It's the first day of winter. . . Happy Solstice!

Yet another Victorian-era image of Santa Claus/ Father Christmas, this time in red with a sprig of holly, one of spruce, and a pack of toys and assorted goodies for the little ones on his back.

Little of great consequence to report today. Finished the black bits on those current ten figures lats night. This afternoon and evening it's the two-part process on the coats. During breakfast today, I introduced Young Master Paul to a slice of his mother's stollen, which he quickly consumed and then asked for more. Good boy. Can the requisite mug of fresh, strong coffee be far behind? Not, I fear, if we want the Young Master to sleep again before 2020!

Later, I ran a couple of final errands to assist Santa Claus midday and returned in time for a pre-Christmas walk around the neighborhood with the Grand Duchess and the Young Master, who insisted on climbing the stars to the second floor by himself this morning. It's amazing how quickly language development and various motor skills come at this age.

No snow yet here in the Grand Duchy, but the day is seasonably chilly, dark, and damp, very like the two weeks when I visited my mother and stepfather in Southampton, England for the Christmas-New Year's period where Step-Dad was a misplaced Welshman and lecturer in International Relations at the University of Southampton at the time. And although it's been almost 25 years since that trip, its fun, warmth, and delightful experiences are always vivid in my mind come late December. Almost as if it were only yesterday. Sigh. I can't help be feel jolly and full of good cheer at this time of year.

And here is a Norwegian julenisse, enjoying his traditional bowl of porridge on Christmas Eve. In Norway, it is this nisse who brings toys to the children, but you must remember to leave a bowl of porridge in the barn for him otherwise misfortune will befall your farm in the coming year. The tomte is a very similar figure in neighboring Sweden.

The 6th (Luebecker Musketeers) Regiment of Infantry with steps two and three completed.

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!

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 a

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 her

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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