I know I just posted, but I wanted to post something about the life of a reenactor, at this time of year.(January and February) Events are, at best, few and far beteween, but that makes this period a great time for doing research, making new "kit", and repairing old kit. If you're like me, this is the time of year during which you're most likely to pop "Last of the Mohicans" or "The Patriot" into the DVD player. (yeah, I know, some of you would prefer death to "The Patriot", but the story, itself, is pretty good, even if the history is bad.) At this time of year, when we're holding "Make and Mend" gatherings with our friends, we often find ourselves short on supplies. Yeah, we'll be able to pick up plenty of materials at Fort Frederick, in late April, or at similar events in other parts of the country, but that's long after this ideal work period. For this, we need a market event in January or February. In Frederick, Maryland, where I live, we used to have an event called the Reenactors' Winter Market, but the event complex it was held in was sold to a large church, and the event hasn't occured for a few years now. I find this particularly unfortunate, because I now live within walking distance! However, hope isn't lost: I know of two big, indoor reenactors' events which took place this past weekend, (Jan 31 and Feb 1 and 2) Military History Fest, formerly known as Reenactorfest, in Chicago, (which I've never attended) and the 18th-century Artisans' Show, in Lewisburg, PA., which I DID attend, this past Friday. This show is a decent-sized show, featuring all manner of 18th-c craftspeople, and is a good place to see and buy some really nice pieces. The only disappointment, for me, is that it's mostly finished goods, and not much by way of raw materials. The show takes up four rooms of various sizes, of which two are mostly reproduction goods, one is mostly actual period pieces, and one is mostly gunsmithing parts and supplies. If they had a room for fabric vendors, leather suppliers, etc., it would be, to my mind, more complete. Even without that, though, I highly recommend the show. In addition to this show, I also attended the Great American Outdoor Show, at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show complex, a HUGE indoor fairground. This show runs for nine days, and it's virtually impossible to see everything in one day. however, since it's a modern outdoors show, reenactors will find little of specific interest to the hobby. Even so, I enjoyed it, and will likely attend, next year. Although these events have passed, they're worth looking into for next year, and I hope to find still more winter market events, for next year. So call, write, or email your friends, and get together to enjoy each others' company, work on projects, and generally get your reenacting fix. By the way, if you're looking for something different to pop into the DVD, try "Sweet Liberty". It's a 1986 comedy about the making of a Rev War film, and the conflict between Hollywood's tendency to "embellish" history, and the reenactors' fondness for accuracy. It could almost be retitled "the making of The Patriot"!