Category Archives: Meetings

April Commons Minutes

Meetings

Our canton’s quarterly business meeting was held on Monday, April 29, 2024. The minutes as recorded by Mathghamhain are attached below. 

Attendance

  • Alienor Salton, Seneschal
  • Angelica di Nova Lipa, Chatelaine
  • Ibrahim al-Rashid, Arts and Sciences
  • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Herald & Webminister
  • Thorfinn Hróðgeirsson
  • Madwen Gam

Provincial guests:

  • Jenna Childslayer

Absent Officers:

  • Zahra de Andaluzia, Exchequer

Opening

  • Informal discussion began at 7:00 and the meeting proper was called to order at 7:30.
  • The Society harassment notice was acknowledged.

May Day Festival

  • Mathghamhain: I’ve been remiss in not doing more organizing for this event before now, but it’s intended to be a low-key occasion and I expect it’ll work out.
  • Mathghamhain: Thorfinn has offered to provide music for dancing and entertainment, and we’d welcome anyone else who might like to join in.
  • Thorfinn: Please provide a set list for the dancing at least a couple days before the event so I can make sure I have sheet music for all of the songs.
  • Alienor: My primary goal is to run through the bransles that we have previously rehearsed as a group.
  • Madwen: We could order ribbons for a maypole from JoAnn’s.
  • Angelica: I have some spare fabric that I could cut into long strips for that purpose.
  • Angelica: I’ve got a few ready-made flower crowns plus wire and tape to make more.
  • Madwen: I have a basic Petanque set we could use for lawn bowling.
  • Mathghamhain: We’ll bring a table and chairs, as well as some snacks and drinks.
  • Ibrahim: I’ll make something to eat.
  • Angelica: I will bring a picnic blanket.

Officer Updates

  • Mathghamhain: Not much news from the web ministry or social media.
    • I still need to move our two mailing lists to our new domain name.
  • Angelica: Zahra may soon be moving outside the boundaries of our canton.
    • If she’s willing to continue in office, we might need to seek a waiver for this.
  • Madwen: I would be willing to take on an office to help out.
    • Angelica: You’d make an excellent chatelaine, and I’d be happy to hand off that office.
    • Madwen: Sure!
    • Everyone Present: Enthusiastically accepted by acclamation.

Upcoming Activities

  • Progress to Pride is coming up at the end of the month.
  • No gallery outing in May, but looking for suggestions for something to do in June:
    • Hidden Faces / Renaissance Portraits, at the Met (through July 7).
    • Seventeenth Century New Amsterdam / 400th Anniversary of Dutch Settlement, at the New York Historical Society (through July 15).
    • Tibetan Artifacts, at the Rubin Museum (until they close in October).

Provincial and Regional Events

  • May 5: A&S (Northpass)
  • May 11: Viking Day Demo (Ostgardr)
  • May 11: Three Skulls Anniversary (An Dubh)
    • Includes social gathering, food, archery/throwing.
    •  Jenna can transport people from the Hicksville LIRR station
  • June 22: Potted Arms (An Dubh)
    • Includes fencing, merchants
    • Jenna can transport people from the LIRR station
  • June 22: Novice Day (Rusted Woodlands)
    • Includes rattan, fencing, archery, A&S display.
    • May be able to arrange carpooling.

Closing

  • The meeting was adjourned at 8:25.

Canton Commons: Monday, April 29

Meetings

Please join us for the canton’s quarterly business meeting on Monday, April 29, starting at 7 PM.

Our video conference will be held via Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/azp-fqtb-dbn

We’ll review plans for our May Day Festival scheduled for the following Saturday, May 4. We’ll also consider plans for the coming months and any other business raised by the officers or populace. As always, folks are welcome to hang out and socialize following the conclusion of the meeting.

Our gatherings are open to everyone. No Society membership or previous experience required. Modern attire; come as you are. We look forward to seeing you!

January Commons Minutes

Meetings

Our canton’s quarterly business meeting was held on Monday, January 29, 2024. The minutes as recorded by Mathghamhain are attached below. 

Attendance

  • Alienor Salton, Seneschal
  • Zahra de Andaluzia, Exchequer
  • Angelica di Nova Lipa, Chatelaine
  • Ibrahim al-Rashid, Arts and Sciences
  • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Herald & Webminister
  • Ronan

Provincial guests:

  • Ragnarr, Østgarðr Seneschal
  • Jenna Childslayer

Opening

Seneschal

  • Alienor: Welcome back! I’m now mostly recovered, but have been sick and out of commission for a long stretch of this winter, so I don’t have much to report.

