshing the same. Threshing of the grain to be completed by St. Lucia's day (fifth century Saint). The people of the actual middle ages set their sights on the New Year with an eye for the practical things in life. Plowing and planting leading up through lent and Easter then into the early harvest of barley and winter wheat. Some crops were planted or sown late in the year in the hope that the seeds would be awakened by the melting of snow as warmer weather returned. This gave the people a jump start on renewing their food stuffs which would be running low after the winter.

A successful village or estate would be so only as the result of careful planning. But what did they plan for? Was it only the rotation of crops and the division of labor. I think not. Just like we in the current middle ages our predecessors had aspirations, hopes and dreams that they one day might be a humble lord with their own servants not mere laborers. Dependent on the goodwill and proper administration by their Lord. What little money there was, was saved and plans made to make one's self more useful to the Lord and therefore more profitable. Each generation paving the way for the next to begin their journey just a little farther down the road than themselves.

We stand on the verge of a New Year. What lies before us is a marvelous opportunity to make our lot in life just a little bit better. We can leave more for those that follow. For all that that has happened before, in the Society and in the mundane world, pales beside what may yet be. We have only to dream it and we can make it come true. Listen to your own hearts my friends. What do you want? What do you want to leave behind? Each of us has within ourselves the most powerful tools ever devised. Our own imaginations. Do not settle for only that which you now hold. Let us all resolve to do more in our mundane and our SCA lives. This year can be the start of a new renaissance, yours. Make it so.

Clipart copyright Dover Publications

Darius von Tannenberg has granted permission for all of his articles that were previously on the Dreiburgen web site to continue to appear on the site, 9 Oct 2006.

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