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This is the last photo taken by my Pentax before it gave up the ghost, coughed and spluttered. It was a useful engine.
The lady in an expert in 'traditional crafts', among them 'fur processing'. She gets bodies of dead foxes (that were run over by cars, or were hunted to dilute the population), and turns them into useful furs. She doesn't hunt the foxes.
LEGO Build for Global Challenge X for the the Lands of Roawia LEGO Castle game.
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“As you can see, Durrough Bend Hospital is in a truly sad state of affairs after those nasty Queen’s soldiers ruined so much of it. We couldn’t bring any poor soul here to heal, and this is why Durrough’s main hospital by the Bastion is so badly cramped, hardly anyone can heal properly, very bad for the mind being cramped up with other poor souls moanin’ all the time…”
Lady Seonaid certainly had no problem talking, Caelan noted silently as he watched her animated sales pitch to High Alderman Gillespie, who seemed to blithely take in her high-speed gab like someone interested but only from a distance, which he was…
“And we did have a previous allotment from Grand Duke Cartney, bless his soul, but that only paid for some of the broken windows and all the doors, but the well is still not functionin’, with no wench and needin' a bit a’ dredgin’…”
Ugh, Caelan thought again. Will she not finish? At least he had his glory with him, Lady Kenzie, whom everyone knew by now was his fiancee, as he had proposed so publicly at the grand party the Duke threw in celebration of Lenfald’s Independence. What a mad occasion that was, everyone yelling in joy and cheering “Lenfald Free Forever!” over and over again. The women threw flowers, the gentlemen their hats, and the soldiers and sailors just about everything else…
“And so your honorable High Alderman in order to prepare properly for what God-forbid could be another bloody conflict with the uncouth and heatless Loreesi, we must restore this hospital as overflow for poor Durrough, packed to brim with the sick and healin’ as it is…”
Caelan glanced at his love, so beautiful she shined even on a cloudy day such as this one. Kenzie was listening intently to Lady Seonaid, as if every word mattered, and nodded with her frequently. Caelan wondered to himself how women managed to bond so quickly and find agreement with someone so disagreeable, so long as they were a woman as well.
“How much?” Gillespie suddenly interrupted Lady Seonaid, finally getting to both her point for her, and nearing the end of his own patience to deal with the seemingly never-ending flow of words. Caelan thought to himself that Gillespie didn’t seem like most politicians he knew, and against his better judgement began to admire him a bit.
It was abrupt, and having stopped her train of thought like a cart turned over on High Street, she had to think before finally stating, “I believe the sum of One Thousand Draken will be quite enough to put us in good stead.”
Even the Alderman, used to having people ask him for all sorts of things and amounts of money, was taken aback. “Milady, I would say you are making a joke, except your reputation for not having a sense of humor has preceded you. This amount is simply not possible, not now and not for the foreseeable future. Since we can consider this further repair as a preparation for any potential combat, perhaps I can spare One Hundred Draken from the war chest…”
He never finished as the good lady then launched into a high-energy objection, restating everything she had already said, with the words “urgently needed” a good half-dozen times sprinkled in, and a new insistence on raising taxes to fill the bill.
The High Alderman, up to this point an admirably patient and calm man, began to lose it. “Taxes! Milady, raising taxes in plentiful time of peace is difficult enough, but in these uncertain times, with the Nation so young, we might as well start the riots ourselves and save the time at it!!!”
And this was the moment Sir Caelan was waiting for, lacking only a white horse to ride in on in his moment of saving the day! “Lady Seonaid,” he began plaintively, and glancing at Kenzie, who was already in on the secret, “I believe I have the solution to the problem.”
Both the Alderman and the demanding Headmistress of Durrough Hospital turned to him, surprised and expectant.
He proudly offered a sack of items he had been lugging around these long minutes, and exposed the contents. It was a wealth of gold and silver items, stolen knick knacks and goodies of various value. But it was the leather purse he offered that really mattered. “All recovered from the last few Queen’s Troops caught by my Lenfel Scout Snipers. And in this purse you will find somewhere around five hundred Draken as well.”
Instead of the joy that he thought it would bring, however, Lady Seonaid looked at him hard and stated, “I cannot accept stolen items! And this is blood money, no doubt, as you and your ruffians are so very likely as to put those arrows so deeply in your victims that we are forced to work on them like mad to fix…”
“Milady, let me explain,” he interrupted her, not willing to have his moment of glory diminished, “these items have no names on them, they came from a large stash of booty gathered from all over Roawia so we can’t find their owners, and the thieves were captured alive and unharmed by my men. Normally it would be considered war-booty for the Scouts, but knowing your predicament here, and as your Order healed me a few months ago, I convinced them instead to donate them to your cause. They are yours, and you can accept them with a clear con….”
Before he could finish, the expected joy on Lady Seonaid’s face finally appeared, and taking the sack in hand she wore a huge smile, and immediately offered — Lady Kenzie her deepest gratitude. “What an angel you are Kenzie,” she exclaimed with sudden sweetness, “this will be long remembered! We all know you of course coming from such an excellent family and all, so generous and lovin’.”
Caelan blinked. Had he missed something here?
“Thank you Milady,” Kenzie nodded with grace, “but they are actually a gift from Sir Caelan here…”
“Oh, nonsense Kenzie, we all know brutes like soldiers would never think of something like this themselves, don’t be so modest, we all know who really is behind such generosity…”
This last did not get past him, and not wishing to cause a scene with an objection, all the young Baron could do was exchange bewildered glances with High Alderman Gillespie, who suddenly looked like he badly needed to burst out laughing…
“Besides,” Seonaid suddenly threw in, “we spend so much time patchin’ him up and repairin’ the havoc his soldiers cause that it’s owed anyway. Now my lovely generous patron let me show you what we will do with your beautiful gift…” She grabbed Kenzie by the hand and began to lead her alone toward the garden, and having gotten what she needed for her cause, she left the men behind as if they didn’t exist.
