Festival of the Rose Surprise

I got a surprise at last Saturday’s SCA event.
The event was called Festival of the Rose and Olde-Tymer’s Tourney.
The Festival of the Rose part is where artists in various mediums put forth their best works to celebrate the glory of the Queen and vie for the honor of representing Her as Queen’s Champion for Arts and Science.
I have never entered for Queen’s Champion for Arts and Science. You know from seeing my past work that I love to make beautiful things but I’ve rarely sought specific recognition for my work… other than to have people pay me for it!

I got to the event last Saturday with no intention of doing anything other than work on a bow and make a couple bowstrings for folks. I also had some arrows to deliver for Cristof and was pretty sure he’d be there.
Sitting there in the morning trying to figure out if I should start work on the bow or eat some peanuts I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t yet gotten pictures of Cristof’s new arrows.
I rolled out a straw mat we’d brought along and captured a few pictures before Cristof showed up to take his new arrows. He loved the way they looked and I thought that was the end of it.

Later, towards the end of the day, Fayme came to drag me into the room where all the entries for the Queen’s Champion Arts and Science were being displayed. I was just getting ready to break down our gear in an effort to stay ahead of some dark clouds threatening rain and didn’t want to go. She told me I had to go.
Imagine my surprise when I saw Cristof’s arrows on one of the tables! That rascal had entered them under my name into the Queen’s Champion contest. Next to the arrows was a small pile of various tokens placed there by people who liked what they saw. There was even a big chocolate rose from the Queen Herself.

I didn’t win but it was very gratifying to see the appreciation for my work, especially considering all the other beautiful work being shown.

Happy archery, and Long Live the Queen!