A wee trip

Jan and I had a wee trip out today to Aberdour as she didn't get her chemo on Monday (hopefully,counts permitting,next Monday) and we fancied a change of scene. We had a  splendid lunch at McTaggart's Restaurant followed by a walk.

The view from Fife over to Inchcolm island in the Firth of Forth.

The view across to Edinburgh.

On our return we were able to sit outside and I did a little painting.
BTW who is off to Claymore on Saturday , talking of Edinburgh?

Well worth a read

Here is a link to a most interesting post on another blog about the LOTR-
http://www.oldenhammer.com/2015/07/reading-along-with-lord-of-rings-three.html

Model railway question

Do railway modellers indulge in "Imaginations" like some of us wargamers do? If so , can anyone direct me to some examples?

What are you reading this summer?

Here's some of the books  we are reading in the Duchy this summer-

My middle daughter is reading this on our recommendation.It's one of the few novels I wanted to start reading again just after I had finished it.

Eldest's choice and is really enjoying it.

Jan's reading this and I have dipped enjoyably in and out of it.

More enjoyable Church history reading for me filled with devotion and eccentricity too.

Great production values ( love the hardback and size of it) and well written I am enjoying this set of rules too currently.

All I need to do is getting my painting mojo back...

Finally what are you all reading and would recommend?

A heads up for you

I popped some books into Oxfam's bookshop in Stockbridge Edinburgh yesterday ( Wednesday pm) including a few sets of rules like "Go Pa" and "In the Grand Manner" on so forth. Go along get a bargain and help a good cause.

Update

Weather in Tradgardland has been disappointing of late and the garden could be much further on.I am a tad tired of rain and high winds trashing the garden.
I have not blogged for a while as my mojo has gone a bit off- flitting restlessly from project to project making little headway on any.
I have been reading a little- mainly late 19th and early 20th century ecclesiastical history focused around Anglo- Catholicism and Anglo- Papalism. You can't go far wrong with Martin Travers!
I had an enjoyable dbm game with my regular opponent ( now retired) of Saxons v Romano Brits which ended in a draw.I have been sorting things for the Charity Shop,having coffee with Jan (whose treatment is doing it's job and whose attitude/spirit/energy never fails to amaze and impress me) as well as contending with stripping wallpaper from stubborn  en-suite walls and  suffering annoyingly high estimates/bills from tradesmens/companies over sundry items/services.
I pre-ordered some rules from Amazon at the end of May.Can you guess what-

Yes that's correct- Frostgrave. I did not buy into the Nickstarter as I did not want to outlay lots of money on the rules and figures. I have enjoyed  the last  few day ferreting through my boxes for suitable Wizards and parties of adventurers. I have found some old friends which I will press into service and save money thereby. The rules are due to arrive tomorrow.Anyone out there tried the rules and what do you think?

Baptism by fire,well almost

I was given Kelly kettle for  Christmas and decided to give it a go the other day in the garden-

I thought I had set a fire well with  paper & dried sticks collected by Jan and the girls in Falkland but to no avail.The second firing was little better- hotish water but not boiling. I will try again soon.
Up ,far too early, to a sunny Tradgardland. I decided to do some semi flats-

whilst listening to an excellent Radio 4 play "Miss Morison's Ghosts" on my  i pad on radio iplayer.
Oh why I'm here any thoughts on good renaissance wargames rules? I didn't like DBR ,am tempted to return to (inspite of fears re book keeping) George Gush's but am open to suggestions...

Spotty Seal

My middle daughter (the textile designer one) has now created an Etsy Page with items she has made. Here is an  example-

Do pop over and have a look at the link below. I am a proud dad indeed.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SpottySeal

Uber Old School - an update

Remember the above? I had the following email today-

"Dear Mr. Gruber,

I will try to translate the rules in English. It will take some time, perhaps we publish the rules in the Zinnlaube.

You must be patient for a while!

Thank You for Your understanding.

Best wishes

Ignacio Czeguhn"

It is great that a member of the group will be willing to do this for me .Further details will be posted when I hear more...

Inspiration

Really liked this image and also the ideas it suggested to me...

Sunday

Found this picture on the internet-

If you click on it you will see figures like those in the previous post.Secondly I downloaded this-

Its the BBC dramatisation from the late 1960s of the Hobbit.I started listening to it when ironing today and it was splendid.Well worth a listen in my opinion.I have started the game and Ross's rules are working out well.

A game

Set up a game yesterday before the sun came out and I could  cut the grass and garden. I will play it over the next few days.Anyway here it is-

Army Black are defending a town and have sent skirmishers forward into the woods.

Army Black's right wing including band.

Army Red cavalry massed on the left wing.

Army Red Highlanders in the fore ground with machine gun behind and Staff behind that.

Rules are "Post it version of New Tin Army by Ross -

http://gameofmonth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-kapelle-field-force-marches-again.html

Semi flats

Torrential rains in Tradgardland have left me in the house this morning rather than outside as I would prefer. I have been looking at some 40mm semi flats which need painting-

I am loathed to go for a purely khaki colour scheme and have been looking at Haswell Miller's Vanished armies for a few pointers. Any suggestions for uniform ideas sources most welcome.

I have one semi flat tank and I was thinking today about trying to scratch build some others. But not sure where to begin.I would ideally like to try some of the British interwar vehicles that so appeal to me. Anyone tried their hand at such a thing?