Kenzie only had time to look at Sir Caelan and mouth “I’m so sorry” before being dragged off.
“Did I miss something…was there a thank you buried in there somewhere…”
“Not for you!” the Alderman gave way to his laughter. “Your men could have spent that money on drink, or their women or children, but you all should have known that no good deed…”
“…goes unpunished,” Caelan finished for him, all glory gone with the treasure.
“Well my Baron, tis a fine mess you’ve created,” still he chuckled, “for I must now ask ye a question. Booty declared must be taxed, and you just declared that lot. So, ye have not paid yer taxes on that lot yet, have ye?”
Caelan sourly changed his mind. Gillespie was a politician sure enough….
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A tobacco barn in decline in Charlotte County, Virginia. 2018 update: this barn is barely standing, but it's still there.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
Brazos Bend has several big, dead trees. In life and death, these trees served generations of ducks, ibis, herons, anhingas, woodpeckers, and many other species. This morning two whistling ducks made this tree their lookout tower. I was thinking B&W as I shot this. Hope it works. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 9/2022
2023 Weekly Challenge 47/52 ~ Useful
Thank you to everyone who pauses long enough to look at my photo. All comments and Faves are very much appreciated
Useful Beauty / Castelo Mendo, Portugal.
Una hermosa pieza de metal para sujetar una contraventana.
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A beautiful piece of metal to retain a window shutter.
Albert Bridge is a useful footbridge across the River Welland, just downriver of the old Great North Road bridge in the centre of Stamford. According to the plaque on it, Albert Bridge dates from 1881 when it replaced the one totally destroyed in the flood of July 1880.
Many thanks to all those who take the time to view add them as favourites and comment on my photographs. It is very much appreciated.
Best viewed in lightbox - please click on the image or press L.
© All rights reserved R K ERTUG. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
Around 5 weeks ago I bought this order, and it came today! I ordered a bunch of foliage, and some other useful pieces that will be used in future MOCs. Tell me what you think!
Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.
Today however, we are south of the Thames in the middle-class London suburb of Putney in the front room of a red brick Edwardian villa in Hazelwood Road, where Lettice has come to collect a hat from her childhood chum Gerald’s friend, Harriet Milford. The orphaned daughter of a solicitor with little formal education, Harriet has taken in lodgers to earn a living, but more importantly for Lettice, has taken up millinery semi-professionally to give her some pin money*. As Lettice’s mother, Lady Sadie, has forbidden Lettice to wear a shop bought hat to Leslie, Lettice’s brother’s, wedding in November and Lettice has quarrelled with her own milliner, Madame Gwendolyn, Gerald thought that Harriet might benefit as much from Lettice’s patronage as Lettice will by purchasing one of Harriet’s hats to resolve her fashion conundrum. Today is judgement day as Harriet presents Lettice with her millinery creation.
Lettice’s critical eye again glances around the front parlour of the Putney villa, which doubles as Harriet’s sewing room and show room for her hats. She crinkles her nose in distaste. She finds the room’s middle-class chintzy décor an affront to her up-to-date interior design sensitivities, with its flouncy floral Edwardian sofa and roomy armchair by the fire, a pouffe hand embroidered by Harriet’s deceased mother and the busy Edwardian floral wallpaper covered with a mixture of cheap botanical prints and quaint English country scenes, all in gaudy gilded plaster frames. Yet what makes it even worse is that no attempt has been made to tidy the room since her last visit a month ago. Harriet’s concertina sewing box on casters still stands cascaded open next to the armchair, threads, embroidery silks, buttons and ribbons pouring from its compartments like entrails. Hats in different stages of being made up and decorated lie about on furniture or on the floor in a haphazard way. The brightly patterned rug is littered with spools of cotton, scissors, ribbon, artificial flowers and dogeared copies of Weldon’s** magazines. A cardboard hatbox spewing forth a froth of white tissue paper perches precariously on the arm of the sofa, whilst in an equally hazardous position on the right arm of the armchair, a sewing tin threatens to spill its content of threads, thimbles and a black velvet pincushion all over the chair’s seat and the floor.
“Sorry, Miss Chetwynd,” Harriet mutters apologetically as she ushers Lettice into the front parlour. “I still haven’t had an opportunity to tidy up in here yet.”
“It’s of no consequence, Miss Milford.” Lettice lies as she sweeps into the room swathed in a powder blue coat trimmed with sable that Gerald has made for her. She perches on the sofa in the same place where she sat on her last visit and deposits her crocodile skin handbag against its overstuffed pink and floral arm.
“Your censorious gaze and the reproving way you pass that remark tell me otherwise, Miss Chetwynd.”
“Are you always so observant, Miss Milford?”
“Just like my father,” Harriet replies, glancing up at a very Edwardian photographic portrait of a dour bespectacled man in a large oval frame on the mantelpiece.
“I’m sorry Miss Milford,” Lettice acknowledges her criticality politely. “But I must confess I am used to visiting tidier establishments.”
“Yes, I suppose Madame Gwendolyn’s shop is far tidier than my front parlour is.” Harriet admits. “But then again, I would imagine that she also has a retinue of staff to keep it so for her.”
“Perhaps,” Lettice agrees with a half-smile. “I’m only concerned that if you wish for your little enterprise to be taken seriously, you need to present a professional front. I myself use my own drawing room as a showroom for my clients, so I make sure to keep it tidy when I have clients or prospective clients visiting.”
“Or you maid does, Miss Chetwynd: the same one who bakes biscuits for you.”
