This booklet came about because I thought it would be a good idea if new household members had some idea of the history, philosophy, and practical applications of the household. First of all, I am Magistra Rosemounde of Mercia, the founder, head, and benign despot of House Wild Rose. My awards include: Order of the Laurel (it is not given for a specific area in Meridies like it is in some Kingdoms), Order of the Pelican, A Court Barony, Order of the Bough of Meridies (for service to the Kingdom), Order of Jerome (now called the Athenor--for research), Order of the Velvet Owl (mid-level Kingdom arts award), Order of the Scarlet Star (for feastcratting and autocratting), Companionate of the Poet Laureate Meridies (for being the Kingdom Poet Laureate), Order of the Sable Gryphon (for service to the Barony of Thor’s Mountain), Daughter of Aduin (Baronial award for chivalry for ladies), Order of the Argent Plume (for service to the Baronial newsletter), and Order of the Ram's Horn ( Baronial service and arts award). Informally, I am called Roz.
The Household was formed in 1990 after the break-up of my former household due to mundane divorce, and there are still many members who were in the earlier household. This household is a rather loose confederation of folks. Besides apprentices and protégées, who join automatically, and household members who have been asked to join officially, we also have other people and households who like to play with us. Black Lantern Puppet Troupe, House Herava, House High Crag, and a few people in Clan Preachaine are some of these. We tend to be informal about our boundaries--sort of a permeable membrane rather than a wall. In fact we tend to be pretty informal. There is no chain of command. There are no formal rules. [We have a few informal rules like: 1) Try to get along with everyone; 2) Be polite; 3) If you get mad at someone, talk to them before you talk to me; 4) Do your fair share of the work; 5) This is not an exclusive list.] We try not to take ourselves too seriously, and we have a good time, but we still like having a medieval ambiance--we are not a "party" household. We take scholarship and service seriously; we just happen to think it's fun.
There is some kind of household event every year. We usually have a workshop weekend where we do hands on projects for a day, or lately, pick a theme and do classes that are open to the Barony with a household dinner that night. We have a household camp at Pennsic War in the area known as "the bog." It is an all period encampment and provides a meal plan (with period feasts of course), showers, and other amenities.
The household takes its name from the main charge of my personal badge, a heraldic red rose, which is based on the wild rose that is native to Europe. The name Rosemounde means " rose of all the world," so it all seems to work. We have a fighting unit--the Thorns of Wild Rose. (Which allows us to make lots of bad jokes about their "pricks.") All authorized fighters, fencers and archers in the household can be in it, and if you join you get a cool baldric to wear on the field.
As for me, I have been in the SCA since 1976 and a card carrying member since January 1, 1977. I was elevated to the Laurelate on St. Patrick's Day 1979. I like to think that my quick rise was due in equal parts to talent, excessive enthusiasm, and the fact that Meridies was a brand new Kingdom and desperately needed Peers. Before I was elevated, I was apprenticed to Mistress Alainn Aodhmoira BeanLarren, later Countess of Meridies. I also received the Order of the Pelican. I have lived in Thor's Mountain exclusively except for a brief foray to Lochland Vale due to a mundane job. I have also traveled widely in this Kingdom and others. (I have been to every Pennsic War since the ninth.)
I have had six apprentices elevated to the Order of the Laurel in Meridies: Mistress Fuiltigherne ni Ruadh O'Finn, Duchess Elspeth MacNaughton of Trimaris, Mistress Eleanor of Ashley, Master Saher Faux, Mistress Maysun al-Rasheeqa, and Mistress Marina MacChruiter. I have had one protégée elevated to the Order of the Pelican: Mistress Anne Osgerby. Mistress Gabrielle d'Outre Mer, also a former apprentice, was elevated in the East Kingdom. Mistress Jadi, a former apprentice, was elevated in the Outlands.
In the arts and sciences, my areas of expertise include costume, leatherwork, cooking, poetry, and general research. I also dabble in needlework, beadwork, woodworking, tentmaking, soap making, herb craft, domestic arts and sciences, and SCA combat. Actually I've been dabbling in SCA combat since I joined the SCA, but I fight less as the years go by. ("Old bones don't heal like young bones.") I have recently taken up rapier fighting. I am the Kingdom expert on medieval Nubia.
People frequently ask about my persona, so here is the Reader's Digest version. Rosemounde lives in London in the early part of the 15th century. She has a lovely house on the Thames, and her income derives from several estates in the countryside. (Just because these estates were gifts from wealthy noblemen, people say she's a courtesan. They even say that her daughter was sired by Good King Henry back in his wilder days as Prince of Wales. People will gossip.) She is a patron of the arts and loves to surround herself with beautiful things, especially beautiful young men. She claims that Chaucer, who knew her father, wrote the poem "To Rosemounde" about her.
In the SCA, I have served as local herald, local knight marshal, briefly as local reeve, local seneschale, regional knight marshal, deputy Kingdom arts officer under three different Kingdom arts officers, Kingdom Minister of Arts & Sciences, and deputy Corporate Arts & Sciences Officer. I have written extensively for local newsletters as well as Seasons, The Complete Anachronist, and Tournaments Illuminated. I have designed a line of medieval and Renaissance costume patterns that are carried by Period Patterns. I have autocratted and been head cook at numerous events, and I frequently judge arts and sciences competitions at events.
Mundanely, I am Micaela L. Burnham, esq. (Miki). I was born in California on March 30, 1954. I have lived in the Knoxville, TN area since I was 12. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, two years of Master's work in European History, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence. Before attending law school, I worked in the criminal justice field for five years. I am currently an Assistant Public Defender for the 4th Judicial District, and I work in Sevierville, TN. I have an adult daughter, Alysaundra Vanover (Lia), and Son-in-Law, Zac Stanton, who are in the SCA peripherally, and are known as Lady Leian and Cai. I have two grandchildren, Gabriel and Issabella. I have six tattoos, including my SCA device and the household badge, but I don't really require a household tattoo. I have, in fact, been struck by lightning--at Pennsic War in 1998.
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