All my friends always get awsome ground scores daggers garb money and yet all i ever find is trinkets. What have u found?
I have turned a number of things in to lost and found. Everything from gauntlets to phones to cameras. Just because someone has taken their eyes off their property for a few moments does not mean that it belongs to me.
Zaubon
Well said Zaubon. :)
Seems the lost and found at MNRF is one of my regular stops! Last year I found one of those fancy white carved pipes and a studded guantlet.
I like finding those little jingly bangles that fall from some belly-dancers/gypsy's garb. I hold them in my hand, close my eyes, and try to picture the lovely lady who lost such an adornment. It is my goal to return each to their special place/owner! ;D
Why does the phrase "ground score" always offend me? Probably due to the loss of those personal items that vaporised when I took a moment to scratch or adjust my garb or get another beer.
Quote from: Noble Dreg on January 04, 2010, 05:08:00 PM
Seems the lost and found at MNRF is one of my regular stops! Last year I found one of those fancy white carved pipes and a studded guantlet.
I like finding those little jingly bangles that fall from some belly-dancers/gypsy's garb. I hold them in my hand, close my eyes, and try to picture the lovely lady who lost such an adornment. It is my goal to return each to their special place/owner! ;D
Note to self ... purchase a bag of a hundred jingly bangles and leave a trail ...
now, back to topic ...
My FIRST time in garb at fair I dropped my pouch - cash, car keys, id, visa, (and most importantly my gum for fresh breath the rest of the day). I tried to retrace my steps, but no luck. My friend explained "ground score" and wasn't very hopeful. Zaubon must have been there that day as my pouch was already at lost and found. Cash intact - not so much missing as a single peice of bubble gum. The attendant remarked that a fellow playtron had turned it in.
Any ground score with a value over a few bucks should be turned in.
I tend to turn in things of value and keep what would be considered trash. Hanging about in the pub we have various pieces of broken jewelry and coin doodads, ribbons, etc.
My favorite groundscore however, will always be my cat. T'was the week after faire ended and the "recovery party"* was winding down as it was 2am and raining. I am getting in my van to enjoy my slumbers when a soaked creature jumps in right in front of me. Aaaawwww! It's a sweet little kittie! He's awfully skinny and it is now pouring rain. Mr. Kittenface sleeps with George and I, suckling on my shirt all the while. Come morning, we get out to do our business and the kitty jumps out and follows suit, under the van for privacy's sake...he must be shy. When I get back into the van, the kitten follows me. We drove into the campground and asked around...nobody knew who this little guy belonged to. We decided to bring him home with us and fatten him up. He now weighs 3 times as much as he did then and is a happy housecat. We named him Ren Cat McGroundscore...we call him RC
(http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs075.snc3/14253_101634443193369_100000404403619_40938_2236908_n.jpg)
*This is where all the pub workers get together to feast and drink any and all leftover beer from the season.
I turned in a wallet, a camera, 4 cell phones, and someone's insulin kit to the lost and found this year at faire. Think about being the "loser" of said items. I've been on that side and never got my items returned. A leather scabbard that only fits a custom blade I have...why would anyone keep that? For instance, having a lost cell phone returned could mean the difference between calling for help and being stranded somewhere if you never get it back. It could also have been disastrous; had I lost something of importance like the insulin kit and not been able to retrieve it, it could have endangered my well being.
Karma. Stay on it's good side.
My very first year of working at a faire, I found a dagger with an antler handle. I turned it in to lost and found.
The next week, I bought a tiny pewter dragon egg that opened up and had a baby dragon inside. Considering I was making only $20 a weekend (I was babysitting, not working for the faire) this was EXPENSIVE. I never found it.
I got in trouble for "finders keepers" when I was a kid. Just because someone dropped something doesn't mean they willingly gave up ownership.
I keep random things that I find sometimes. For instance, I found a fancy feathered hatpin right outside of one of the campsites that I frequent. I asked about 6 of the neighboring camps if this belonged to anyone there. I went back in the morning and swept the area again. No claimers. So it's here, on my wall. I don't even own a hat LOL.
