Minutes from November Commons

Meetings

Our canton’s quarterly business meeting was held on Monday, November 18, 2024. The minutes are attached below, as recorded by Mathghamhain and reviewed by Alienor. 

Attendance

Canton Members:

  • Alienor, Seneschal
  • Zahra, Exchequer
  • Ibrahim, Arts & Sciences
  • Madwen, Chatelaine
  • Mathghamhain, Herald / Webminister
  • Thorfinnr

Provincial Guests:

  • Ragnarr, Provincial Seneschal
  • Jenna

Seneschal

  • Alienor: How’s everyone been doing since our last commons meeting in July? Any news? 
  • Anyone need to step back? Anyone want to volunteer to get more involved, as an officer or a deputy or just in general? Reach out to me or the other officers and we’ll help you get started!
  • Our museum outings have been going well — the Cloisters in October, and Islamic Spain yesterday.
  • Officers, if you’re not sure about when your reports to kingdom are due, there’s a Google Calendar for that: bit.ly/ek-reports

Arts & Sciences

  • Ibrahim: I just filed my year-end report, also sent around via email.

At least two of our Canton’s members taught classes at Pennsic this year. The wonderfully generous Madwen Gam has been hosting a monthly “afternoon solar” where folks from our Canton (as well as other nearby parts) gather for handcrafts, snacks, and friendly chatter. We’ve also had intermittent group outings to local museums with exhibits of interest to the SCA’s areas of study. This fall we’ve had a trip to the world-famous Cloisters to browse their permanent collection and a trip to the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (a very small local museum affiliated with NYU) to see their exhibit “Madinat al-Zahra: The Radiant Capital of Islamic Spain” which includes art and artifacts from Cordoba in the tenth and eleventh centuries. More museum trips are expected in the coming months/years. And, of course, folks from Appleholm have attended classes and workshops throughout the Crown Province and its other Cantons.

Herald / Webminister

  • Mathghamhain: I filed my webministry report in October, and my heraldic report at the start of this month.
  • I’m continuing to post our local activities to the website, mailing list, and social media.
  • I did some work on moving the canton’s mailing lists to our new domain name earlier this year, but I didn’t finish the process and flip the switch to take it live; I’ll try to finish that up soon.

Chatelaine

  • Madwen: We’ve had a good turnout for the Solars. We’re drawing in some new folks who’re trying things for the first time. 
  • Our next gathering will be this Sunday, November 24. 
  • I’d love to host additional gatherings, let me know if you have ideas.

Exchequer

  • Zahra: I’m coming up on two years in the exchequer’s office, and I’m ready to step down some time in the months ahead.
  • Mathghamhain: Thank you for sticking at it despite your move. We’ll look for a replacement.

Upcoming Activities

  • Alienor: Hundred Minutes War is this weekend, Sat. Nov. 23, Sparta NJ.
  • Mathghamhain: If anyone is driving and has space for a passenger, please let me know.
  • Madwen: I’ll check with Franciscus to see if they’re driving.
  • Ragnarr: Folks from the province are going to set up a central location at Hundred Minutes War, come and find us.
  • Alienor: The November Solar will be the next day at Madwen’s, Sun. Nov. 24, W 161st.
  • Alienor: The December gallery outing will be to see paintings from 14th Century Siena, Sun. Dec. 8 at the Met.
  • Mathghamhain: The normal Solar schedule runs into the middle of the December holidays. 
  • Madwen: I’ll host it anyway; we can do a “New Year’s” theme, Sun. Dec. 29.
  • Alienor: Deck the Halls of Valhalla is coming up, Sat Jan 11, Brooklyn.
  • It’s transit accessible. Make sure to pre-reg soon because it will fill up. 
  • Thorfinnr: I can teach a class, either the same one as last year or something new.
  • Ragnarr: I’ll pass that along to the event steward.
  • Alienor: We could do another gallery outing on Sun. Jan. 19 — please let us know if you have suggestions for a destination.
  • Alienor: The January Solar will be Sun. Jan. 26, but note that this is up against Birka.
  • Mathghamhain: Some folks from the province will make the trip up for that, but lots of people will still be around.
  • Alienor: Our next quarterly commons meeting will be Monday, January 27.
  • Zahra: I’m going to be wiped out after Birka so I might not make it to the meeting.
  • Alienor: For the February gallery outing, perhaps we can schedule this for Sun. Feb. 2. 
  • We could go to see “The Book of Marvels” at the Morgan. (Runs from Jan 24 – May 25.)
  • Alienor: Are there any other events or ideas we should discuss?
  • Mathghamhain: Ibrahim has recently talked about organizing a couple of Tuesday night fencing-themed garb/gear-crafting sessions over the winter.
  • Madwen: Some of the rattan fighters have been talking about an armor-repair night, maybe we could pair those up?
  • Mathghamhain: I’d like to organize another May Day picnic in the spring. 
  • When going through scanned canton newsletters from thirty years ago I noticed that they also held picnic events in that same location, so we’re carrying on a tradition!
  • Alienor: We should restart dance classes.
  • Madwen: Yes, please — multiple people have mentioned an interest in dance classes. 
  • Alienor: I can investigate studio space availability — what days or times do you think would work for people?
  • Madwen: The folks who’ve talked about this have regular weekday work schedules, so weekends would be best.