June 13th--Join us on the Grounds!!!

[rengypsy]

next gathering is now scheduled for JUNE 13th

plan on joining us.  we will start at 4pm-late.

camping is encouraged.

ale provided.

bring a cover dish, if you'd like.

kids welcome, as long as they are supervised by adults.

adult late nite around a campfire.

drums, guitars, flutes, any kind of musical instrument will be great.

fire twirlers, gypsy dancers, etc--all welcome

more later.

cheers,

rengypsy

[rengypsy]

we need nite time entertainment if any of you can round up musicians, gypsy dancers, flame twirlers, etc.

lets enjoy the grounds during the day with walking tours and each other's company around a fire in the evening!

rengypsy

[Merlin]

Who's invited? What's the plan? Civilian clothes or Ren-Wear?

List of those going?

I'll be coming through the area, returning from a conference in San Antonio and should be coming through Austin around 3:00.

[Breandan]

Barring work biting me on the butt (on-call on weekends), I should be there for the gathering. Prepare for questions 

[rengypsy]

all are invited.
civilian clothing, rennie garb, just wear some semblance of clothes. while we have some nudists in the midst, the gatherings are not "clothing optional" events. lol.

we never know who will show
for the past, approx 100-125 have arrived.
some for a while
some who stayed the nite

[rengypsy]

by the june 13th gathering, the following may be added:

the joust grounds fenced

the chess area fenced

green woode stage and fencing around it complete

several booths well under construction

(and the billboards are already up, as well as a fence around the billboards on u.s. 290)

i was on the grounds this evening and i saw evidence of fairy construction.  quite cute.

please invite potential patrons and participants, alike.

we should have fun!

really would like some flame twirlers, gypsy dancers, and musicians for the evening...if yall know of any.

lets celebrate the coming of summer...in fine gypsy fashion!

[rengypsy]

We would like to encourage any folk who wanna offer improv entertainment to join our merry gathering on Saturday June 13th

We'd love to have drums, dancers, instrumentalists, and theatre that evening

We are creating what we want this Sherwood Forest Faire experience to become

These are the times our seeds begin to take root in the sandy Bastrop County soils

We may even have a surprise performance of a spectacular band we are trying to line up for the faire in February

Rengypsy

[Autouloucous]

All are welcome to our gathering/campouts--- come as you are or come as you please---  (see above comment by ren gypsy for the only important detail about attire)--- Here is an official invitation------------------Please spread the word among those interested in coming that the map on the website takes you to our unfinished front gate, so use these directions to keep from getting lost------------you may call me, Autouloucous, if there is any confusion 512-731-2316


Hello people of Sherwood!
Happy Summer!

Thanks to all the Faeries who came out to the fairegrounds last weekend in spite of the rain.  We had a great little faery walk, and a midnight circle where we sang along to the Great Antone's drum.  To those who couldn't make it... no worries!  Here are some details on our next adventure- be ye faery or playtron or interested participant:

Sherwood Forest's next gathering will be Satuday June 13th.  Finally we can again welcome our bretheren who have been busy with Scarborough Faire - we hope you have had a prosperous run up there.  As usual, we will be officially starting at 3pm, but if you are interested in coming early to wander, relax, or help us with some brush migration, you may show up as early as noon.  All who wish to do so may camp overnight, and may leave the next day at a leasurely pace.  We will be on the grounds as late as 2pm or so--- so, if you only have time to come out Sunday morning, no problem. This gathering is intended to give you an opportunity to pick a spot for your boothe, meet other likely Sherwooders, and to let the spirit of the fairegrounds sink into your psychi, that you may better find your way among our paths and woods. 

There will be one very clean Port-o-Potty on the grounds, and plenty of trees.  We will be providing some beer and box wine; otherwise bring what you wish pot-luck style.  We will have our regular campfire and a gas range stove for cooking.  If you want to bring your barbecue grill, you may.  Let me know if you are bringing a big one that can be communal, and i will send out a message to let people know you have some space available. 