I lost my favorite Tiffany charm at camp this year at the Celtic Rogues camp. I was drumming and dancing all night. I know that there's no way in hell that I'll ever get that back. It's a big campground, and no real lost and found there. Damn shame, but crap happens.
Quote from: Betty Munro on January 04, 2010, 07:19:26 PM
My FIRST time in garb at fair I dropped my pouch - cash, car keys, id, visa, (and most importantly my gum for fresh breath the rest of the day). I tried to retrace my steps, but no luck. My friend explained "ground score" and wasn't very hopeful.
That's pretty much what happened to my first R/F pin. I went to lost and found, and when I described what I lost, I was told that people tend to "hang on" to pewter pins. Odds are that some day tripper picked it up without having any idea whatsoever what it represented, and now it's on a random dresser collecting dust.
That's why, for the most part, I don't wear sentimental things on my garb. I lost a LOT of favors last year as I worked in my shop. Caught on counters, dropped during parade, crushed and broken during breaks... Sucks, so I leave my favors at home. I wear them when I'm going someplace where I may get more favors, then squirrel them away LOL.
Quote from: Sitara on January 05, 2010, 12:08:56 AM
I tend to turn in things of value and keep what would be considered trash. Hanging about in the pub we have various pieces of broken jewelry and coin doodads, ribbons, etc.
My favorite groundscore however, will always be my cat. T'was the week after faire ended and the "recovery party"* was winding down as it was 2am and raining. I am getting in my van to enjoy my slumbers when a soaked creature jumps in right in front of me. Aaaawwww! It's a sweet little kittie! He's awfully skinny and it is now pouring rain. Mr. Kittenface sleeps with George and I, suckling on my shirt all the while. Come morning, we get out to do our business and the kitty jumps out and follows suit, under the van for privacy's sake...he must be shy. When I get back into the van, the kitten follows me. We drove into the campground and asked around...nobody knew who this little guy belonged to. We decided to bring him home with us and fatten him up. He now weighs 3 times as much as he did then and is a happy housecat. We named him Ren Cat McGroundscore...we call him RC
(http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs075.snc3/14253_101634443193369_100000404403619_40938_2236908_n.jpg)
*This is where all the pub workers get together to feast and drink any and all leftover beer from the season.
Awww I love RC!! I even got to hold him a little that night!! Such a cutie!!
I think my favorite groundscore would be Capt. Bacardi.. Hey, I found him at the faire, outside me pub.. That counts right? ;)
And if it was late enough in the day (after 10:00 AM), he was probably on the ground... ;) :D
It totally counts!
My BEST ground score was actually getting a LOT of my own stuff back when returning to the "scene of the crime" the day after my (in) famous "Lost Day at Excal" (it's a loooong but very entertaining story)...
That day I lost my flask, my driver's license, a credit card, AND my trade-mark, frilly black shirt!
I got back EVERYTHING, except the flask!!! A small tax t' th' faire gods if y' ask me.
And Blue - I feel the same way about favors - I wear 'em the day I get 'em and if they make it home with me, they get stored.
A thought for anyone who does find an item but doesn't trust that the true owner will call for it and it will end up in someone elses hands. Unfortunaltly that could happen, especially with cash and I think sometimes that's why folks don't turn in an item found . You could leave a message with a contact number and a vague description with lost and found. Enough that someone who did lose an item would know one was found and by describing it you would return it. I've done this in daily life and it works well. I'm assured it goes to the person it belongs to.
The flask thing..I do recall reading of another person who lost a flask once. The flask was turned in...but minus the loki. :)
Well, I can tell you 2 groundscores someone got from me. :(
At one faire, I lost a mug. This was something given to me at my first job. Each employee that summer got one, and it was a design never to be made again. It disappeared from my belt, and I am still not convinced that it actually fell off, as it was attached pretty securely. Check around the area I noticed it missing, tried going back to where I knew I had it last, check lost and found...no luck.
