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I am super excited to be getting ready for the 147th Cedar Creek Reenactment in Middletown, Virginia this week. I have not participated in this event since 2006 and it is my absolute favorite reenactment. Originally, Boyfriend and I thought he would be working on Friday and, therefore, not getting to the site until way after dark, so I am not preparing food for Friday. As luck would have it, Boyfriend in off, so we will be leaving Jersey on Friday morning and arriving in Virginia in the early afternoon...if we leave as planned.
I love this event for a couple of reasons. One, we are reenacting on the actual battlefield. That is pretty amazing and is pretty rare. Most reenactments take place in State Parks or on private property near battle sites. Two, Cedar Creek Battlefield is in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. It quite possibly is the most beautiful place on earth, in my humble opinion. To be fair, I've gotten a lot more traveling under my belt since I was last there, but I could still dedicate a blog to the wonder of the Valley's night sky.
Another reason I love Cedar Creek is because it is cold. I really don't like the cold, but Boyfriend is pretty much a constant 150 degrees, so for the first time, I will pretty much have a space heater in my tent. Whoo-hoo! Plus, since he is a very hot person, this will be his first event where he is not sweating off 10% of his body weight (which actually happened at his first event...he came back from battle holding his pants up because he dropped a belt size from sweating!). While I know he enjoys reenacting, I've always felt a little bad for dragging him to events like The 150th Manassas. I literally haven't used some of my reenacting gear since 2006...my poor neglected sontag and cloak!
Also, because the event is often very chilly, especially at night, the participants tend to be a more authentic bunch. While the Gettysburg reenactment is often considered the "big one," it often brings out a crowd of really inauthentic participants. Reenacting is one of those hobbies where the expression, "Quality not quantity" can be used frequently.
The final reason I love Cedar Creek a little bit more than all other events is simply because it was my first reenactment. It was also my first time camping and my first time sleeping away from home ever, but that is neither here nor there. Although, it does explain why I am a bit of a modern camping snob. So, yes, this Friday I will be celebrating the start of my ninth year as a Civil War Reenactor and I will be doing it the best way possible...at a reenactment!
I love this event for a couple of reasons. One, we are reenacting on the actual battlefield. That is pretty amazing and is pretty rare. Most reenactments take place in State Parks or on private property near battle sites. Two, Cedar Creek Battlefield is in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. It quite possibly is the most beautiful place on earth, in my humble opinion. To be fair, I've gotten a lot more traveling under my belt since I was last there, but I could still dedicate a blog to the wonder of the Valley's night sky.
Another reason I love Cedar Creek is because it is cold. I really don't like the cold, but Boyfriend is pretty much a constant 150 degrees, so for the first time, I will pretty much have a space heater in my tent. Whoo-hoo! Plus, since he is a very hot person, this will be his first event where he is not sweating off 10% of his body weight (which actually happened at his first event...he came back from battle holding his pants up because he dropped a belt size from sweating!). While I know he enjoys reenacting, I've always felt a little bad for dragging him to events like The 150th Manassas. I literally haven't used some of my reenacting gear since 2006...my poor neglected sontag and cloak!
Also, because the event is often very chilly, especially at night, the participants tend to be a more authentic bunch. While the Gettysburg reenactment is often considered the "big one," it often brings out a crowd of really inauthentic participants. Reenacting is one of those hobbies where the expression, "Quality not quantity" can be used frequently.
The final reason I love Cedar Creek a little bit more than all other events is simply because it was my first reenactment. It was also my first time camping and my first time sleeping away from home ever, but that is neither here nor there. Although, it does explain why I am a bit of a modern camping snob. So, yes, this Friday I will be celebrating the start of my ninth year as a Civil War Reenactor and I will be doing it the best way possible...at a reenactment!
Are you exploring the wonders of historical cooking techniques again? I think your readers deserve a full account of exactly how you go about feeding Boyfriend while maintaining historical accuracy!
ReplyDeleteNot to mention the exciting pit-stop in Baltimore on your way home... I'm cleaning my 21st century shower in preparation!
I am indeed! In fact, that is tomorrow or Friday morning's blog. I like to precook as much as possible. I don't mind cooking over a fire at all, but clean up and prep are both messy and difficult, so I try to keep that a bare minimum. I have a new table with basin in it for this event, I'm way too excited over this.
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