Week one

Well, it has been more than a week since I've arrived here in Harpers Ferry, so I guess it would be fitting to post my first impressions.

My first impression is that I love this place. Not just for the history, or all the Civil War stuff around here, but because it is just so dang beautiful. Here there are rolling hills, beautiful trees, and cool rivers to satisfy your natural tastes, as well as cardinals and other birds singing while the fireflies glow at night.

The people here are very nice as well. Every time someone drives past, I have to wave, because they always do. Walking back from the Library last week, one person invited me to have some sweet tea on their front porch (an aquired taste, I'm guessing, as its not my favorite), and then another person gave me a ride from Bolivar back to the house. Neither of these people had any idea who I was, they were just friendly.

I am having a good time here, just walking around and seeing another part of the country is great. It is good to get away for a while, and just do what i want to do for a little while.
During this first week, I have had plenty of other things to do outside of learning a boat load about John Brown, the arsenal, the Civil War history, and Harpers Ferry. This week, my house mates and myself were invited to go white water rafting for free, hosted by one of the local tour groups. It was a blast, getting up to class three rapids and of course getting completely soaked. I would recommend it to anyone, so long as you have a good guide. I know I'd like to go again, if possible.

Oh, and I've also seen fireflies, which were awesome. I'm told that there will be more as summer wears on, so i'm hoping that is the case.

On Saturday and Sunday we portrayed the Union garrison evacuating Harpers Ferry in anticipation of Stone Wall Jackson's first attack in spring of 1862. It was a lot of fun, reenacting the quartermaster's office, the provost marshal, the hospital, and the contraband camp. Probably the most interesting thing we did was the contraband camp. For those of you who don't know, 'contraband' were escaped or free slaves who had made it to Union lines for protection, and were being put to work digging intrenchments or doing chores for the soldiers. This exhibit and demonstration really had the chance to be politically incorrect, and I personally was a little worried about the public reaction. But, it appears that actually turned out well, and so far as I know, the reactions were positive.

Monday thru wednesday has been our days off, with wednesday being the extra day due to Memorial day. On tuesday my housemates Breaden and Isaac and myself went to Washington DC, to tour around and see some of the smithsonian museums. Kevin was on a short visit home, but he's getting back very soon.

DC was a lot of fun, but it was entirely too hot. And too spread out. My knees being what they are, were seriously close to giving out right as we boarded the train to go home. But other than that, I had a really good time, and we're planning on going to DC again soon.

It has been a good week, with its ups and downs, but all in all, it has been quite enjoyable.

I'll probably post pictures later, but this is it for now!
TTFN

First pictures

Here is my house, its an old 'tenant's house', meaning it was like an apartment block. The floors are all old wood, and thankfully, they let us have AC. :P

A flag from the 126th NYSM, captured at Harpers Ferry. I want this.

This Roman Catholic church is a block or so behind my house. The bells are beautiful to hear.

Looking down the Potomac River from Jefferson Rock

A miniature version of the rifle factory, showing how they made rifle stocks.

A view of the alley way leading to my house.

Lets eat, drink, and be merry! Or maybe just drink. After all, it comes in Pints, right?

I'm here! :D

Just a short post until I return to the Harpers Ferry-Bolivar library, but just wanted to let you all know that I am here, safe and sound.

It is such a beautiful area, its definitely on my list of "possible places to live".

The funny thing is, it in no way felt good being there until I pulled on my period
clothes this morning. Go figure. :P

Pictures are coming (hopefully), as well as more posts. :)

The humidity here is crazy, walking the 1 1/2 miles to the library, I pulled off my
forage cap and my head was pouring sweat. And I wasn't even feeling that hot! Oh well.

Last night was great, going to sleep to the ambiance of train whistles and church bells sounding,
all a scant few blocks from where I am sleeping, in a old boarding house. :)

Any way, its time to walk back to the house, but I'll post later! TTFN

Irish Brigade at Fredricksburg

A music video of the scene with the Irish brigade at the battle of Fredericksburg (filmed in Harpers Ferry). In a way, I envy the men like the Irish brigade, because of their courage, their sacrifice. I wish I would be able to do the same for those I love, but unfortunately, sometimes its simply not accepted. What is particularly heartbreaking about this scene is that these men were practically brothers, they had grown up together, fought for freedom together, and wound up slaughtering each other in what was supposed to be a new home and a new start, full of freedom and peace.


You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence.
Abraham Lincoln

Who could refrain that had a heart to love and in that heart courage to make love known?
William Shakespeare

Less than one week now.

Its hard to believe that in less than one week I will be boarding an airplane by my lonesome to fly out to the complete other side of the country. At this point, I am half way packed, with all my modern clothing and items packed snugly in suitcase #1. And of course, my reenacting gear and period clothes are no where near being packed. There is a reasonable explanation for this, I assure you.

Having said goodbye to many of my friends yesterday at a graduation/goodbye party, the realization is finally starting to sink in, that this dream job and trip of a lifetime is actually happening. My world and mind have been such a blur in so many ways that I honestly haven't even focused on this trip and hopeful start to a career, what with school drawing to a close, living history jobs picking up, and other dramas of life. However, now that most of these are behind me, I can finally focus on this awesome trip.

I have been truly blessed recently, with three living history presentations for schools in the past two months, and another one on thursday, yes, the week that I leave. This has been my 'small business', to raise funds to go to the 150th anniversary reenactment of the battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania next year. This is rumored to be the biggest reenactment I will see in my lifetime, and I in no way intend to miss it. It will be awesome, because I will (Lord willing) be traveling with other members of my company, to meet up with our brother company that operates out of Maryland, so we will have the awesome opportunity of reenacting as ourselves, not some other unit.

Another bit of irony mixed with insanity in my life is the fact that there is a reenactment going on here in Oregon the weekend I leave. Of course, being the wool wearing, musket toting, powder burning nut that I am, there's no way I'm leaving Oregon without taking one more crack at Johnny Reb before leaving the left coast. So, that being the case, I've decided to go to one day of said reenactment the day that I leave, taking some of my very closest friends with me as a last huzzah before I take off for three months.

So any way, as I said, its hard to believe that 6 days from today I'll not be in my beloved Oregon for three months, and I'll be 3,000 miles away from everyone I know and care for. Weird feeling, to be sure. Any way, now the countdown really begins, its time to pack the last of my gear, do a presentation in the Portland metro area, go to a reenactment, then hop on my freedom bird to an amazing opportunity and hopefully, a new career. Indeed, I am hoping for this to be my first 'job' in this career, and if I am offered a full time job by Harpers Ferry NHP, or the NPS in general... chances are good that I would take it and thus stay out there. But needless to say, chances of that are rather small.

Any way, I'm off to enjoy this beautiful Oregon day, but I'll be back before I take off.