Of Elric and Cooperative Learning...

Well,sadly, my three days Cooperative learning course ended this afternoon. I have rarely been inspired by CPD events in the past but this was different. Inspirational teacher (Chris Ward ,a Canadian) good company and great food provided by the Home Economic students of Tynecastle High School.I return (reluctantly) to the chalkface/trenches with good ideas...

My companion,in the form of a book, on the train journeys was a compendium of Elric novels by Michael Moorcock. I loved his books,read them in my teens & twenties and gave them to Charity ( along with many others of various kinds) when I had to downsize dramatically my book collection many years ago. I have not really picked them up since and was pleasantly surprised how well they read after all this time.I am gripped once more by the character and the creativity of Moorcock.

Snow,no, Elks and a map question...

After the storms of Thursday we awoke to snow lying a few inches deep this Saturday. Life is hectic here and it is busy with different family members needing to be diverse places at diverse times.I am working this Sunday ( Cooperative Learning 9- 4.30 leaving home at before 7am) with the course continuing Monday & Tuesday .I will not be at school theses days therefore & can't make up my mind wheter this is a good or bad thing.

A recent post at the Duchy of Stollen - http://grandduchyofstollen.blogspot.com/
talks of "No Days" - a need to just have some R&R for oneself/family at this time of year.I feel the Duke of Stollen has an excellent point to make there.

Finally a confession- I love elks ( or Moose to our American friends) and think they are fascinating animals.Here is one from the Black Forest (bought by Jan in Oct in Peebles) which I was given today as we approach Christmas . He will feature in our decorations this year.
Finally my school was having a clear out and kindly gave me some 1966 25 inches to the mile maps of where I grew up in Edinburgh.Any hobby thoughts about how I could utilise such fascinating reminders of my youth?

Storm and Impetus

Fife and City of Edinburgh schools closed at lunchtime due to extreme weather. I had a horrendous journey over the Forth Rail Bridge in an over crowded train. The train crawled over the bridge and swayed in a way I have never known before. As a result we were all home by mid to later afternoon. The wind howls outside but we are cosy and safe for the night.
I am posting images of my completed Basic Impetus armies. The Scottish mythological includes amongst others- a base of kelpie,sidhe in chariot and on foot,a druidic shaman and the fachan.Note one of the "old things" as Kipling calls them- old gods who survive in diminised form.In this case it is the Dagda. The Highland/Islands army has skirmishers,armoured islesmen and fierce highlanders.
Those of you still to jouney home I wish you safe travel and a peaceful evening by your hearth.

An update...

Another hectic week here in the Duchy. I have started the ACW project and am raising the following Union forces:

3rd brigade Col T B W Stockton



20th Maine inf regt

Michigan Sharpshooters,Brady's Company

16th Michigan Inf Regt

12th New York inf regt

17th new york inf regt

44th new york inf regt

83rd Pennsylvania inf regt

I have committed to a trial game with the new rules on the 30th of December so I am getting my skates on re painting. A limited palette does help compared to the 18th century...
Am thinking of my initial dispostions for Paul's WW1 campaign and first moves will be soon.I am commanding Army Black and have much to ponder.Photos and updates etc will appear on Paul's blog.
Painted two ww1 figures in 28mm and am pleased with the results.One is the Duke of Tradgardland of 1919 and the other is his aide de camp. The figures are from a period of great turmoil in the Duchy where diverse factions fought an overspill campaign from the Left v Right chaos which torn Germany apart. Ducal,Freikorps,Left,right and others fought over Tradgardland with the Duke at the centre things.

Trial by Fire...

The following day sees our hero encountering Croats in the winter flecked woods. A trial by fire ( thankfully not accurate )sees this brave Tradgardlander survive once more...

At Dawn

After travelling through a cold and wintry night a young Tradgardland Militiaman finally arrives at his destination as the light of a new day dawns. Exhausted he knocks in an certain way upon the ancient doors in the hillside and asks to be allowed in in the name of Sarastro. The door is unbolted ,a servant stands within holding a lit lantern.Whispers are exchanged and the Militiaman follows him down the stairs...

Warg !

The wolves are becoming a menace on the borders of Tradgardland as winter approaches.They decend from the Umstrittental Mountains in search of easy pickings.Here we see a patrol encountering a pack.A well aimed shot ,the wolves depart only to regroup once more under the cover of darkness.