Friday, 22 March 2024

Wee wander

 As Real Life has been quite stressful of late I decided to have an away day. Even though it was rather rainy l still went for it. I popped through to Stirling, enjoyed a potter about and got these in a well stocked Oxfam bookshop-


An old favourite rule set which is worth giving a go again l think and an excellently illustrated book about one of my favourite designers.

In other news I managed to get the raised borders cleared and the 2024 garden campaign has begun-



10 comments:

  1. Glad to see you have found something absorbing to read, any designer of H G Wells’ “Cannonade Of Sandgate” house has our approval! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spade_House
    *
    Delighted to see your outdoor wargames John Ruddle garden now has its different islands or building plots clear ready for the summer gaming “2024 Garden” season.

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    1. Voysey is such a talent across so many design fields.
      The raised beds date to the time Jan and I began to reclaim the garden, nearly twenty years ago. I have swithered about using one for hobby purposes but I think that l shall use it for veg as ever, if only to carry on the tradition of feeding the slugs.
      Alan Tradgardland

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    2. Gardens are full of memories and planting them or anything is an act of hope towards the future (even in wartime - see Kenneth Helphand’s book Defiant Gardens). We have a ‘family heirloom’ bird bath that have come down across many decades along with cuttings of a plant from my childhood garden.
      I’m sure you could sneak in the odd Three Man piquet or sentry post into the raised beds, Ruddle style, just as my Dad encouraged me to do. Not sure if they will deter the slugs ... but then in our garden no chemical warfare is allowed to protect the hedgehogs and birds who supposedly should eat the slugs.
      https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2021/03/14/wo-manning-the-op-bmc-plastic-army-women-take-over-the-three-man-pound-store-plastic-soldiers-patrol-post/

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  2. Book shops - a favourite occupation. Gardening - an awful necessity.
    I wish you well with both,
    Stephen

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    1. Indeed re the first and actually l quite like the garden. Peaceful to work and think ones thoughts or listen to the wireless as you work. I miss Jan’s vision for the place and urging me forward. She was the brains , l the semi ineffectual brawn.
      Alan Tradgardland

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  3. Mark Man Of TIN says: interesting Spade House Sandgate publication from the Wikipedia Spade House entry http://archive.sandgatesociety.com/uploads/document/5cfe3cf622a09.pdf

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    1. Popping over here now. Thanks for link.
      Alan Tradgardland

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    2. Enjoy! The 1966 brochure even mentions toy soldiers on the commemorative curtains by artist David Holt - sadly not shown.

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  4. 'File Leader' is pretty niche for a charity shop! Is there a veteran wargamer in the Stirling area having a clearout? Maybe they are one of your readers..? Good to see gardening re-starting, clearly Spring is in the air!

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  5. A niche find indeed , like coming across an old friend unexpectedly.
    Gardening is a joy and a burden equally. There is pressure to keep it as well as Jan did but I am more of a wild garden person. The tension between the two can cause great creativity.
    Alan Tradgardland

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