Living in 1860

Today has been interesting in many ways. Let me describe just one: The Civil War encampment that unfolded on the front lawn of my new temporary home.

A fairly large assembly of dedicated people have recreated costumes, a camp and music down to the buttons, original rifles and drills. I was out front this evening under the stars listening to the banjo pluck, the washboard and spoons rattle and the old man singin' some 200 year old American tunes. All in front of the backdrop of candlelit tents and costumed ladies. It was very nice.

What strikes me most strongly under the petticoats, antique furniture and smell of tallow is just how important this is to these people to bring a bygone era to life. If I relate it to creativity, their dedication to detail calls on a creative intuition about the culture they are immersed in like any historian writing fiction or fact. Right down to the hand stitching. They aren't recreating battles or particular events, just setting the scene and breathing life into it.

For a couple of minutes today they brought me into their dream and it was magic.