“Touché, Miss Milford.” Lettice replies, cocking her eyebrows in amused surprise at Harriet’s quick, yet adroit remark. “I think your father should have taken more interest in your education. You might have made a very fine lawyer, had you been given the opportunity.”
“Thank you, Miss Chetwynd.” Harriet replies, blushing at the compliment.
“The lack of education afforded to women in our country, just because we are women, is a scandal. Yet our patriarchal society is what will ensure that we remain the fairer and less educated sex.”
“You sound like you might have made a fine lawyer too, Miss Chetwynd.” Harriet acknowledges. “I’m sure had you been born a few decades earlier you would have made a fine suffragette.”
“Or a radical.”
“However, that isn’t why you’ve come here today. You’ve come about a far more appropriately feminine pursuit, the acquisition of the hat for your brother’s wedding.”
“Indeed, Miss Milford. My mother would be suitably gratified to see me passing my time thus rather than in radical discussion, even if she would prefer it was at Madame Gwendolyn’s establishment.”
“Then I do hope I shan’t disappoint Lady Sadie, or you, Miss Chetwynd.”
Harriet walks over to a corner of the parlour and withdraws a yellow straw hat on a hatstand that she has kept concealed behind a brass firebox. She reverently carries it across the room and deposits it on the tilt chess table sitting empty between the seats of the two women s that Lettice might inspect it closely.
“Considering your colourings, the shape of your face and the soft chignon you wear at the nape of your neck, I’ve opted for a rather romantic picture hat rather like that featured on the cover of Weldon’s Spring Fashions.” Harriet explains as she holds up the magazine’s cover next to the hat for Lettice to make comparisons. “I know it’s autumn now, but it has been remarkably mind, and,” she adds. “This is for a wedding after all.”
Lettice examines the hat before her. The shape of the wide brimmed hat that sits low on its stand immediately appeals to Lettice, and she can easily see herself wearing it very comfortably. “Very observant again, Miss Milford.” she says approvingly.
“As you can see, I’m acknowledging the season and once again trying to compliment your own colourings with the trimmings.” Harriet says proudly as she carefully turns the hat on its stand. “A russet and golden brown satin rose and some ornamental autumnal fruits in golds and vermillion. I hope you will agree.”
Lettice reaches out and touches the satin rose, rubbing the luxuriant fabric between her thumb and forefinger with satisfaction. “Agree? Why my dear Miss Milford, you have managed to do something Madame Gwendolyn has never done for me.” She beams with delight. “You have made a hat that suits my personality beautifully. How could I fail but to be pleased? I must confess that I am more impressed with what you have created than I even dared hope for.”
“Then may I take it that you won’t quibble over my price of seven guineas, nine and sixpence?” Harriet asks, trying to keep the nerves out of her well modulated voice. She has never charged such an exorbitant price for one of her creations before, but Gerald told her that seven guineas, nine and sixpence should be the price she should ask Lettice for it. Thinking quickly she adds, “It is quite comparable to the cost of a mode from Selfridges.”
“You sell your skills to cheaply, Miss Milford.”
“I may possibly increase my fees if my ‘little enterprise’ as you continue to call it, really takes off, Miss Chetwynd.”
“I shouldn’t speak so disparagingly of your enterprise, Miss Milford. I must sound unspeakably rude and patronising. Please forgive me.”
“Rude, no Miss Chetwynd.” Harriet acknowledges.
“As amends for my snobby behaviour,” Lettice proffers hopefully. “I shall happily promote your name to anyone at the wedding who asks me who made my hat.”
“I’d be grateful, Miss Chetwynd.” Harriet replies with a grateful smile. “And I’ll try and get this place tided up should any of your friends come knocking. I did at least keep the telephone connected after father died, so I am in the book. I found it useful to have a telephone for enquiries about rooms to let initially, but now also for queries about hats.”
“Most prudent, Miss Milford.”
Harriet stands up, reaches past Lettice’s shoulder and takes up the plain cardboard hatbox stuffed with white tissue paper and places it on the seat of her armchair. She proceeds to pick up Lettice’s new hat, and like a mother tucking its child into bed, she lovingly places her creation into the box, nestling it amongst the nosily crumpling paper.
“Miss Chetwynd, do you mind if I make another frank observation?” she asks.
“My dear Miss Milford, you have made several so far,” Lettice laughs. “Why should I stop you now?”
Harriet snatches up the box and resumes her seat, placing the open hatbox on her lap.
“I’m glad you said yes Miss Chetwynd, for you see, something has been bothering me since your first visit here.”
“And what is that, Miss Milford.”
“Well, I couldn’t help but notice how ill at ease you seemed. Could it be because Gerry didn’t tell you about our friendship?”
Lettice looks across at Harriet whose mousy brown hair cut into a soft bob frames her pretty face, free of makeup. Her brown eyes have an earnest look in them. Lettice acknowledges Harriet’s question with a quick and curt nod, before casting her eyes down, ashamed that her feelings have been so easily perceived by someone she barely knows.
“I thought so.”
“I didn’t know you existed until Gerald pulled his motor up outside the front of your house.”
“I must confess I’m surprised, as Gerry talks about you all the time. You two are obviously the greatest of friends, and have been since you were children.” Harriet licks her lips a little awkwardly before continuing. “Perhaps he is a little embarrassed by our friendship, after all, I’m not an aristocrat’s daughter like you and some of your other friends he tells me about.”
“I’m sure that isn’t true, Miss Milford.” Lettice assures her hostess. “Gerald can be a frightful snob. I’ve pulled him up on it enough in recent times, and,” she admits a little begrudgingly. “He’s done the same with me. If Gerald really was ashamed of you, he wouldn’t have introduced us. That I do know.”