The other one was my war fan. Tucked it in my belt after getting out of the car, walked onto the grounds, discovered it missing. Turned around to see a large group of tourists following me in. They would have walked right over it. It wasn't on the ground (and I checked, throughly, all the way back to my car which wasn't far from the gate), and none of them said they saw it. Right. Thanks for stealing my birthday present. :(
The only think I've actually found on the fairegrounds was 2 little girls who had lost their parents. Took them to security where they were re-united. If that counts, that is DEFINATELY my best ground score. :)
Quote from: Elennare on January 05, 2010, 12:30:32 PM
Well, I can tell you 2 groundscores someone got from me. :(
At one faire, I lost a mug. This was something given to me at my first job. Each employee that summer got one, and it was a design never to be made again. It disappeared from my belt, and I am still not convinced that it actually fell off, as it was attached pretty securely. Check around the area I noticed it missing, tried going back to where I knew I had it last, check lost and found...no luck.
The other one was my war fan. Tucked it in my belt after getting out of the car, walked onto the grounds, discovered it missing. Turned around to see a large group of tourists following me in. They would have walked right over it. It wasn't on the ground (and I checked, throughly, all the way back to my car which wasn't far from the gate), and none of them said they saw it. Right. Thanks for stealing my birthday present. :(
The only think I've actually found on the fairegrounds was 2 little girls who had lost their parents. Took them to security where they were re-united. If that counts, that is DEFINATELY my best ground score. :)
I also scored a small child once and reunited with mom. Always a good score.
Never have lost anything, thankfully! Did find a small hand painted broach of Elizabeth I when I was a kid. Still have it.
Quote from: Sitara on January 05, 2010, 12:08:56 AM
I tend to turn in things of value and keep what would be considered trash. Hanging about in the pub we have various pieces of broken jewelry and coin doodads, ribbons, etc.
My favorite groundscore however, will always be my cat. T'was the week after faire ended and the "recovery party"* was winding down as it was 2am and raining. I am getting in my van to enjoy my slumbers when a soaked creature jumps in right in front of me. Aaaawwww! It's a sweet little kittie! He's awfully skinny and it is now pouring rain. Mr. Kittenface sleeps with George and I, suckling on my shirt all the while. Come morning, we get out to do our business and the kitty jumps out and follows suit, under the van for privacy's sake...he must be shy. When I get back into the van, the kitten follows me. We drove into the campground and asked around...nobody knew who this little guy belonged to. We decided to bring him home with us and fatten him up. He now weighs 3 times as much as he did then and is a happy housecat. We named him Ren Cat McGroundscore...we call him RC
(http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs075.snc3/14253_101634443193369_100000404403619_40938_2236908_n.jpg)
*This is where all the pub workers get together to feast and drink any and all leftover beer from the season.
He's adorable. He is the best "ground score".
I like to leave little coins in the play areas for the kiddies. you know the ones you find at a dollar store. they have pirate and madi gra styles and the kids get excited when the come into my shop and see a whole treasure chest of them. I even will upgrade the little girls to a partybead necklace if they ask. I also like to keep small bells to give to the good kiddos when they are in the booth before they leave.
Quote from: will paisley on January 05, 2010, 09:09:53 AM
That's pretty much what happened to my first R/F pin. I went to lost and found, and when I described what I lost, I was told that people tend to "hang on" to pewter pins. Odds are that some day tripper picked it up without having any idea whatsoever what it represented, and now it's on a random dresser collecting dust.
That happened to me, I lost my R/F pin at TNRF. I got lucky because it fell off right outside a booth I was shopping at, and one of the people who worked there found it and tracked me down. I would suggest writing your name on the back of your pin with permanent marker, just in case someone from the forum or a person you know finds it. Also, if a random stranger finds a pin with someones name on it, they may be more likely to turn it in.
A rock
I wouldn't consider keeping anything as a "score" that wasn't mine.
Except for that rock..... that rock is MINE. MINE I TELL YOU ! !
Muahahahahahahahaha....*cough cough*
I would agree...it is not a score but a loss to someone.
So far, I've found and turned in to Lost and Found: 2 wallets/pouches, a scarf, a cell phone, 2 cameras, bodice dagger, countless mugs and a flask.
