Month: March 2022

Hello Debatable Lands! Salve Accolens!

The Debatable Lands is so excited to be able to host this special fight practice! It will be a glorious day of fighting and camaraderie!

Tl; dr, or: Handy Packing Checklist!

— Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test (or electronic copy)
— Your membership card if you have one (or electronic copy)
— Your auth card or equivalent (or electronic copy), for heavy and rapier fighters
— Warm clothes, boots, walking stick, a hat (it should be sunny), a change of socks
— Your banners and something to hang them with (if you like)
— Food and non-alcoholic drink (if you like), and a drinking vessel
— Your armor and weapons, for heavy and rapier fighters
— Words of wisdom for THL Boden and Comtesse Elena
— Directions or GPS or Map app (take Saltsburg and New Texas, not Centerview til the last part)

More detailed: We’d like to remind everyone that this is a practice, with practice-level amenities. With that in mind:

Just a few updates and reminders for this Saturday’s Special Fight Practice and Royal Court in Boyce Park, Silver Beaver Shelter:

1. For more details, including a schedule, see our website or this previous post.
2. Both morning and afternoon Court will be streamed here. You do not need a Facebook account to view.
3. There is a playground on site, on the far side of the field.
4. Dogs are allowed on site, but not on the ball field, which is likely where the vigils and fighting will be (sorry!). ADA animals are allowed on the entire site.
5. We will not have directional signs. Please plan your route ahead of time or use GPS or a map app to get to Silver Beaver Shelter in Boyce Park (site location). BUT! Do not take Centerview Dr the whole way from the park entrance – it’s an access road. Take Saltsburg Rd and/or New Texas Rd, with Centerview on the last little bit.
6. The weather will be about 50 degrees, and the fields are likely to be pretty squishy. Please attire accordingly. As this is a practice, not an event, garb is welcome, but not required.
7. The short ways from the parking to the pavilion and the pavilion to the field have grassy inclines. Consider this when planning. You may want to bring a walking stick. There are longer ways around that are easier and graveled, but they are longer.
8. If the parking lot fills up, you are welcome to park by the tennis courts. There is plenty of parking, but please do park politely!
9. There are no changing rooms or water fountains. We will provide water in jugs for drinking. You are welcome to bring and eat/drink your own refreshments. No alcohol.
10. The porta-potty on site is wheelchair accessible. Do not change in it. While we were not able to secure a second porta-potty, there are a couple more in the next shelter over, about 200 yards away (not convenient, but they are there).
11. We follow the CovidSafe Rules. All attendees MUST check in before proceeding to the rest of the site, and must provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours. This must be from a medical provider (doctor or pharmacy or similar); home tests do not count. This is Kingdom policy. See the link for more details, and for info on masking.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Heavy practice and fencing will be held this Sunday, March 27th, at our winter site:
Ace Axe Throwing
(412) 368-8579
https://maps.app.goo.gl/K8E66Wg6MATVbwBp7
Parking is allowed in the Aldi’s lot behind the building. We will have the 5th floor.

Practice will be held 11am to 3pm

Loaner gear for heavy will be available upon request. Please let me know ahead of time if you need anything.

All persons attending will need to provide either proof of vaccination, or a negative covid test done within the prior 72 hours. All attendees must wear masks at all times while indoors regardless of vaccination status. This includes while fighting. If you have any questions regarding these policies, you can reach out to the Seneschal, or me.

Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
Guillaume

Hello Debatable Lands! Salve Accolens!!

The Debatable Lands invites you to a special heavy fighter practice on Saturday, April 2nd, 2022, in Boyce Park. Their Majesties have generously declared that They will be attending and holding Their Royal Court, as a “make-up” Court, for our 12th Night (as it could not be held previously) and more!

Among other pieces of business, Royal Court will include The Honorable Lord Boden the Lost’s elevation to the Order of the Chivalry, and the day will include his vigil. The day will also include the vigil and elevation of Comtesse Elena d’Artois to the Order of Defense.

Our Barony recognizes and celebrates that each neighbor makes their own decisions regarding physical attendance at SCA activities during this period of pandemic-related uncertainty. Therefore, Court will be streamed to the internet. here: https://www.facebook.com/events/360136385938456 . (Note that you do not need a Facebook account to view the livestream at this link.)

Schedule:

11am – Site opens (site available for those setting up for vigil and Court at 10am)

11:30am – Morning Royal Court

After court until 4:30 – Vigils and Fighting! It’s just practice! Have fun!

4:30pm – Afternoon Court (Royal and Baronial)

7pm – Site closes

There is no cost for this practice. There is no pre-registration. The site is fully outdoors: Silver Beaver Shelter in Boyce Park (past the tennis courts). The address for Boyce Park is 126 Centerview Dr, Pittsburgh, PA, 15239. You will need to drive through the park to get to the shelter; here is the map location for Silver Beaver Shelter: https://goo.gl/maps/ujk8RUDB45vLgDa39 . We will not be using physical signs. Site will open at 11am and close at 7pm. Set-up may occur at 10am. Practice will occur regardless of weather.