“He’s been wonderful to me since we met. I’m not sure if he told you, but I’m guessing not if he didn’t really tell you about me prior to our first meeting, but we met at the haberdashers we share in Fulham.”
“That Gerald did tell me.”
“Well, he’s given me encouragement and guidance as I try to get this millinery business up and running, and, well after my difficulties with the handsy General when I first started letting rooms, I feel more comfortable with gentlemen friends who don’t want to paw me.”
“Like Gerald and your Cyril, you mean.”
“Yes.” Harriet acknowledges with a blush.
“Where is Cyril, by the way? I haven’t heard his oboe playing today.”
“He’s in Norfolk, visiting his mother.” Harriet explains. She hesitates for a moment before carrying on. “I’ve never had many friends, you see. I was always the shy one at school, and not at all popular. What few friends I have had up until recently have been rather bookish and shy like me, so it was like a breath of fresh air when Gerry took an interest in plain and shy little me.”
“Hardly plain, Miss Milford.” Lettice counters kindly.
“You do know that I’d never want to intrude on your friendship with Gerry, don’t you? You’re his oldest and best friend, and he’s so proud of you and how you’ve set up your own business all by yourself. You inspire him you know.” Lettice blushes and glances back down into her lap at Harriet’s admission. “And you’re such a chum to him. He says you use the word ‘brick’ to describe your good friends, so you are his ‘brick’ then. Now that I know that he didn’t tell you about me, I must have come across as an interloper: a middle-class girl of no particular note trying to usurp you in Gerry’s affections. However, I can assure you that I’m not. Your friendship with him is perfectly safe. I’m just happy to bask in Gerry’s minor attentions for as long as he wishes to bestow them upon me.”
“Well, I must confess that I did suffer a few pangs of jealously when I first saw the two of you being so familiar together, but I realised after we left you, that you are no threat. Gerald and I had a frank conversation of our own on the way home.” Lettice admits. “Not that Gerald is bound to me by any means. He can be friends with whomever he likes, and so long as his dalliances with gentlemen are discreet, I’m happy. He just needs to be careful in that respect.”
“I tell Cyril the same thing.”
“So, if Gerald wants to be friends with you, who am I to argue? All the same, I am pleased to hear from you that you are no threat, Miss Milford.”
“Not at all, Miss Chetwynd.” She sighs with relief and places the lid on the hatbox on her lap before putting it aside. “Well, now that we have that awkward little conversation out of the way, might I interest you in some tea?”
“Some tea would be splendid, Miss Milford. Thank you.”
Harriet gets up and walks across the room. As she reaches the threshold of the parlour door she turns back and says, “You know we really do have quite a lot in common, you know, Miss Chetwynd?”
“How so, Miss Milford?” Lettice looks up from smoothing down the hem of her frock over her knees.
“Well, we both have Gerry as our friend, and we are both forward thinking women in a patriarchal world.”
“That’s true, Miss Milford.”
“We both are trying to establish names for ourselves, albeit in different areas. And we both have progressed ourselves in spite of our parents’ lack of interest in furthering our education. We could almost form a sisterhood.”
Lettice doesn’t necessarily agree with Harriet’s point about her education, which is quite presumptuous. Her father, the Viscount Wrexham, unlike Lady Sadie, was quite indulgent with Lettice’s education, giving her far more opportunities than were afforded to her elder sister Lally. Harriet realises that she has overstepped the mark by being overly familiar when she sees a cool steeliness darken Lettice’s sparkling blue eyes and harden her features slightly, but it is too late for her to retract her words.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to presume that we will ever be bosom friends***, Miss Milford. However, let me get used to your existence,” Lettice concedes with all the good grace of a Viscount’s daughter. “And I’m sure that we can be friends of a sort that goes beyond a passing acquaintance or an agreeable business arrangement.”
“Very well, Miss Chetwynd.” Harriet replies with a half-smile. “I’ll be satisfied with that. Better that we be friends of a sort than enemies for no reason. I think as women wanting to forward ourselves in this male dominated world, we probably have enough of them as it is.”
“Perhaps, Miss Milford. Let us see.”
*Originating in Seventeenth Century England, the term pin money first meant “an allowance of money given by a husband to his wife for her personal expenditures. Married women, who typically lacked other sources of spending money, tended to view an allowance as something quite desirable. By the Twentieth Century, the term had come to mean a small sum of money, whether an allowance or earned, for spending on inessentials, separate and in addition to the housekeeping money a wife might have to spend.
**Created by British industrial chemist and journalist Walter Weldon Weldon’s Ladies’ Journal was the first ‘home weeklies’ magazine which supplied dressmaking patterns. Weldon’s Ladies’ Journal was first published in 1875 and continued until 1954 when it ceased publication.
***The term bosom friend is recorded as far back as the late Sixteenth Century. In those days, the bosom referred to the chest as the seat of deep emotions, though now the word usually means a woman's “chest.” A bosom friend, then, is one you might share these deep feelings with or have deep feelings for.
Contrary to popular belief, fashion at the beginning of the Roaring 20s did not feature the iconic cloche hat as a commonly worn head covering. Although invented by French milliner Caroline Reboux in 1908, the cloche hat did not start to gain popularity until 1922, so even though this story is set in that year, picture hats, a hangover from the pre-war years, were still de rigueur in fashionable society and whilst Lettice is fashionable, she and many other fashionable women still wore the more romantic picture hat. Although nowhere near as wide, heavy, voluminous or as ornate as the hats worn by women between the turn of the Twentieth Century and the Great War, the picture hats of the 1920s were still wide brimmed, although they were generally made of straw or some lightweight fabric and were decorated with a more restrained touch.
This rather cluttered and chaotic scene of a drawing room cum workroom may look real to you, but believe it or not, it is made up entirely with pieces from my 1:12 miniatures collection, including pieces from my teenage years.