Awesome topic:
First: Keeping mind that when you find children, they themselves are not lost, they know exactly where they are, IT IS THE PARENTS WHO ARE LOST. With all of the missing kids these days and rennefaires are not exempt from attracting pedophiles, parents need to be more mindfull of what is around them. They use leashes for their pets but think nothing of letting their kids wander around God knows where and then cry bitterly when one gets lost, abducted, or worse.
Now here is mine.
At GARF about 5 years ago, I lost the pucking rat with which I won the pucking tournement in the keys years ago. I tried lost and found but to no avail. I had to adopt another rat from Emyrus(sp).
Last year at ST. Louis I spent the whole day with friends and we did not wander to far from the pubs. I have a large ruby gauntlet ring that has the vague shape of a serpents head. It is a true knuckle duster. I generally have to remove it to pay for and drink what ever is in my flagon. After a session of that we were about to go off when I discovered that I did not have my ring. I immediately went back to the pub to see if I left on the bar and found that I did not. I then turned around and began to retrace my steps and lo and behold not 10 feet from the bar there was my ring on the ground. That was a fortuitous moment for another half hour and surely some one would have had a worthy ground score. If I get a chance to take a picture I will post it.
Maybe I don't find as much stuff because the gals at Scarby are soooooooo beautiful that my eyes are usually not focusing on the ground.
That's been the cause for a few missed steps, steps in mud, steps in water, stumps toe....etc but I always act like I meant to do it.
I lose a Welsh hat pin my wife had just bought me some kind soul turned it into lose and found.
I found someone's driver's license in the parking lot at TRF after I'd come out the gates for the evening. I asked at the wagon rental and was told lost and found was back inside. I fought my way back in through the outgoing crowds and located the right place to turn in the license. I knew someone would be having a bad night when they discovered it missing.
In terms of things I've kept, I found $15 once and one of those little tiny wooden goblets.
Quote from: Var Greyshadow on January 06, 2010, 12:01:26 PM
In terms of things I've kept, I found $15 once...
You mean you didn't immediately yell out "Who lost $15!" ;D
I just think a good rule to follow is 'If I lost this and someone didn't turn it in to lost and found, how would I feel?'
I also like to think that rennies hold themselves to a higher standard.
I also believe in the Easter bunny too. :-\
It's ok Wenchie, I still believe in Santa, The Tooth Fairy, Unicorns, good men, and other mythical creatures. I know, I actually HAVE one of those. Lemme tell you, that belch of a fairy won't stop leaving molars all over the house.
My best so far was a booth/gate pass thingy for MNRF many years ago. I didn't find it there, I found it on the floor in my business a good 40 minute drive away.
No way of knowing who lost it. But since I was going there in a couple days, I brought it with and turned it into the booth it belonged to. I figured they'd know the employee who dropped it.
Ferret
Quote from: Welsh Wench on January 06, 2010, 03:39:48 PM
I just think a good rule to follow is 'If I lost this and someone didn't turn it in to lost and found, how would I feel?'
I also like to think that rennies hold themselves to a higher standard.
I also believe in the Easter bunny too. :-\
People are people where ever you go and you'll find bad and good apples in every bunch. We've both seen some of that WW, but I do believe rennies know how much value we put by our garb and our trinkets and favors and such. We all know how dear some of those pieces are, both in price and sentiment, so we do what it takes to see it returned.
I found out at the beginning of TRF this year that a friend had found a belt on closing night last year which carried a number of things she figured would be valued by its owner. She hung on to it, uncertain if Lost & Found would've gotten it to the right person after festival was closed for the season. When she brought it out of her truck and showed it to us, I saw several things that bore clues as to who the owner might be (a spanker with a guild emblem, a rubber ducky with a name on it, and a rather distinctive dagger), and although I didn't know the person, I knew who might- and he did!
Turns out, the belt itself was the most valued item of the lot- it had belonged to a deceased friend, and was a gift to the current owner by a member of his family. Ya never know what that thing you found means to somebody...
