Happy Feast of Stephen!!!

By Christmas Morning 2020 (yesterday), it was clear that Santa Claus/Father Christmas and the reindeer had indeed made a quick stop at our house sometime in the night. Now, call me superstitious, but I strongly suspect that ol' Saint Nick is anxious about stepping on the scale today.

A lovely, relaxed Christmas Day yesterday here The Grand Duchy of Stollen all things considered. A fire on the hearth, quiet German carols in the background along with other festive music throughout the day, far too much good food to enjoy, delightful company of The Grand Duchess and Young Master, Christmas crackers and charades, and so forth.

And of course a few gifts. Highlights include some Fife& Drum Hessian musketeers and grenadiers given to me by The Young Master, and (Surprise, surprise!) Minden Prussian musketeers given to The Young Master by yours truly. A toy soldier Christmas indeed.

It reminds me of the time that my sister and I each gave the other a copy of the album Parallel Lines by Blondie (remember them?) for Christmas of 1979. Goodness, gracious does that seem like a thousand years ago! In a number of ways, it might as well be.

Anyway, it looks very much like The Young Master will learn to paint figures in early 2021 as we work together to prepare his 32+ figures for their tabletop debut. I've already suggested a few of the Prussian garrison regiments to him given their relative simplicity (lots and lots of dark blue) which he can manage while ol' Dad assists with some of the smaller detailing, fleshtone, and a few of the finer points for example.

As for our planned Guilford Courthouse game, we've decided, by mutual agreement, that we'll set up the table today and play the actual tabletop battle tomorrow (Sunday). This will allow us time for a more relaxed approach to the day today. Who knows? I might even be able to find time for some more brushwork on those nine Minden Austrian horse grenadiers and dragoon regimental staff at some point.

-- Stokes

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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