Confederate Reunion Grounds 2010

Sorry for the delay of this AAR.

I went up to Mexia on Thursday as school day started bright and early on Friday. I stayed at my favorite B&B there, the Hamilton House. Checked in at the B&B and then out to the reunion grounds to check in with Dixie.

Friday was busy...over 1100 kids from 9-2. My station was on textile production. I had cotton and wool, pictures of flax and silk worms. We talked about the process of home production and why it became necessary during the war. After the kids left I changed and visited with the camels.

The forecast for the weekend was not promising. If you listened to the Dallas and Waco stations it was pouring rain, but the system seemed to go right around the CRG and we had very little rain, but it kept a lot of people away, I think. Saturday the site opened to the public. The first order of business was officer's call and the flag raising. I kept busy all day working and listening to the Chautauqua and ladies' tea. Dr. Donald Frazier spoke on his book Fire in the Cane Field and his new book to come out Of Love and War: The Civil War Letters and Medicinal Book of Augustus V. Ball. Stephanie Hilgert Ford spoke on the history of women on the battlefield and I gave a severely edited version of my Texas during the Civil War paper.

The battle was in the afternoon. I'm sorry, but if you've seen one or two...The reeanctor dinner was held after the site closed for the public. As usual, the local home school kids use the dance at this event as their prom. They try really hard with their period clothes, bless their hearts. Some do a very fine job. Time Was played for the dance. I didn't stay much passed the grand march, too tired.

Sunday I didn't dress out. The weather wasn't nearly as cooperative, having come in Saturday night with a vengeance. It was a bit sloppy on Sunday, had a bit more rain in the morning but the rest of the day stayed fairly dry, but again weather kept most spectators away. I spent the day accompanying Dixie, making the rounds, talking to people and getting more pictures. The battle was in the early afternoon and I left shortly after.

Pictures are here.

Off to Mexia

This weekend is the Civil War event at the Confederate Reunion Grounds at Mexia Texas. I'm going in a work capacity to help out at the event as the site is a Texas Historical Commission site. I'll have pixs and an AAR when I return.

May 22 Grange

The Grange in May is going to be a first person development and discussion day! If anyone is interested there is information at http://www.txcwcivilian.org/id17.html and http://henkelsquare.aceboard.com/338947-5361-4486-0-First-Person-discussion.htm

Next dress

I find I'm in need of a new "not-so-fancy" dress. I have a couple of lengths of homespun that I'm going to use up. One I purchased at Lost Tribes

I plan to use PP 812 the new sheer dress pattern. The fabric is not all that sheer but light weight enough. And of course, I'll need a new bonnet. This time a nice sunbonnet, probably corded rather than slat. I think this will be nice for the Missouri event in September.

The next dress, maybe, will be with the green/black plaid I had gotten for Piney Woods and never used. This will definitely be a working, in the garden, don't care if it stains dress.

Other projects on the board, a paletot with green or black wool, haven't decided yet and the sheer flowered cotton. How much really gets done and in what order depends on if I find some really great fabric and a really nice have to dress and how much writing I want to do...

What I've been up to

So...let's see. I have finally gotten everything put up from Henkel and the conference. I've taken a little break from sewing and living history but now getting back into the swing. The Citizen's Companion I think will be publishing an article on Henkel and Texas secession. I'm working on a version of the Texas home front paper for submission to the Southwestern Historical Quarterly, working on another proposal for a session at Harrisburg on 19th century attitudes toward death, I've been asked to assist with the rewrite of the THC's Civil War brochure and monthly Civil War briefs for the 150th, helping out at the Confederate Reunion Grounds Civil War event later this month with a school day presentation and another on Saturday, Grange coming up in May...wow...oh, and also planning to go back up to Missouri in September, so of course need a new dress or two :). I really need to win the lotto so I don't have to spend 8 hours or more of the day at work; it really eats into my hobby time :).