Happy Thanksgiving Day 2018!

An 18th century table laid out for the evening meal.

Very quiet here at The Grand Duchy of Stollen in recent weeks what with the onslaught of daily life, but hopefully some time in the hobby chair during the long weekend. In the meantime, allow me to wish any U.S. visitors who drop by, wherever you might find yourselves in the world, a Happy Thanksgiving.

The Grand Duchess and Young Master are busily preparing the final dishes upstairs in the kitchen. The Young Master and I whipped up the pumpkin pie and one of our planned side dishes yesterday afternoon. In fact, my small, freckled partner in crime did just about everything with only minimal assistance from yours truly and did it very well. The pie and casserole ought to be extra good this year as a result.

I am now off to shower and shave before dressing for dinner and placing a couple of calls to family elsewhere. Enjoy the day everyone, and don't overdo it too much. Remember, we've got to leave some room for pie and coffee later. The BEST part of any holiday meal in my humble view.

-- Stokes

P.S.

Is anyone else having trouble with Blogger refusing to allow you to comment on others' blogs? I've been having the problem for about two weeks now, and it simply refreshes the page without posting the comment I have typed into the little window. The comment itself seems to disappear into thin air. Grrrrr. . . Any suggestions?

P.P.S. (Friday)
As predicted, the pumpkin pie and greenbean casserole (loaded with french cut greenbeans and artichoke hearts) were spectacular this year. And all thanks to the culinary efforts of the nine-year old Young Master. As probably all parents are prone to feel, it seems we have discovered yet another talent. Or at least an activity that seems to give Paul pleasure. Maybe another celebrity chef in the making?

I complimented him again on the dishes he helped with as we cleared the table yesterday evening, and he answered,

"Hey, Dad! I'm a special kid." To which The Grand Duchess and I replied almost simultaneously,

"You are a wonderful kid!" He is reading or coloring in his room at the moment until we manage to pull our clothes on (it's 8:50am here at the moment) to visit our favorite local quick and greasy for a post-Thanksgiving family breakfast.

The Young Master just after we put his pumpkin pie into the oven on Wednesday afternoon. He is a whiz in the kitchen.

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

Keepin' an Eye on the World Going By My Window . .

'The Nap at the Palace' by Jose Triado Mayol N ot much in the way of hobby-related activity happening here in the Grand Duchy lately. Sigh. And no surprise there really since there are only so many hours in the day, only so much mental and physical energy to spare, and you sometimes simply just have to give in and know when to say, um, "When!" A glass of wine and/or evening yoga by the hearth with the Grand Duchess (who has practiced for over 20 years), and then off into la-la land. Zzzzzzzzz. More immediately, I'm recovering, mentally speaking, from a grueling Friday in which I was involved with three (online) conference sessions, one right after the other, followed by a 90-minute meeting at the end of the day. Also virtual. My brain has been mush ever since, so an easy, completely unproductive Saturday watching intermittent snow fall outside (no accumulation however) and drinking coffee while the visiting handymen completed some repair work down h...

And It's the End of September!!!

Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November. With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important, I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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