Exchequer

  • Zahra: Our financial reports for this quarter have been filed with the kingdom.
  • Mathghamhain: I’ll follow up with you about posting the summary portions of that report to our website as required by Corpora.

Chatelaine

  • Angelica: My office has been very quiet. No direct emails or contacts with newcomers.
  • If you notice someone new show up at an event or in one of our social media channels, please let me know so I can welcome them!

Arts and Sciences

  • Ibrahim: Our workshop this fall was a success; largesse was delivered to the royals.
  • I look forward to resuming museum visits; my schedule doesn’t alway allow me to join, but it’s great that we’re taking advantage of the opportunity our city provides.
  • If anyone missed our canton’s trip to the Cloisters’ exhibit “Rich Man, Poor Man,” this week is your final chance before it closes. 

Herald

  • Mathghamhain: I have filed my quarterly report with the kingdom heralds.
  • Our canton name change was finally accepted and registered in December. 
  • I’m sorry that process took so long; the College delayed the passage by five months in order to debate and then establish a new policy allowing branches to retain their old names during a change.

Webminister

  • Mathghamhain: I have filed my quarterly report with the kingdom webministry.
  • I’ve updated the branch name on the web site, and worked with the webministry to migrate it to the new domain name.
  • All officers should now be able to send and receive email using the new domain name.
  • Email to the old domain name can still be received, perhaps for the next year or so.
  • Officers, when filing your next report to your kingdom counterparts, please remind them of the name change and ask them to switch your office address in their address book, office-related mailing lists, and office-related Google Drive permissions.
  • I still need to switch the populace and officer mailing lists to use the new domain names.

Upcoming Activity

  • Mathghamhain: I had planned to organize an outing to the Met’s “Africa and Byzantium” exhibit during January, but illness prevented it — let’s select a new date.
  • Saturday, February 24 seems like it would work for a bunch of us; I’ll announce it.
  • Alienor: The largesse workshop in November was really pleasant; I’d love to do more of these casual shared group activity days (rather than formal classes as such).
  • Angelica: Yes, that would be lovely.
  • Ibrahim: My building has a street-level garden that could be used for a craft night.
  • Alienor: Would people like to resume dancing when it’s warm enough outdoors? 
  • Zahra: Yes, definitely.
  • Angelica: We could also consider early music concerts. There’s a Gothic early music series at St Malachy’s in midtown on Thursday afternoons.
  • Mathghamhain: I reached out to the WHIDC about the Fort Tryon medieval festival they typically hold on the last weekend of September or first weekend of October.
  • I haven’t heard back yet, but in past years they didn’t really get moving on this until the spring, so it’s too early to know whether they’re going to hold it again this year.

Events Elsewhere

  • Ibrahim: On March 2, Crown A&S Championships (Quintavia — Worcester, MA) will also have an option for non-competitive display.
  • Ronan: On March 23, at Mudthaw (Settmour — NJ), a friend of ours is receiving an award. (Probably not transit friendly, but maybe could car service from NJ Transit?)
  • Also considering going to Coronation, on April 6 (Concordia — Schenectady).
  • Jenna: On May 18, Lions End Schola will host the provincial A&S championship (Glen Head); the site is easily accessible by transit.

Closing

  • The meeting was adjourned at 7:30, followed by a few minutes of socializing.

October Commons Minutes

Meetings

Our canton’s quarterly business meeting was held on Monday, October 23, 2023. The minutes as recorded by Mathghamhain are attached below, followed by the officer’s reports. 

Attendance

  • Alienor Salton, Seneschal
  • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Herald and Webminister
  • Zahra de Andaluzia, Exchequer
  • Angelica di Nova Lipa, Chatelaine
  • Þorfinnr Hróðgeirsson
  • Ilia Aleksandrovich
  • Jenna Childslayer

Opening

  • Meeting was called to order at 7:00.
  • The Society harassment policy was viewed and recited.

Branch Name Legacy

  • We reviewed the question of what to do with our old name following its change. 
  • Currently-active members did not have strong feelings either way on the subject, whereas former members who now live elsewhere unanimously favored retention. 
  • By consensus we agreed to accept the option newly offered by the College of Arms to retain the branch’s original name as its “Ancient and Honorable” name following the change. 

Largess Workshop

  • Ibrahim passed along a request from their Majesties Matthias and Feilinn for the craftsfolk of the East to create and donate small items that can be given by the royals as tokens or gifts to the populace. 
  • Possible items include pins, rings, and other jewelry; trim, cords, or bags; caps, cups, or craft kits, and so forth.
  • Madwen has volunteered to host at her house on 161st Street. 
  • Our target date is the afternoon of Sunday November 12.
  • This is the day after the fabric-district outing, so folks could go buy a piece of fabric on Saturday and turn it into something (coifs or sacks or favors or…) on Sunday. 

