A woman's.... shoes?

Oh yes, a good woman needs good shoes right? Forget for a moment that I'm a woman often barefoot, I do love a good pair of shoes, and oh do I want these....

(From American Duchess Costuming Blog):

Want to *win* your very own pair of leather Devonshire 18th century shoes?  Then help us spread the word about the pre-order going on right now!

About the Prize:

The Devonshires are a leather 18th century shoe based on museum examples from the 1760s through 1780s.  They're made of top-grade dyable leather, with a beautiful, smooth Italian leather sole for dancing, and are hard-wearing, water- and mud-proof, for even the toughest of outdoor re-enactments.

Pre-Order the Devonshires through August 10, and get the special $100 price.  We're only making 200 of these shoes, so don't miss the chance to own one of only a couple hundred pair on the planet!  Visit www.american-duchess.com to order.




This woman is entering the contest. Go ahead and enter yourself. Hopefully I'll make my re-debut at the tavern next year in a gorgeous pair of Devonshires painted red, with the babies of course.

So if you have not visited the Duchess's blog, get over there, Lady Brower commands it. She has some very fun costuming stuff for the 18th century.

A change in the wind

As the weather turns warmer here, new faces and some familiar are starting to show themselves in the tavern. Some men did stay through the winter and I've come to know them well enough (and some of my girls better still) these new faces have me wary, young men are hard to read, and these have eyes that gleam of wanted fortune. What to make of them? They spend their coin more easily than the seasoned men, and speak loud of conquests made and yet to be discovered. They are ill discreet with the girls. I hope to learn more.

The more quiet men seem to be measuring these young newcomers and I suspect if they are meaning to cast their lot in with them, they will be carefully tested. Though others, including myself may protest, they find honor in their work and ways and are cautious when it comes to their crew unlike in any other aspect of their being. Still, they plot and whisper... One of my girls says she often sees the old man scribbling away in a book... I feel compelled to know what is in this book....

Tavern Girl

It's a subject of some musing, the shore leave of seamen. They drink deep, such a lot and are ravenous, for food and other pleasures. 'T would seem they go off to make their coin just to spend it on trinkets, beauties and spirits.

(Above are images are tavern scenes and other depictions of merriment and consumption. Many are by artist Jan Steen (1626-1679).)

First entry, February 1680

It's still cold in the nor'east yet, but that doesn't keep the men from plotting. They are meticulous in their calculations and figures, they oft'n quarrel over coordinates a ships. One thing is for certain, many raids are sure to take place. They are a strange lot of patriots, they believe themselves noble and their actions just. I call them pirates.

A tentative schedule of raiding parties for 2011:

April the 15th and 16th, Baltimore Maryland Fells Point Privateer day
June the 18th, Marathon New York, Marathon Pirate Festival (not confirmed)
July the 9th and 10th, Havre de Grace, Maryland, Pirate Invasion
August the 19th, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Fort Mifflin Pirate day
August the 26th and 27th, Cape May, New Jersey, Sea Farers weekend at Cold Springs Village