Unless you came to Sherwood last weekend, you are in for big surprises-- even if you have already been to some of our gatherings before.  The fence is built, the grounds are free from giant brush piles, and that is all i will say--- though much more is sure to strike your fancy.  And by June 13th, we hope to be surprised at the progress ourselves.
Bring your ideas and dreams, your instruments and noisemakers, your kids and your frisbees, foam swords, etc.  If you wish to dress in garb-- do so! (peace tie weapons, but no worries).  Our only strict rule is: Be Good or Be Gone!   We look forward to the warmth of your company. 

Here are driving directions (Updated):
IMPORTANT:   DO NOT follow the map from the website.  That will take you only to the proposed entrance; the current entrance is ON Hwy 290. Use these directions instead:
From Houston--- Take 290West. Getting close to Austin you will go through a town called Giddings.  Go all the way through, and about a mile past Hwy 21- and you are very close.  You will be looking for a driveway on the right. There is a white 4'X8' blank sign beside the gate. We will hang up a brightly colored butterfly kite on it to guide you. (If you get to Old Potato Rd. you have gone just a little too far. Turn around, and it is the third drive on the left after Old Potato Rd; the second drive is our new entrance- but don't try it, you are likely to get stuck in the sand and/or lost in the woods) 
From austin-- Go East on hwy 290 past Elgin.  You will pass a road called Old Potato Rd,
and the Entrance will be the third driveway on the left after that (and more visible than
the first; the second is our new, unfinished, entrance--- don't try it; you'll get stuck).  There will be a blank, white 4'X8'sign by the gate that you want to enter. We will fly a Bright Butterfly kite on the sign to mark the spot.
Careful coming in--- it is a very fast-moving part of the Hwy.

[rengypsy]

My oh My!

I just got word that WinoVino will be playing around the campfire on the nite of June 13th around 10pm.  You don't want to miss this group.  They are spectacular.  They will give you a better taste for what we want Sherwood Forest Faire to be.  Hippie Gypies who know how to entertain, engage the audience, fill the spirit of all within the sound of their music, and just great people!

If we have our way, they will be one of the major stage performances when the gates open in February of 2010.  Likewise, we would love to have their band lead our noon parade like no other parade has ever expereinced.

Spend the day with us, and then, throw off your shoes, gather the old and young around for an extraveganza when Winovino breaks loose within the woods of Sherwood Forest in two weeks.

You will not want to miss this!

Family, friends are all welcome.

The grounds tour begins at 4pm.  Ale and soft drinks provided.  Feel free to bring a cover dish of your choosing.  We are extremely vegetarian friendly--being vegetarians ourselves.

And, we also like GYPSIES!

**** TRAVELERS WELCOME  ****

[Guyinthehall8]

This sounds fantastic, I'll certainly try to come check it out

[Merlin]

Is there a list RF'ers that plan on going ?

[mpullen]

This a copy of a message I just broadcasted to the various clans/families I have contact with.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For clans/families interested in establishing reserved camping areas at Sherwood Forest.

Please forward to your various group leaders, so that I can keep them updated. In this message I have The Drunken Gnomes, High Ship Inebriation, The Claw, Camp Red Star, Knights of the Shadow, Camp MoFo, Deathmourn, and Cult of the Green Flame covered. Need contacts for Pirates of Poseidon, Chaos, Bear Clan, Brigadoon,Vahalla, Naughtyham, Celtic Rogues, etc., unless they aren't interested.

Rengypsy supports the idea of allowing the various families/clans to reserve camping areas for the Faire. That means that groups who will be onsite for all or most of the projected Faire season will have a reserved area for them to setup.

I've taken the responsibility for coordinating the establishment of the Playtron and Participant camping areas. I've given RenGypsy my basic business plan for him to review and revise as he deems fit. BTW, I turned down pay for this position, but requested free Faire passes (hey, I'm only human).

I cannot come out for the June 13 get together, as I have a submarine veteran event to host that day.

I plan on coming out the following weekend and any other weekend that a group wants to come out, tour the campgrounds, and clear their camping area.

