Holy freakin' wow.

[gurdymonkey]

I just opened the larger box from the Far West gift exchange. It appears to be an entire set of decorations for Tango no Sekku (Children's day). Miniature sword, banners, a pair of tripod torches that plug in and presumably light up, a music box, all sorts of pinwheel looking things made of arrow fletches, miniature sake flasks, and some folded leaf bundles that may or may not have petrified mochi in 'em. The miniature suit of armor in its own box also goes with all this. I have to wonder from the condition and the fact it's packed in old-ish newspapers whether this belonged to Vail when he was a little boy. Some of the pieces are broken and there's no way to tell how much of that is the result of getting it here and how much from being well loved by its owner.

http://blackcabbit.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/gogatsu-ningyo.jpg shows part of a similar display - and gives me a better clue how to assemble and display all those bits.

I'm going to re-pack it for now, try to get some more info on how a typical display is set up, see if I can reglue the broken items and then put it all up in my camp at Beltane (it being closest to the actual holiday on May 5!) and get photos of it to send to the folks in the Far West. Hoping crimsongriffin  can get me contact info for Vail so I can send him a thank you note too!

Comments

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know. Someone needs to put on his big boy fundoshi.

Re: Investiture,
http://gurdymonkey.livejournal.com/548288.html

http://gurdymonkey.livejournal.com/548766.html links to some pics on FB. If you can't see 'em, let me know and I'll try to shoot you copies another way.

[sengokudaimyo.livejournal.com]

Sweet! Muchos arigatos!

The pics are wunnerful. Damn. Wish I'd been there. :(

I want to hear about the death threat. :)

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

You'd've loved it, proliferation of flowery calico notwithstanding.

Death thre- Oh, yeah. That was when I had to tear the only copy of the ceremony text in half and give it to the guy who wanted to be my translator. I threatened to eat his soul if he lost the paper. Must've worked, because after a rocky run through with me in the feast hall, he nailed it when the time came.