We found this guy on my Lady's dress:
(http://northbaydreamer.smugmug.com/Renaissance-Faire/2009-09-20-Nor-Cal-Ren-faire/IMG2187/761502110_U4Bdj-M.jpg)
(http://northbaydreamer.smugmug.com/Renaissance-Faire/2009-09-20-Nor-Cal-Ren-faire/IMG2196/761506772_9FHmC-M.jpg)
He crawled al over both us for about 45 minutes, then he left. ;D
Clearly that lizard is not period! ::)
Quote from: Noble Dreg on January 10, 2010, 10:29:39 AM
Clearly that lizard is not period! ::)
Yeah he's way to small and not breathing fire.
Someone scored on me... but I got it back.
This past year at faire on the 1st day I was wearing my new green and gold dress and my new green and black feather fan. I had my fan on a chain. Sadly at the end of the day i noticed the chain was broke and my beautiful fan was gone. I was OS disapointed.
I contacted the faire and friends and was told it had been found so I called the Corp office and they said it would be at Will Call. So next weekend i get there and i was told by a friend who works at faire that someone had already picked up my fan and it was not my fan but someone elses. I was bummed once again and figured it was gone for good since the fan I thought was fine, was not mine.
2 Weeks agoo I got an email from Betty Spleen who is the entertainment director at CoRF. She is a WONDERFUL person who I got to know last year. She told me she had my fan and wanted my address. I replied back to her, told her my tail of Woe and 4 days latter I had my fan back. The fan that was mine, that was not mine, was really mine and the person who told me it was not mine... well he was wrong and I was glad. :)
Toki on the other hand found a ring last year, I think it had to be a toe ring because of it's design and size.
Quote from: Lady de Laney on January 27, 2010, 08:38:35 AM
Toki on the other hand found a ring last year, I think it had to be a toe ring because of it's design and size.
I think that was mine - was my toe still attached, I am missing that too !! ;D
Gauwyn, you need to stay away from the axe throwing booth, if you keep dropping them on your feet! How many MORE toes will you lose until you learn your lesson?
That must be why I am always stumbling at Faire - and I thought it was the mead and ale :)
Butch - the group of us that visited your shire are heading to Arizona President's day weekend - any chance you could make it - I hear it is warm there :)
Once...I found a child.
I raised that child as if he were my own.... teaching him things... how to be a man.
How to lead a land... I named him Arthur and he became King.
Gauwyn, grammercy for the invitation, but I must respectfully decline. I have plans for the 13th (testing my students), 14th (Valentines Day!), and 15th (planned event with my son and his GF). But I tell you what, the 15th is also when I start growing my beard again, the first time in almost 30 years! When I see you again, I should be filled with facial hair!
Now, MIND WHERE YOU PUT THOSE AXES, there, Hopalong!
Having lost an expensive feather fan in a crowded pub, the term ground score irritates me immensely.
I've turned in wallets, cameras and jewelry to lost and found many times over the years.
My first faire I found a tiny hanky that was very badly stained. At the time I knew no one so kept it, but every faire I go to I have it with me incase it's owner appears. Someone took off with my wine skin, thankfully it only had water in it but anoyed me badly. I can't take heat well so I always brought the bota bag/wineskin full of ice water in with me. Somehow the strap broke while we were watching the Bilge pumps at TRF. When I went back 5 minutes later to look for it, it was gone. I was heart broken. We have been looking for a replacement for a couple years now, still can't find one we like.
If it is like a feather, not so bad, but something like wallet, keys, cell phone. Take it to lost and found.
I agree with the majority of folks that outside of obvious loose change (NOT still located in a pouch, purse or wallet!), and cheap or broken interesting bits, all items found unattended or dropped on the ground at Faire should be taken to the Lost and Found. It is the only decent thing to do and if it was your property you would most certainly want it returned. Obviously expensive items like cell phones, cameras and costume pieces are a no-brainer, someone WILL be back for them.
A bit of advice that should be common sense: For sentimental items (particularly those that might look like junk to someone other than yourself) try to scribe your real or fair name on it somewhere. You would be surprised at the stuff we find in the garbage while cleaning the site after closing gate. I know if I found an item and saw that someone cared enough to ID it, no matter what it looked like, I would turn it in to L&F.