My travel trailer is presently in use at Seawolf Park for use by volunteers coming out to help in the restoration. Normally they would stay on the destroyer escort Stewart, but Ike created mold everywhere. The mold remediation should be completed this week and after the FEMA inspection is completed and and the Stewart released for habitation, I can pull my trailer offsite and up to Sherwood Forest and park it in the participants campgrounds for me to stay there on the weekends I come up. I will have space in the trailer for a few folks, plus my two room tent that I can setup nearby.  If folks want to camp with me, I'd appreciate gifts of water jugs to refill the trailer water tank so that nice hot showers are available, gas for the generator so that A/C is available on the hot days, and that's about it. Bring what food and drinks you need. Trailer has refrig/freezer, microwave, TV, DVD player, stove, etc, as I no longer rough it when camping.

Groups clearing spots need to bring:

Chainsaws (gas, 2 stroke oil, chain oil, etc).
Safety glasses if cutting
Gloves
Spade shovels
Rakes
Axe
Wheelbarrow with wide tires
Some form of sign to mark the area. Andi is making a great sign for the Drunken Gnomes. Make yours big enough to be seen from a distance.

The soil is very sandy, so standard tent stakes won't hold in a high wind. You will need the corkscrew variety or long rods driven deep or heavy objects. If you want to get grass growing in your area, you will have to bring in soil and grass seed/sod.

Vegetation isn't dense, nor are there killer vines. I didn't see any signs of poison ivy, but always be cautious. Any tree thicker than 3 inches diameter must NOT be cut down (this is Rengypsy's very strongly stated requirement) , so you may have to "tweek" your area.

The roads through the campgrounds have been cleared, but not surfaced. I've been told that the soil is like concrete after a rain, but otherwise loose sand. You may have to park your vehicles at the entrance if you are just there for the day, or over by me in the future Participants campgrounds if staying/camping for the weekend while clearing (assuming that you will move to your area after enough area cleared).

As an additional requirement, I ask that after a group has cleared their area, they take the extra effort to clear additional camping areas for the general camping areas. Yep, we need unpaid labor. But you can use the cut wood to store in your area for future fires.

The usual warning. If a group violates some of the deadly sins, you will probably lose your reserved area. Violations include setting fire to the woods by having a fire pit that flares up, selling/giving alcohol to minors, drugs, oh hell, you are adults and know the rules.

I will give the various clan/family contact persons my cell phone/home phone numbers, so that they can contact me as soon as they can schedule their demolition crews. That way I can clear my schedule and head up to the site (about a 2 hour drive for me down here in Pearland)

I have the combination for the main gate, so folks can come out when Rengypsy and his staff aren't onsite, but I'm available. I just need a couple of days advanced notice to put together the supplies for the weekend.

I'm very excited about this Faire. The layout is very comfortable and the owners have done their homework. It isn't Scarby and definitely not TRF, but much more than Excalibur.

There will be flush toilets and showers by the campground entrance to the Faire which is by the Return to Jerusalem Pub that will close when the Faire closes, but open up an hour later for campers to party in.

So, please forward to all the various groups you are member of and spread the word. This will be the last general broadcast. Future updates will be only to the designated contact person, to eliminate the annoying general broadcasts that we all hate.

That's all Folks.

[rengypsy]

i have no list.
have never asked for one
usually have 125-150 folk show up
quite a mix

[rengypsy]

tick tock
tick tock
the time is closing in
saturday will be here in a blink of an eye
the gate flung open
wagons and trucks and vans and cars all driving up
the woods flooded with kids
trapsing through the enchanted forest
adults wandering the grounds
with ale in hand
and the sun setting slowly
whispering to the pent-up spirits
awake! the music is about the begin
throw off  your shoes, oh mortals
the dance of the ancient souls will call you to the fire's edge
awake! and hear the breath of earth
soothing and wholesome
freeing everyone to become part of the gathering
tis sherwood forest!!!

[mpullen]

Mold inspection complete on the Stewart. I will be pulling my travel trailer out of the park on June 13th. I may bring the trailer up to Sherwood on Sunday June 14th (hate to miss the Saturday festivities, but have to dump the trailer tanks first). Would bring it up on Saturday, but our submarine veterans picnic will take up the afternoon and getting a trailer ready for a long term parking will take several hours.

Saturday June 20th is the date I'm telling folks to start coming up and clearing clan/group camping spots in the Playtron campgrounds.