Dream Journal: No mysteries here

Every once in a while, my use of audio to stave off insomnia produces odd effects. Last night's reality: sleeping in my medieval pavilion at Beltane Coronation, running Jane Austen's "Emma" on the iPod. Last night's dream: attending Pennsic, except it was being held in a university dormitory-type setting with mazes of twisty corridors all alike, and all the Pennsic staff had adopted personas of Austen characters and would only communicate by quoting dialogue from the novels. There may be something symbolic in that my standard dream-Pennsic storyline involves realizing that I've been there for pretty much the entire event and haven't managed to meet up with anyone I know or attend any meetings or activities that I'd planned to do. (Note that I've only attended Pennsic twice in my 35 years in the SCA, so it's most likely that my dream-Pennsic stands for something else entirely besides the actual event.)

Follow-up to Candied Kumquats

The candied kumquats were a big hit at the Saluminati meeting at Beltane. They got nicknamed "jam bombs" because they held together fairly well until you bit into them and then they exploded into a smear of marmelade in your mouth. I definitely need to do another batch. (Bigger.) I think I can do without the pricking, but they're definitely going to end up as a "wet sweet" rather than a dry one. So I think I'll put them up in cup or pint mason jars.