Happy New Year

                                     Happy New Year from all at the Duchy of Tradgardland!

                              Thanks for all your comments, encouragement and more in 2022 !

                                               Here’s to another year of blogging, hobby fun…

Suggestions please.

 I left a comment on a recent post regarding how I would like to get better acquainted with current comics/graphic novels but am not sure where to begin at all. Any suggestions for a good read in terms of artwork and storyline would be great. Thanks in anticipation.

And all for under a tenner!

 Up Dobbies ( garden centre not house elf) for breakfast this morning and got these in the sale-

A figure for general 54mm use, an arbour with fencing and spare wreaths to add a Christmas touch to my houses and a winter backdrop. All came to under ten pounds , I am well pleased.

It was long ago , it was far away, it was….

 One of the highlights of the run up to Christmas, when my daughters were small, involved the local library. They wanted to be there when the Christmas books were put on display and out to be borrowed. Year after year we eagerly tried to get the family favourites. The one in this post was the most sought after.  Some years we got it, some years we didn’t. Anyway many years later my eldest tried to track down a copy to buy as it had been such an integral part of her growing up. Eventually, after much time and effort, she tracked the book down and got a copy that had once graced a library , it seemed fitting. It remains a prized possession. Here is the book she got-

Comic Kingdom

 Went to an interesting comic/ graphic novel exhibition in the local library this morning. I took some pictures and thought that some of you might be interested-

On until the 14th January 2023-

https://www.whatsonfife.co.uk/event/112821-comic-kingdom-exhibition/

Don’t stop the cavalry or maybe I should?

 Been thinking of additions needed for the 1790 Tradgardland project. I had  thought of vignettes, baggage and a few bits and bobs then it struck me - Cavalry! I got some images up for inspiration-

Great pictures but not a solution. Anyway the game will be set in snow with snow based units including ski troops. So here’s the question- how useful are cavalry in a snow covered battlefield? Do I need them or not? What eighteenth century precedents do we have for cavalry in winter warfare? All answers are eagerly anticipated!

In Edinburgh

 In Edinburgh today. A wee visit to the Portrait Gallery then coffee then a wee look then home. The girls stayed on looking for sales bargains.

One of my favourite paintings in the whole gallery.

Part of the large scale murals in the entrance hall.

The blurb on the wall about the L.D.V painting.

A photo to try and show the scale of the murals in the entrance hall.

Finally a couple of photos of my Christmas presents-

I was very lucky to get such interesting, useful and creative gifts this year

Slight downer to today was I fell on the way home on black ice landing on my side having slipped into the road . A car stopped to see if I was ok and another offered to drive me home. I declined gracefully , walked gingerly home ,was fine on the whole , a tad shaken and my pride dented. Grr 😠 ice!