Happy Feast of Stephen!

An unusual old Christmas image that I cam across in my annual image search earlier this month.

Happy second day of Christmas everyone. Or Happy Day After as my late maternal grandfather used to say. We are planning a relaxed day with some light skiing in another nearby park which has trails. Again, just about five minute from the house and later more Christmas goose and all of the fixings. The Young Master seems to enjoy goose and even suggested yesterday evening during dinner that we have it for Christmas every year, so I guess that is that. Otherwise, some time down here in Zum Stollenkeller today, so I can finish tightening up an article to get off to Greg well in advance of the New Year. The online Christmas jazz should help spur me along nicely.

-- Stokes

The Young Master and Dad, Christmas Day 2017.

Comments

MSFoy said…

Ignoramus that I am, I have to confess that I knew St Stephen's Day was sometime around Christmas, but I never realised that it was the 26th. These blog things are educational, no doubt.

When I was a nipper in Liverpool, there was an alternative schoolkids' version of the famous carol. I hope it is not unacceptably sacrilegious:

Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen,
When a snowball hit him in the eye and made his face uneven.
Brightly shone the stars he saw, though the blow was cruel,
Then a poor man came in sight, riding on a bandy-legged mu-u-el.

We're probably on relatively safe ground here, since the carol makes no reference to the Nativity, nor anything holier than a good deed.

Today is our day for tidying up and putting away the Premier Cutlery. All part of some ancient ritual...

2:00 PM

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

Taking Stock Part II: The (As Yet) Unpainted but Planned OOB. . .

Two companies of Reichsarmee grenadiers painted back in 2017 or 2018. Minden Austrians of course. A lovely early autumn day here in the grand duchy. Bright sunshine and a light breeze with cool temperatures will make for some very pleasant late afternoon lawn mowing in a little while. But first a bit more discussion of painting plans for the future. Last time, I looked back at the various and sundry units, support troops, and civilians that I've managed to paint in the last 17 years as the Grand Duchy of Stollen project has developed. So today, let's look into the seemingly bottomless Drawer 'o' Lead to my left for a clue to the new direction. Be forewarned, it's not going to be a quick job getting everything painted and based, but there we are. The following plans are based on the pile of unpainted figures already here. Any future purchases will be limited to small things that might be needed to fill out the envisioned units (the odd few officers mounted o

Having a "No Day". . .

F or the almost 20 years that she lived in Mexico, one of my late mother's Irish friends frequently mentioned having a "No Day." A day with no social obligations, chores, tasks, or other work that interfered with whatever personal interests took one's fancy on the day in question. Since today -- a gray and chilly Saturday -- is Mom's birthday, the Grand Duchess is out with friends, and the Young Master is ensconced on the sofa in the TV room with a cold, yours truly is taking his own such No Day. I think Mom would approve of my decision to make the world go away, as the old Eddie Arnold song intoned, even if only for a little while. So, I will spend Saturday afternoon focused on that first squadron and small regimental staff of Eureka Saxon cuirassiers. These have stood waiting untouched over on the painting table for almost three weeks while we skied and otherwise gadded about with snowy, winter outdoor activities. I hope to share a painting update Sunday a

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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