Pontoniers in Progress. . .

The current unit under the brush, now well and truly in-progress.

Well, the painting muse has decided to kick off her shoes and stay a while, so I've struck while the iron is hot and done a lot of work on the 24+ Minden pontoniers during yesterday evening and early this Saturday afternoon. Still lots to do, but at least they look like tiny humans now. Be sure to tune in again tomorrow, for another painting update.

-- Stokes

And here are the four designated oarsmen, cemented permanently into place within their pontoons and more for display than gaming purposes. Whoops! Just noticed that they still need their fleshtone applied.

Last of all, here is a seasonal image, depicting Santa Lucia, who brings brings delicious saffron buns called lussekatter (and coffee) to sleeping parents in Norway, Sweden, and possibly Denmark on December 13th each year. The Grand Duchess (assisted by the Young Master) will bake a batch for us later today as a seasonal nod to her own Swedish ancestry.

P.S.

The Young Master is five now, so this is the year. I've dug out the large box containing all of my old green and blue plastic soldiers, tanks, and guns. Some of these are 40+ years old now, and I enjoyed many years of imaginative play with them before they languished unused for several years once I discovered things like girls and guitars during middle and high school. I finally packed them carefully away sometime during the summer of 1985. Flash forward to 2014. Among his other gifts beneath the tree this Christmas, these will be waiting for the Young Master. They will become his now, although I suspect he might ask ol' Dad to play along once in a while.

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The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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