Museum Outing

  • Mathghamhain suggested an outing to the recently-reopened Hispanic Society to view their small collection of late-period artifacts from Iberia and Latin America on display in their Main Courtyard.
  • The museum is on Broadway between 155th and 156th Streets. Admission is free. The site is accessible.
  • Our target date is Sunday December 10.

Other Activities

  • Þorfinnr offered to provide content for A&S classes if someone else managed the logistics of finding space and organizing the event.
  • Þorfinnr is also looking for nearby locations to host his in-person music sessions.
  • We could possibly combine in-person music with a dance class at the local studio we used this spring.
  • We hope to work out the details of these and other small-scale gatherings on an ongoing basis over the coming months.

Closing

  • The meeting was adjourned by 7:30.

Officers’ Reports

Seneschal, Alienor

Our next canton commons is Monday, Oct. 23rd, at 7pm.

We are floating plans for a largesse-making party.  

Exchequer, Zahra

No news as exchequer.

Chatelaine, Angelica

I have properly filed the quarterly local group and Southern Region Chatelaine reports. 

In the last two weeks we have another Manhattanite from the UWS interested in the SCA, one who comes to us with a wealth of musical and performance experience.  She has been to the Tuesday fighter practice at McCarren park, enjoyed it, and is looking forward to learning more about fighting.   She will be at this coming Saturday’s schola in Settmour Swamp.  I have offered information, and am garbing her for the occasion.  She is also in the process of developing a persona for an individual from a city on the coast of Croatia (family heritage connection) early 1500’s.     

Our previous newcomer Madwen enjoyed Pennsic, Barleycorn,  continues involvement and has offered her UWS home for an Appleholm gathering, details TBD.    

Ishtar (UES) enjoyed aspects of Pennsic but is not presently considering attending it again, but continues casual involvement when not otherwise scheduled. 

Arts & Sciences, Ibrahim

I can’t make it this Monday. Can you make time in the agenda to solicit possible days and times that folks might be available to do a largesse-making workshop? 

Herald, Mathghamhain

I’ve filed my quarterly report with kingdom. 

Our canton name change from Whyt Whey to Appleholm will be made official in mid-December. 

We need to decide whether to retain “Canton of Whyt Whey” as our “ancient name,” or the substitute “Companie of Grate Whyt Whey” household name, or both, or neither. I’ve mailed and posted to get feedback from the populace on this question. Unfortunately, the College needs us to make a decision quickly. 

Webminister, Mathghamhain

I’ve filed my quarterly report with kingdom. 

I’ve done some coordination with the kingdom webministry and they have a plan for how to handle the domain name when our name changes. I’ll coordinate that in late December.

July Commons Minutes

Meetings

The canton’s quarterly business meeting was held online July 24. The minutes below were recorded by Alienor Salton and edited by Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin.

Attendance

Officers:
• Alienor Salton, Seneschal
• Zahra de Andaluzia, Exchequer
• Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Herald
• Simon Talbot, Webminister

• Ibrahim al-Rashid, Arts & Sciences

Absent Officers:
• Angelica di Nova Lipa, Chatelaine and Vicereine

Populace:
• Elizabeth

Provincial Guests:
• Jenna Childslayer

Opening Business

Meeting called to order at 7:08.

Alienor: 

  • Our canton name change has been delayed.  
  • The Cloisters demo has been canceled.
  • Most of us on the call will be at Pennsic — please drop by the Østgarðr potluck, Thursday Aug. 8th, starting at 5:30 pm or so.
  • After we get back from Pennsic, we will resume doing the kinds of activities we were doing in the spring, including gallery visits and dancing.  

Jenna: 

  • Sept. 22-23, An Dubh has a new demo at Longwood Estates in Suffolk. Historically plausible garb is important for this event.

Exchequer

Zahra: 

  • Last quarter all the exchequers had a study hall.  It would be nice to do it again.

Local Event

  • Elizabeth: Could Appleholm host a schola?  
  • Simon: Appleholm likes nothing better! 
  • Mathghamhain: I would love to do a show-and-tell A&S day, with a simple dayboard, and live dancing & music.  
  • Zahra: Why not both?  
  • Mathghamhain: Let’s find a venue! I volunteer myself & Alienor to call around the sites we previously scoped.

