Talk:Alexis Myrrdin of Braemist

Award of Arms: May Crown, 31 August 1985. The Shire of Myrtle Holt was the host of this May Crown. (Autocrat= Alexis Myrrdin of Braemist)

Memories:

Alexis encountered the SCA in Riverfront Park, in the mundane town of Grants Pass, Oregon. Within a few weeks she rode stuffed in the back of a Volkswagon Bug (that needed to be pushed to get it to start), in the middle of the night, driving with 2 others, to her first event. The Dun Cow Inn was also at this event, and made quite an impression, for someone at their very first event ever... but then, when were they not impressive?

Much to Alexis' surprise (and because of her number of years past the age of 18) she found she had become the Seneschal of the then incipient 'Shire of Myrtle Holt'! The year was 1983 - or was it 1984? Luckily the Crown approved the gifts and paperwork that were submitted, and so the SCA became a curious aspect of life occasionally encountered by the people of Grants Pass. "Are you in a play?" was a question actually asked at more than one location.... and more than one time in the years ahead.

Over the next two years the shire grew person by person. A few Demo's at elementary schools and in various parks, a one day tournament now and again with a few decent prizes, winter indoor events held in the meeting rooms of various public buildings that did not charge much for their use, and so what started as 3 people soon had grown into a dozen and more! Several of us held more than one office at a time, depending on who else could afford the registration and membership fees the BOD asked.

For the first year Alexis wrote, assembled, had copied and mailed out the monthly shire newsletter, 'The Leaflet'. At the same time she created and designed a 'Pages Program' for the children of the shire. (At the time there were 3 such children - all under the age of 10 - and all of them hers.)

The kids loved the unusual way of spending an afternoon at the park, learned a little about playing a recorder, how to address and respect the nobility, how to serve at the table, a bit of calligraphy and illumination, dance, and practiced at the then accepted form of 'youth combat'. But the Treasure hunts that happened during the shire's events were the most favored events for them. For each 'Chapter Leaf' the children completed of their 'Pages' Program', a symbol was embroidered onto their green pages belt favor and were given a little bag of candy as reward for their achievement.

The next year Alexis was the Mistress of Arts and Sciences and was autocrat for a few minor one evening or one day events. The XX anniversary of the SCA was coming up, and the populace decided that we should create a 'map' on fabric that would be Myrtle Holt's entry page in it. Several people helped draw the figures on the cloth and the overall planning was a group effort, and then Alexis was designated to paint it. It was a humble entry, but we had all enjoyed the process of creating it. It was decided that we would like to host an Ithra College session, for those in our shire and any others nearby to attend. It was held at Alexis's House, which had plenty of parking, even for RV's, and we all learned much from those who came to teach.

After managing to host a few local camping style events over the past year or two, and with the success of the Ithra, the shire as a group decided that with the growth of Myrtle Holt populace, and with the help of people in the near by SCA group in Ashland, Oregon, that we should apply to host and autocrat May Crown!

The submission was duly submitted, and to our surprise, accepted! May Crown was coming to the Shire of Myrtle Holt - and Alexis had been chosen by the group to be the official autocrat!