The Duke and Duchess of Tradgardland and Alisona extend Christmas Greetings to one and all this Season. May you all have a fantastic time wherever you are...
Our thoughts are with our people in Ny Tradgardland, the Shetlands and especially with Von Bergman and the Duc de Padirac in Scotland.
To all Rulers of Imaginations everywhere may you continue to rule well and provide for your households a Season to remember...
The Duchy of Tradgardland potteries appear to have made a mistake with the date upon this plate- it of course ,should have read 1758...
It portrays well the Capital -including the signature Tradgarlander church ( found in every community big or small)with external staircase for the militia to use as an observation post.
One of the tasks I set myself this holiday ( once the coldy/fluy symptoms have finally left me and mine) was to build some typical Tradgardland buildings using the Grant/Stokes methodology. I want to have a go at one of these churches very much - since I saw a similar one in Denmark when I last visited there some years ago!
Anyway I shall give it a go - if the results are at all pleasing I will post photos. Any advice for the making of the external stairs/ balcony ( see photo on my Blog page for an example of such a church) would be most appreciated! I hope this finds you all moving forwards well to a well-earned break!
It has been a busy few days. Jan and I are still under the weather with fluy colds and my eldest is off to the doc today with earache!
We have had a hectic time preparing for a family gathering here yesterday . It all went swimmingly . On Saturday we decked the halls and put up the tree plus shopping. The soiree day itself was hectic but fun. I even organised a quiz which was appreciated by all. Jan produced a lovely meal for all.
As I write Anna is cutting and sticking together for me some lovely chance cards sent to me by Stokes- thanks Stokes!. I hope to get some cardboard houses begun to go with my resin Vauban fortifications in 25mm. The arrival of the Wargame companion @Christmas will further inspire me further. Santa will bring a few Minifigs companies for my imaginations too...
I am interested in seeing Bluebear Jeff is tempted by the Old School look having been inspired by Stokes. I do hope Jeff does go for it. I am starting with some batts but also some company sized units too. Build up slowly is the way I am going. So it will be a Charge inspired Christmas for me - maybe a wee game by the New Year - we shall see. I hope you are all well and preparing for the Season and for some R and R too!!
Recently I talked about this super film ( Pathfinder) on the Duke of Stollen's Blog. I had forgotten the name but someone (thank you) reminded me of it. It is well worth watching and seeking out ,especially as the winter solstice approaches. It is a cracking adventure set amidst the snow with great action and really cool traditional skiing too!So hire it from your local video shop- or even better buy it. You will want to watch it again I'm sure. Have a good glass of mulled ale or wine- heated with a poker straight from the fire of course! Sit back and enjoy!
Well Christmas is coming ever nearer. My middle daughter had her High School Party today and my other two have their one tomorrow night. My own school class had a good one today with a heady mix of games ,Scottish Country Dancing and Grease Medleys...
It is Duke Karl Frederick's favourite Sunday of the year- Gaudete Sunday . On that day the vestments are the same colour as the Ducal colours- namely Rose.
General Mackay has been busy all day drilling his new troops. They have been hand picked from the Tradgardlander Militia and are gathered at the artillery camp. Mackay realises that the coming months will see a threat emerging from the Saschen-Vindow army...
MacKay , a traditionalist by nature and principle, makes sure the men are well acquainted with the arcane drill associated with throwing of grenades. They will become an elite within the Duchy and are to be paid from the Duke's personal gold inherited from his father - a product of plunder upon the field of Mars....
Note to the reader: these figures are currently in the process of painting and I hope to move them forward well this weekend...
At the weekend I was reorganising things for a Charge solo project I am planning. Here is a Tradgardland Militia unit. I wonder if Vonn Bergmann and the duc de Tradgardland and his troops will be home from Scotland soon? I am happy for them to be there if they are needed to fight for bonnie Prince Charlie.
I hope to raise a Tradgardlander Cavalry unit sooner or later...
As the Duke looked out into night sky he observed the passing of a previously unrecorded comet . He mused upon how the ancients saw them as heralds of joy or deep sorrow...
His reverie was interrupted by a sealed letter being placed upon the nearby table. He opened it and read of the events earlier that day in neighbouring Saschen- Vindow . He sighed audibly realising that all hope of peace had been broken upon the wheel that very day...