Medieval Camping and Goat Stew in Queensland

medieval lantern

The last week or so has been busy as can be as we got ready for our first medieval event of the season. 🙂

Robbie and I are part of Black Wolf, a group that enacts a 12th century medieval trader caravan that travels from Europe to the Middle East.

We have so much fun researching medieval history, choosing our personas, and making – by hand – all the things we need to accurately portray this time in history: clothing, weapons, cooking implements, and furniture.

This past weekend all our hard work paid off when we set up camp at History Alive at Fort Lytton, Queensland.

We raised our handmade medieval Bedouin tent, our kitchen tent, and set up our displays of weaponry and daily life in a medieval camp.

 

Bedouin tent

We had such a great time in the glorious winter sunshine, visiting with passersby, cooking over the fire, and helping beaming kids try on helmets and carefully hold medieval axes and swords.

History Alive

This was my first time at such an event so my garb isn’t quite ready yet, but I loved seeing all the details of the others: laced boots, intricately carved daggers, and all sorts of jewelry and weapons.

medieval garb

Ann and I chopped veggies and made a scrumptiously savory goat stew to go with loaves of garlicky Turkish flatbread. It tasted so good that I made another batch as soon as I got home. 🙂

 

goat stew

My very favorite part of History Alive was after the gates were closed, the sun had set, and we clustered around the campfire sipping honey mead, swapping stories with the other Black Wolf members, and roasting marshmallows with my buddies Lizzie and Alex.

medieval campfire

I love sitting around the medieval wooden table by lamplight, seeing the beloved faces of my friends and my man, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.

medieval lantern

What is the best festival you’ve ever been to?