Thursday 7 July 2011

The Backwoods Sporting Society.



The first outing for the Sporting / Educational wing of the Historical Society took place yesterday with trial by coracle. This coracle is an inside out cow stretched round a hazel frame. It even has a tail. There are plans for a coracle building weekend at Inshriach later this year, it then takes half a year for the coracle to cure thoroughly so by next summer (Insider time) the coracles and their builders will compete for aquatic glory in our abstract Historical Olympiad. Other categories will include wife carrying, small dog throwing and the Thistly Cross three legged relay race (start curing your wives now to ensure they are fully hardened). Drop us an email if you fancy coming on the coracle course.

The rules of the Sporting Society;

Inappropriate Historical dress must be worn at all times.
Slavish Historical accuracy is not required by the organisers.
Steam, sail, oars and alchemy are the only permissable means of propulsion.

There are no other rules (yet).

Friday 1 July 2011

The Backwoods Historical Society.

We have long suspected that some mysterious movement lurked in these rolling hills.

Over the last three years we put it down to a sheer force of goodwill reflecting back off the sky around Insider time but during these few weeks a fuller truth has emerged. First there was a rustle of crinoline in the bushes, the faint waft of macassar on the breeze, the rare mornings of perfect symmetry in ones moustache or the swirl and undercurrent of the river pulling one round like a petticoat. It seemed the birch whispered the approval of our forefathers and the oaks the wise words of our ancestors. As this year's Insider wore on these ethereal bodies took shape and flesh and as they did the presence of this hitherto secretive movement became undeniable. From the ether they have been watching us, without our knowledge they have been helping us. They have put down their centuries old vow of secrecy and abstinence, risen from the sanctity of their slumber and chosen to emerge into the 21st century as our respectful and irreverent guide to the challenges of our past, our present and our future.

The Backwoods Historical Society has broken cover.