I hope that if I ever lose anything of value at Faire that someone as wonderful as any of you finds it and turns it in! =)
Last year at MNRF my oldest daughter lost her fairy wand. I was positive that it would have been snatched up by another little girl somewhere along the way but- believe it or not- after a mad dash of retracing our steps, her crying all the while, we actually FOUND the wand! =D
Every item I have ever happend upon has been returned to the very thankful owner. Nothing better than that feeling. =)
Last year at MNRF someone stole Fairy Sarah's mug. She was Twig's assistant and working in her shop. She had it one minute and the next it was gone. =( She goes by Zinnia the Bubble Fairy now, if anyone knows who stole her mug it would fabulous of them to return it to her. =)
I go by one rule-
If I can't afford to lose it, I don't bring/wear it.
Sure, my sapphire earrings would look great with that dress but would it be worth losing one of them?
All Hallow's Eve, at TRF last year... i awoke Sunday morning and staggered out of my tent because the last beer i drank wanted out, BADLY and i tripped over an old, beat up Jack Daniels flask, still FULL! I thought to myself "SWEET!" but the flask looked like it had a lot of miles on it. My brother and i tracked down almost every person that was hanging out around our fire but no one claimed it. There was, although, one person we couldn't find.
Closing weekend, we brought the flask with us, (full of Celtic Crossing, this time) and happened to run across the one person we couldn't find weeks before. Briar Patch Charlie. That man's eye's lit up when we told him that we had that flask...
Ahhh...a doubly happy ending.
And I thank you Fraser for returning it, it was given to me by a dear friend. I have a bad habit of losing things. Now if I can just find my fathers flask, which I misplaced I'll be doing good. Thank G-D my head is attached to my body, or I might misplace it.
The only thing I have ever found has been at TRF, and that was a hammer, and some tent peg's. But Thanksgiving on 07, I could have had just about anything I wanted, when people just left all there wet stuff and went home. Tents, sleeping bags, cloths, and just about everthing else, the place looked like a refuge camp. And from what I was told, it was all policed up and sent to the trash bend.
We found some item at Scarby this year (opening weekend...don't even remember what is was...) in the FoF parking area. It was right behind an SUV, so I placed it on the bumper where they would see it. Someone mentioned karma...
I also found an Easter egg at Scarby at the preview. Had no idea what it was about, so I put it back. Found out later it had tickets to the wine-tasting (at $30 per). Maybe it sucks to be honest?
Hey lost a camera at CtRF 2 years ago, anybody see that? Had pictures of the Angel Baby on it.
Jay Byrd
When our group wants to leave things to savengers we jsut put a big sign on it "Free to good home" We have done that to tents, chairs, firewood, anything we think we can't use we leave for the blessings of others.
Sometimes what you find is worth nothing, but just what you need at the moment!
I was walking one hot summer day at least 4 or 5 years ago, when I heard a yell behind me. The ribbon holding my fan onto my belt had broken without me knowing it. People behind me saw it slip on the ground, and I kept walking, so they called me and brought it to me. Very nice of them to do this!
Well, now I'm walking along with a fan in my hand, and after a little while, I happened to look down at the ground and saw a ribbon, the type that are on the flower headbands that most faires sell for $10 or so. It was the exact color that the old ribbon was, so I picked it up, went to the privies, gave it a good wash in the sink with soap, and tied it back to my fan and onto my belt. I still have the same ribbon on the fan because it does a great job!
There was this bagpiper once...oh nevermind. It's a long, tawdry story...
Quote from: Queen Margaret on May 19, 2010, 08:08:39 PM
There was this bagpiper once...oh nevermind. It's a long, tawdry story...
*giggle*
Quote from: Queen Margaret on May 19, 2010, 08:08:39 PM
There was this bagpiper once...oh nevermind. It's a long, tawdry story...
Are you being naughty again, Your Majesty?
Quote from: Merlin the Elder on May 20, 2010, 09:09:20 AM
Quote from: Queen Margaret on May 19, 2010, 08:08:39 PM
There was this bagpiper once...oh nevermind. It's a long, tawdry story...
Are you being naughty again, Your Majesty?
No. More like PTSD flashbacks. ;D
I turn it in myself, but thats just me