Fun things to look for in this tableau include:
At the centre of our story is Lettice’s yellow straw hat decorated with ornamental flowers, fruit and organza. 1:12 size miniature hats made to such exacting standards of quality and realism such as these are often far more expensive than real hats are. When you think that it would sit comfortably on the tip of your index finger, yet it could cost in excess of $150.00 or £100.00, it is an extravagance. American artists seem to have the monopoly on this skill and some of the hats that I have seen or acquired over the years are remarkable. The maker of this hat is unknown, but it is part of a larger collection I bought from an American miniature collector Marilyn Bickel. The hat stand the hat rests on is also part of Marilyn Bickel’s collection.
The copy of Weldon’s Dressmaker Spring Fashions edition on the tabletop is a 1:12 size miniature made by the British miniature artisan Ken Blythe. Most of the books I own that he has made may be opened to reveal authentic printed interiors. In some cases, you can even read the words, depending upon the size of the print! I have quite a large representation of Ken Blythe’s work in my collection, but so little of his real artistry is seen because the books that he specialised in making are usually closed, sitting on shelves or closed on desks and table surfaces. In this case, the magazine is non-opening, however what might amaze you is that all Ken Blythe’s books and magazines are authentically replicated 1:12 scale miniatures of real volumes. To create something so authentic to the original in such detail and so clearly, really does make this a miniature artisan piece. Ken Blythe’s work is highly sought after by miniaturists around the world today and command high prices at auction for such tiny pieces, particularly now that he is no longer alive. I was fortunate enough to acquire pieces from Ken Blythe prior to his death about four years ago, as well as through his estate via his daughter and son-in-law. His legacy will live on with me and in my photography which I hope will please his daughter.
The spools of ribbon, the tape measure, the silver sewing scissors in the shape of a stork and the box of embroidery threads and the box of cottons I acquired from Kathleen Knight’s Dolls’ House in the United Kingdom.
The tilt chess table on which these items stand I bought from Mick and Marie’s Miniatures in the United Kingdom.
The concertina sewing box on casters to the left of the photograph which you can see spilling forth its contents is an artisan miniature made by an unknown artist in England. It comes from Kathleen Knight’s Doll House Shop in the in the United Kingdom. All the box’s contents including spools of ribbons, threads scissors and buttons on cards came with the work box. The box can completely expand or contract, just like its life-sized equivalent.
The round white metal sewing tin on the armchair is another artisan piece I have had since I was a young teenager. If you look closely you will see it contains a black velvet pin cushion, a pair of sewing scissors, needles, threads and two thimbles. Considering this is a 1:12 artisan miniature, imagine how minute the thimbles are! This I bought from a high street shop that specialised in dolls and doll house furnishings. It does have a lid which features artificial flowers and is trimmed with braid, but I wanted to show off the contents of the tin in this image, so it does not feature.
The spools of yellow, purple and blue cottons come from various online shops who sell dollhouse miniatures.
The bookshelf in the background comes from Babette’s Miniatures, who have been making miniature dolls’ furnishings since the late eighteenth century.
Harriet’s family photos seen cluttering the bookshelf in the background are all real photos, produced to high standards in 1:12 size on photographic paper by Little Things Dollhouse Miniatures in Lancashire. The frames are almost all from Melody Jane’s Dollhouse Suppliers in the United Kingdom and are made of metal with glass in each. The castle shaped cottage orneé (pastille burner) on the bookshelf has been hand made, painted and gilded by Welsh miniature ceramist Rachel Williams who has her own studio, V&R Miniatures, in Powys. The bowl decorated with fruit on the bookshelf was hand decorated by British artisan Rachael Maundy.
Lettice’s snakeskin handbag with its gold clasp and chain comes from Doreen Jeffries’ Small Wonders Miniature Shop in the United Kingdom.
The parlour palm in its striped ceramic pot I acquired from Kathleen Knight’s Doll House Shop in the United Kingdom.
The floral chintz settee and chair and the Art Nouveau china cabinet are made by J.B.M. miniatures who specialise in well made pieces of miniature furniture made to exacting standards.
The paintings and prints on the walls all come from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House in the United Kingdom.
Nature paths suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs will wind you around a stunning, safe wetland habitat littered with pockets of woodland and wildflower meadows, and the friendly Kingfisher Tearooms is a great place to you recharge with friends and family. Hides allow you to get up close and personal with birds such as woodpeckers and kingfishers and during your wander you may also encounter mammals such as roe deer and hedgehogs. The ponds provide a home for newts, frogs and whirligig beetles with staff on hand to show you the best spots for pond dipping. The meadows during summer are full of butterflies including small tortoiseshell, in comparison to a snow laden winter where you may be lucky enough to spot our overwintering bitterns – this globally threatened species is a real highlight for any wildlife watcher.
Come summer vivid purple loosestrife and Southern marsh orchids provide plenty of colour.
The Potteric Carr Nature Reserve trail guide* is available to download below, which includes a map with all the hides and paths marked on so that you don't miss out any of the wonderful habitats and species during your visit. Also don't miss out on the Minibeast Totem Pole trail, which has a podcast put together by Pheasant Bank Academy.
For an idea of the geat array of wildlife that can be discovered on the nature reserve take a look at our latest sightings blog.
Please note we unfortunately do not allow dogs or bikes onto the reserve as they may disturb or harm our wonderful wildlife.
Volunteering at Potteric Carr
To find out more about how to get involved at Potteric Carr, including our regular practical conservation task days, please see our volunteering pages.
Education at Potteric Carr
Potteric Carr also offers a fantastic education programme, working with children, young people and adults to encourage a love and understanding of Yorkshire's amazing wildlife!
