Happy Feast of Stephen!

A thoroughly charming and thought provoking title.

Or, Happy Boxing Day if you prefer. I hope your Christmas Day was happy and surrounded by friends and loved ones. Or maybe quiet and calm? Whichever you prefer.

Today, the wonderful Grand Duchess (assisted by Young Master Paul) will prepare and bake her annual Dresdner Stollen! I cannot wait (something of an understatement). In the meantime, a large piece of chilled pumpkin pie with fresh coffee for breakfast in a few moments I think.

Yesterday was a toy soldier Christmas for yours truly and included the title above, a lovely large format book on German armies from roughly 1740-1945, featuring mostly previously unpublished Herbert Knoetel watercolors, and a small box of Minden Miniatures (various French Staff figures and some Austrian dragoons). The Grand Duchess tells me that some Hessian infantry are on the way once they are back in stock.

I felt like a child again for a few hours yesterday, but the best part was spending Christmas with my wife and son, watching them open gifts, and not having to venture out the front door to go anywhere. Although we did enjoy a nice, long mid-afternoon walked around the absolutely quiet neighborhood given our unseasonably warm weather here in Mid-Michigan at the moment. Usually, we have snow on the ground by this point. Still, it was a special day.

Today, the forthcoming stollen as I say (wife and son are preparing the dough in German overhead in the kitchen right now), more idle time for daydreaming, more watching the cats enjoy their Christmas catnip mice, more pleasure derived from seeing The Young Master happily engaged in play or reading new books, more good food, more quiet Christmas music, and some delicious leftovers for dinner by candlelight. I might even be able to find an hour or so for some additional brushwork on those 14 Bosniaks. Christmas contentment. Ahhhh. . .

-- Stokes

Comments

Simon said…

Those A Gentleman’s War rules are a great read. Very humorous, the melee rules seem a bit clunky though.

10:11 AM

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...

Having a "No Day". . .

F or the almost 20 years that she lived in Mexico, one of my late mother's Irish friends frequently mentioned having a "No Day." A day with no social obligations, chores, tasks, or other work that interfered with whatever personal interests took one's fancy on the day in question. Since today -- a gray and chilly Saturday -- is Mom's birthday, the Grand Duchess is out with friends, and the Young Master is ensconced on the sofa in the TV room with a cold, yours truly is taking his own such No Day. I think Mom would approve of my decision to make the world go away, as the old Eddie Arnold song intoned, even if only for a little while. So, I will spend Saturday afternoon focused on that first squadron and small regimental staff of Eureka Saxon cuirassiers. These have stood waiting untouched over on the painting table for almost three weeks while we skied and otherwise gadded about with snowy, winter outdoor activities. I hope to share a painting update Sunday...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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