Some notes:

– Pop-ups and pavilions are welcome, provided they are individually owned and not rented. 

– Heraldry and decorations are highly encouraged.

– The Barony will provide drinking water, but not food. Attendees are welcome and encouraged to bring their picnic lunches and may share if they like. (See also Kingdom Covid-related policies: https://bit.ly/SCA-AE-Covid) 

– The parking lot is very close to the shelter, and the site includes the large sports field next to it. 

– There are no stairs, but folks with mobility devices should note that there are gravel paths, grass, and some short inclines.

– Facilities at the shelter include one port-a-potty, but no showers or flushies. Please plan accordingly. Port-a-potty is wheelchair accessible.

– Garb is welcome but not required, as this is a practice, not an event.

– This practice includes both heavy and rapier fighting.

– Please check the Barony announcement outlets for news on other regularly scheduled Baronial practices the next day.

Our Marshal-in-Charge for this practice is THL Guillaume le Noir du Bordeaux (knightmarshal@debatablelands.org). Fighting-related questions may be directed toward him. Our rapier Marshal-in Charge is Baroness Gabrielle de Winter. Rapier fighting questions may be directed toward her. Other questions (site, Court, schedule, etc.) may directed to the Practice Facilitator (steward), Baroness Hilda Hugelmann (Krista Cogan): baroness@debatablelands.org, 412-606-6258 (text preferred), 1505 Davis Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Feel free to message her on Facebook or Discord if preferred.

The Debatable Lands follows all SCA and Kingdom rules. Those wishing to fight must show proof of membership with waiver, or sign a waiver that day (this is standard). We will follow all pandemic-related protocols in place at the time of the practice. Please check the Kingdom’s summary here: https://bit.ly/SCA-AE-Covid. As of this writing (3/24/22), note that these include the requirement for all attendees to show either proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test done within the prior 72 hours. Please check the link above for further details. Unvaccinated folks and those with children should take note of any special masking/eating/etc. requirements. This practice is outdoors only.

Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.

Salve accolens!

Greetings, neighbors and friends in and out of our fair Barony,
Many hands make light work, and as the cook for the Coronation of TRH Byron and Ariella, I can assure you that anyone can help with preparing the tasty food which will be served on this wonderful occasion.

All are welcome to cook, no experience needed, and a fun time will be had by all, I assure you! On this Saturday, March 26th, our most kind friend, Lady Elsa Taliard (Laura Lindsay), has offered her kitchen at 135 Whitestown Rd., Lyndora, Pa 16045 and I hope to see many of you there. We will be starting at 1pm, and continuing until 5 or 6 pm. It will not be necessary to bring anything, but if you have favorite knives, or aprons, or music, or vegetables, by all means bring them along.

One word of caution….Whitestown Road is a busy and speedy road, with parking on one side and very hard to come by. I suggest driving past the house and parking in a small lot just up the road. This area is the entrance to a building further up the hill, so please park nose in and do not block the driveway.
There is no need to reply to this missive, but if you have questions please ask me at elss.of.augsburg@gmail.com or call me at 724.759.3333. I am so looking forward to cooking and seeing all my kitchen friends again!

With many thanks in advance, I am in service to the dream,
Elss Augsburg

Since I will be unable to attend as heavy marshal and we will also be without a fencing marshal, I am officially canceling practice for tomorrow, March 20th.

Guillaume

Since inclement weather is supposed to roll through the area, please watch here for and weather related cancelation.

Guillaume

Heavy practice and fencing will be held this Sunday, March 13th, at our new winter site:
Ace Axe Throwing
(412) 368-8579
https://maps.app.goo.gl/K8E66Wg6MATVbwBp7
Parking is allowed in the Aldi’s lot behind the building. We will have the 5th floor.

Practice will be held 11am to 3pm.

Donnan has agreed to fill in as fencing marshal in Jorundr’s absence this week.

Loaner gear for heavy will be available upon request. Please let me know ahead of time if you need anything.

All persons attending will need to provide either proof of vaccination, or a negative covid test done within the prior 72 hours. All attendees must wear masks at all times while indoors regardless of vaccination status. This includes while fighting. If you have any questions regarding these policies, you can reach out to the Seneschal, or me.

Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
Guillaume

Heavy practice and fencing will be held this Sunday, March 6th, at our new winter site:
Ace Axe Throwing
(412) 368-8579
https://maps.app.goo.gl/K8E66Wg6MATVbwBp7
Parking is allowed in the Aldi’s lot behind the building. We will have the 5th floor.

Practice will be held 11am to 3pm.

No loaner gear will be available.

All persons attending will need to provide either proof of vaccination, or a negative covid test done within the prior 72 hours. All attendees must wear masks at all times while indoors regardless of vaccination status. This includes while fighting. If you have any questions regarding these policies, you can reach out to the Seneschal, or me.

Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
Guillaume