For more information about visiting Potteric Carr or getting involved in volunteering, send an email to potteric.carr@ywt.org.uk or call 01302 570077.
www.ywt.org.uk/potteric-learning
Potteric Carr Nature Reserve offers a rich variety of wildlife education programmes for community groups and all key stage level classes from Early Years through to University level.
The activities held at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve aims to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to take an active interest in local wildlife and its conservation. We provide children, young people and adults with fun, relevant, high quality environmental education. Out of classroom learning on site offers fantastic opportunities for positive, progressive and participative learning.
For more information on the sessions available and costs associated please see our learning pages.
Email the Education Team for more information or call 01302 570077.
www.ywt.org.uk/discover-learn/potteric-carr-flagship-rese...
As well as formal education programme, we also offer informal sessions for community groups including out of school groups such as Scouts and Guides, youth groups and school holiday clubs, and also for adult groups.
We're a learning destination for the Children's University!
Doncaster Children's University is a Study Support scheme offered by Doncaster College. Children taking part in the scheme can collect credits in a 'Passport to Learning' and work towards a 'National Award' by attending after school clubs or Learning Destinations.
Children's University Learning Destinations provide learning opportunities for children outside of school hours and out of the classroom! For more information about Doncaster Children's University and to find out where you can get a 'Passport to Learning', click here.
Come along to one of our events to get your passport stamped. Find out what events are coming up at Potteric Carr on our What's On pages.
www.ywt.org.uk/discover-learn/potteric-carr-flagship-rese...
We offer a range of exciting activities for brownies, cubs, scouts, guides and other groups at Potteric Carr which can be linked to badge work or just for fun!
All activities can be tailored to meet your groups needs. Here are just a few of the sessions you can expect to enjoy at Potteric Carr.
Beneath the water
Pond dipping to capture, identify and study mini-beasts that live under water, before returning them to their natural environment.
Mini-beast madness
Searching, sorting and studying mini-beasts found in leaf litter, log piles or grassland areas.
Where am I?
Discover how to find your way around the Reserve using geography including a map game, and learn to draw simple maps with keys yourself.
A special place
A series of activities aimed at helping children appreciate the wonders of nature including sticky palettes, journey sticks, un-natural trails.
Bush Craft
Try your hand at traditional crafts and help make some wonderful items as well as learning about bushcraft and survival in the wild!
www.ywt.org.uk/discover-learn/potteric-carr-flagship-rese...
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust received funding from the BIG Lottery to develop a community pond dipping station - an exciting new resource for local community groups to use.
This project provides community groups with an outdoor classroom stocked with all the necessary equipment; ID guides, interpretation and information to ensure a memorable visit to the nature reserve. We also hope discovering the benefits of having a pond will inspire action in the community. Ponds may be small but they are an important part of our landscape and create hotspots for a huge range of wildlife. Making a pond is one of the best ways to quickly and easily attract a variety of wildlife into your own backyard, whilst also providing a fascinating resource for all
www.ywt.org.uk/connect/flutter-by
Flutter By at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve started in March 2013 and aims to inspire all about our fascinating winged wildlife. Read on for more...
Generously funded through WREN, we have been able to create a new sensory garden and natural play area to be enjoyed by both the wildlife at Potteric Carr and most importantly you … our visitors!
WREN is a not for profit business that awards grants to community, environmental and heritage projects across the UK from funds donated by Waste Recycling Group (WRG) to the Landfill Communities Fund.
Peter Cox, managing director of WREN explains that "WREN is committed to funding projects that make a real difference to local communities, children and families. The Flutter By project will provide a fantastic space for local people to get outdoors and have some fun. We’re delighted to support Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to make this happen and look forward to the completion of the project in March 2013."
Invertebrates .... The basis of all ecosystems
7-spot ladybird - Credit Rachel ScopesWildflower meadows offer a diverse habitat rich in wildlife but this colourful landscape has been restricted in the UK due to change in land use and management since around the second world war. The decline in these habitats has been shown to have a negative effect on many invertebrate species, which in turn has caused noted declines in various other animals such as farmland birds and other small mammals. Invertebrate populations, ‘minibeasts’, play an important role in all ecosystems, by providing a service to both the environment and the species within it. Minibeasts not only provide an essential source of food for various animals, they also act as waste recyclers, pollinators and pest controllers and can be used to assess the ecological quality of a habitat. For these reasons the conservation of wildflower meadows are of increasing importance.
Flutter By
Flutter By, a component of The Connect Project, has been created to aid public engagement with the Humberhead Levels Nature Improvement Area (NIA), by building an area which can be use for exploration and learning. The old sensory garden at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve, which at present can be found along the Dragonfly Trail has undergone a transformation as our team of staff, contractors and volunteers all got their hands dirty rebuilding a natural play space and butterfly garden.
The garden has been filled with wildflowers which will attract numerous invertebrate species, in turn encouraging other species of birds and mammals to take advantage of the increasingly diversified habitat on the nature reserve. Along with the creation of new habitats, a variety of natural play equipment was commissioned which has been built and designed with the minibeast theme in mind! To help you learn more about the importance of invertebrates within the ecosystem and make your visit to the garden even more enjoyable a minibeast audio trail has also been put together. This trail consists of a number of minibeast inspired totem poles, each with a downloadable podcast for you to listen to as you search the garden (see below).
In addition to the environmental benefits Flutter By will create, it gives you a chance to get involved in a project which will benefit conservation and your local community.
There are various ways to get involved in Flutter By, from helping with the construction of the Garden and activity station to attending training sessions to learn how to teach groups in your community.
Children's Events
We have many children's events running throughout the year, many of which take place in or around the Flutter By Garden. Find out what events are coming up at Potteric Carr on our What's On pages.