Webministry

  • Simon: I’m ready to step down as webminister, but willing to continue if needed.  
  • All: THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE.  
  • Alienor: Please feel free to step down now; there’s no need to drag this out past the point where you’re enjoying it.  
  • Mathghamhain: I will take over the office. We can arrange the logistics after Pennsic.  Thank you for sticking around even after moving away.

[Meeting adjourned at 7:26pm and then almost immediately re-opened when Ibrahim joined the call.]

A&S Gatherings

Ibrahim:  

  • Let’s resume regular A&S gatherings when we return from Pennsic.
  • We had one earlier this year and would like to have more.

Jenna: 

  • You can borrow our schola site, which is public transit accessible.

Closing

Meeting fully ended at 7:31pm.

April Commons Minutes

Meetings

The canton’s quarterly business meeting was held online April 24. The minutes below were recorded by Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin and reviewed by Alienor Salton.

Attendance

Officers:
• Alienor Salton, Seneschal
• Zahra de Andaluzia, Exchequer
• Angelica di Nova Lipa, Chatelaine and Vicereine
• Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Herald
• Ibrahim al-Rashid, Arts & Sciences

Absent Officers:
• Simon Talbot, Webminister

Provincial Guests:
• Vitasha Ivanova doch’, Provincial Minister of Lists

Meeting called to order at 7:05.

Seneschal

Alienor: Since our last meeting we’ve hosted a weaving workshop, monthly museum outings, and several dance practices.

I am traveling for the next week, so will not be able to host a dance practice this coming weekend, but I’ll organize one when I return, before our road trip to Dancing Fox, May 13th. Our last dance practice was in a local park, and for the next one we’ll probably return to the General Grant Memorial Overlook Pavilion (122nd at Riverside).

Chatelaine

Angelica: Appleholm’s dance and museum initiatives have attracted two newcomers (Madwen and Sarah) in the last quarter. Another Appleholm UWS resident (Estar) found us via Jenna Childslayer’s online Pennsic 101 class. Estar and I traveled together to the An Dubh Schola at Stony Brook. I and other Appleholm residents have been welcoming and helpful to these newcomers, and we look forward to Dancing Fox in their good company.

Chatelaine quarterly reports to EK have been correctly submitted.

Herald

Mathghamhain: Our branch name change is continuing to wend its way through the heraldic commentary process, and no problems have been encountered so far. (The legacy household name to preserve the Whyt Whey has been subject to more discussion, but appears likely to be registrable in one form or another.) Results are likely to be made official in mid-July.

Exchequer

Ibrahim: I helped Zahra get access to the bank website. The report seems to have gone okay.

Zahra: Yes, thanks for the help, the exchequer’s quarterly report was filed.

Webminister

Alienor: I checked in with Simon, who reports that there is no news from the webministry.

Arts and Sciences

Ibrahim: Thorfinn is considering hosting some local A&S gatherings in-person at his home. Perhaps mead-making? Simple garb sewing? Contact him or me with class ideas.

Mathghamhain: Our series of museum trips are going well. It was great seeing people at the Cloisters yesterday. I’m currently looking for suggestions on other destinations for future visits.

Ibrahim: The Met is having an exhibit Juan de Pareja, a seventeenth-century Spanish painter of African descent. He’s post-period, but interesting.

Alienor: I’ve been enjoying our visits to small less-known galleries.

Upcoming Events

Alienor: Our next commons meeting will be in July.

Mathghamhain: I’d love to find a venue that was both beautiful and affordable for an in-person non-competitive A&S-themed event later this year.

Mathghamhain: I’ve asked WHIDC to confirm the date of the Cloisters medieval festival this fall — it’s probably the first weekend in October, but some years it’s been the last weekend in September instead.

Closing

Meeting adjourned at 7:30.

Canton Commons, Monday April 24

Meetings

Please join us on Monday, April 24th, at 7pm for the Appleholm Commons, our canton’s quarterly business meeting (and online social gathering), online via Google Meet.

We’ll be discussing plans for upcoming activities and future events. If there’s anything you’d like to discuss, you can email the Seneschal to put it on the agenda, or just bring it up during the discussion period.

Our meetings are open to everyone. No Society membership or previous experience required. Modern attire; come as you are.

Minutes from January Commons

Meetings

The canton’s quarterly business meeting was held online January 23. The minutes below were recorded by Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin and reviewed by Alienor Salton.

Attendance

Officers:
• Alienor Salton, Seneschal
• Zahra de Andaluzia, Exchequer
• Angelica di Nova Lipa, Chatelaine and Vicereine
• Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Herald
• Simon Talbot, Webminister (arrival delayed)
• Ibrahim al-Rashid, Exchequer Emeritus

Populace:
• Varenne de Forêt

Continue reading Minutes from January Commons →