Corporate Workdays
Flutter By is an ongoing project which needs continuous maintenance; one of the ways in which you can help is by booking a corporate workday. Corporate workdays are a brilliant opportunity to develop better working relationships, spend a day out of your normal working environment and make a difference to your local wildlife! Find out more about corporate workdays by contacting Lizzie Dealey.
Community Leader Training
Community Leader Training events offer a great opportunity to community group leaders to learn about minibeasting activities. Click here to find out more.
Explore the mosaic of habitats and wonderfully diverse wildlife at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve by picking one of four trails, many of which are suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
The four routes are marked by coloured posts which include:
Dragonfly Trail - orange markers; 3 km lasting approx. 50 minutes
Expresso Trail - brown markers; 0.5 km lasting approx. 10 minutes
Railway Walk - red markers; 3 km lasting approx. 50 minutes
Wetland Walk - blue markers; 5 km lasting approx. 1 hour 10 minutes
All four routes cover approximately 8 km if you decide to make a day of it and take in the majority of the nature reserve. Please download the Potteric Carr Nature Reserve leaflet at the bottom of the page which shows all of the footpaths. On all routes you will come across several bird hides, the majority with ramp access. There is also a special iSpy leaflet to download for children, showing the Dragonfly Trail.
For a better view of the wildlife, stop in one of fourteen hides, which offer excellent vantage points.
After your walk be sure to stop in at the Kingfisher Tearooms for a cream tea or cake.
If you've brought along your children or grandchildren then don't miss out on the Discovery Room, open during weekends and in the school holidays and packed full with wildlife-themed books, games and crafts. Activity rucksacks are also available for our younger guests - ask at reception for more details.
We do ask that you keep to the footpaths so as not to disturb our wonderful wildlife, as conservation work is carried out in these areas. Please be aware that if crossing the railway you will need to be in possession of either your membership card or ticket.
We hope you enjoy the walks and don't forget to let us know of your wildlife sightings by adding them to our 'Potteric Carr Sightings' Blog in the left hand menu!
www.ywt.org.uk/discover-learn/potteric-carr-flagship-rese...
Come take a browse in the shop at Potteric Carr, with merchandise to tempt all ages
There is something for everyone at the Potteric Carr shop - with binoculars, books, bird seed and much more it really is worth the stop! If you're after something in a hurry and haven't got time to pop down to the shop then why not take a look online.
Stockists of:
Zeiss
Opticron
Vine House Farm
CJ Wildlife
The Nuttery
Jacobi Jayne (Squirrel Busters)
Gardman
Email Richard Sykes or call on 01302 570077.
www.ywt.org.uk/discover-learn/potteric-carr-flagship-rese...
Looking to visit Potteric Carr? Here is some useful information...
Opening Times:
Nature reserve: 9am - 5pm
Kingfisher Tearooms: 10am - 4pm (October - May) 10:30 am- 4:30pm (April - September)
Car parking: Locked at 5pm - if you would like to stay later, then arrive before 5pm and ask at the front desk
Open seven days a week (check website for Christmas closure times)
Prices:
Members of The Wildlife Trusts : Free
Adults: £4.00
Children: £2.00
Concessions: £2.50
Family: £7.50 (two adults & up to four under 16's)
No dogs or bikes please, they can disturb and harm our wonderful wildlife.
Address
Potteric Carr Nature Reserve
Sedum House
Mallard Way
Doncaster
DN4 8DB
Directions:
Coming from Doncaster take the White Rose Way (A6182), at the roundabout follow the directions for the M18. Potteric Carr Nature Reserve is signposted.
From the A1 (southbound) come off at Junction 35 for the M18, then take Junction 3 towards Doncaster and follow signs for the A6182 (White Rose Way). At the first set of lights you reach, turn right into Mallard Way. Park at Sedum House.
Nearest train station: Doncaster
For further information get in touch with us by calling 01302 570077 or by emailing potteric.carr@ywt.org.uk.
www.ywt.org.uk/potteric-kingfisher-tearooms
Visit the Kingfisher Tearooms
No trip to Potteric Carr Nature Reserve is complete without a rest stop at the Kingfisher Tearooms, where quality home-made food produced from local ingredients is our top priority.
Join us at the Kingfisher Tearooms for a spot of cream tea or a mouth-wateringly delicious sandwich packed full of local ingredients.
A child-friendly menu is available and for those wanting to venture from the tearooms for their lunch a family picnic basket provides the perfect solution.
All of our food is lovingly prepared from scratch, using the freshest of ingredients, with gluten free options available.
Opening Times:
April 1st - October 1st: 10:30am - 4:30pm
October 2nd - March 31st: 10am - 4pm
For more information:
Email Bev Walker or call 01302 364152.
We would love to help you with any bespoke cake orders, just get in touch!
Thank you to Network Rail, Unipart Rail and Phoenix Mechanical Services Ltd who have sponsored the Kingfisher Tearooms
www.ywt.org.uk/discover-learn/potteric-carr-flagship-rese...
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust with the help of volunteers work to ensure the variety of habitats at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve are maintained.
Reed management at Potteric Carr Nature Reserve - Credit Jim HorsfallSome of this work involves reed cutting, this is carried out on a 10-year rotation with different blocks cut on each year of the cycle.
The grasslands are managed through a conservation grazing programme using Highland cattle and Hebridean sheep to allow the less competitive species to establish. Hay cutting also occurs in some areas to remove nutrients and improve the grassland for wildflowers.
In the woodland some areas are coppiced and other trees are thinned out to let more light through to the woodland floor and encourage woodland flowers to grow.
Footpaths and benches are also maintained to ensure guests enjoy a pleasant visit!
Regular volunteer days are held on site to help with the management of the wonderful habitats and species found here.
For more information call Potteric Carr on 01302 570077.
my most interesting work on flickr - 2007-2019
Vorab-Version
Latest Edition
Canons PowerShot SX70 HS, der Nachfolger der in die Jahre gekommenen SX60 HS ist mittlerweile (seit 4. Dezember 2018) bei Amazon bestellbar.
Mit der Auslieferung des Superzooms ist unseren Informationen zufolge voraussichtlich ab der dritten Novemberwoche zu rechnen, konkret ab dem 22.11.2018.
Real ab 4. Dezember 2018.
Ultra Weitwinkel und Ultra Superzoom:
Power Zoomer with IBIS
IBIS - In Body Image Stabilisation - a Image Stabilizer (IS) with a 5-axis stabilizer for stills and Video
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
The SX70 HS also gets a handy eye sensor to automatically activate the EVF when you raise the camera to your eye, while there's now a useful zoom Switch on the barrel of the lens.
Canon PowerShot SX70 HS is an ideal all-in-one camera.
: • New Features:
: • Zoomwippe Zoom button -
Bedienelement am Griff von Zoomobjektiven zur Wahl des Bildausschnitts. Die Zoomwippe steuert das Objektiv über einen Elektromotor, den so genannten Servomotor, und lässt eine Beeinflussung von Richtung und Geschwindigkeit der Zoomfahrt zu.
zoom lever - zoom rocker - zoom switch - Zoom-Wippe
-
: • Zoom Frame Assist Lock function - d.h. Ausschnitt frei wählen nachdem der Fokus mit einem Objekt (z.b. Bergsteiger) verbunden ( Lock function ) wurde.
Framing Assist Lock button
CanonAsia
Introducing the PowerShot SX70 HS
Zoom Framing Assist - Helfer (Assistenz-system) bei der Bildkomposition, inklusive Autofokus Steuerung
Die Zoom-Assistent-Funktion unterstützt während der Aufnahme mit hohem Zoom die Beibehaltung des Bildausschnitts, was ideal für die Aufnahme von schnellen Sportarten oder Wildtieren ist.
A Zoom Framing Assist button on the side of the lens barrel enables quick adjustments of the view angle, which is especially useful during telephoto shooting.
The Zoom Frame Assist Lock function
helps maintain framing when taking super-telephoto images, suitable for capturing fast-moving sports or wildlife.
Featuring cutting-edge technology to produce high-resolution images and 4K Ultra HD Video.
: • smaller and lighter Body and lens System:
Abmessungen und Gewicht :
127 x 90,9 x 116,6 mm; - 608 g
capable of handling all types of shooting scenario, without the need to carry multiple lenses.
- equivalent to a 21-1365mm focal length - Ultra-Wide-Lens
21-1365mm - 2730mm
a wide-angle to super-telephoto focal length range
- The PowerShot SX70 HS’s 65x zoom extends to an impressive 2730mm equivalent focal length with Canon’s ZoomPlus functionality (2.0x converter built in), ideal for capturing distant scenes from afar.
-
„Organic Light Emitting Diode“ = OLED
a high-res OLED electronic viewfinder
with high-resolution 2.36-million dot electronic viewfinder
(EVF).
With the addition of a new eye sensor, the camera automatically switches to the EVF display simply by bringing the camera up to the eye.
Organische LEDs (OLED) bieten Ihnen helleres Leuchten, ein wirklich schwarzes Schwarz und geringere Response-Zeiten als herkömmliche LEDs.
Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Canon Powershot SX70 HS super-zoom camera.
www.photographyblog.com/reviews/canon_powershot_sx70_hs_r...
: • THE SX70 is the first Canon point-and-shoot camera compatible with the latest RAW format (.CR3).
: • The DIGIC 8 processor enables the PowerShot SX70 HS camera to achieve five stops of IS with dual-sensing image stabilization (IS).
: • The DIGIC 8 processor also powers the cameras 4K Ultra HD Video capabilities, including 4K time-lapse and 4K frame grabs,
so stunning landscapes or special memories can be captured and preserved in the highest of resolutions.
: • 4K frame grabs = • 4K-Videoaufnahmen mit Einzelbild-Extraktion (8MB)
PS - a high speed 120 fps mode is available at Full HD Resolution
: • The autofocus is highly responsive and adaptive, even in low-light.
: • - The camera’s enhanced 20.3MP 1/2.3-type CMOS sensor delivers a 25 per cent increase in resolution,
compared to the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS predecessor, the SX60 HS at 16.1MP, bringing a new level of detail and vividness to images.
: • Together, the sensor and processor
also produce clean image quality and enhanced sensitivity with minimal noise for working in difficult lighting conditions.
: • This sensor upgrade also means that large photo prints look beautiful when taken on the camera, doing justice to precious family memories as they take pride-of-place on the wall.
Ranking
This is 'work in progress' but makes a useful (for me!) comparison with the LRGB image I posted a couple of days ago. Also it has some nice detail and effects already. Here I have used my 130mm scope with the wider formatted Atik 460EX CCD compared to the ZWO ASI174MM CMOS camera used with the 80mm scope. The image time is considerably longer than needed with the ZWO but by using specific narrowband filters I have been able to restrict the dominance of Alnitak, which in LRGB sequences will always be extremely bright. For this image I have combined H Alpha (used as luminance and red), H Beta (used as blue) and Oxygen III (used as green). For all three the colour chosen is nearest to their actual frequency transmitted.
It is 'work in progress' as I intend to leave my set-up oriented to allow me to capture further data in narrowband next time we have clear skies to combine with the data in this image to date.
Peter
The Battle of Durrough: The Black Swan
A story of rebellion against tyranny, from Lands of Roawia Castle Builders Game. Global Challenge 7, Unrestricted Entry.
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Commentary: GC7 was all the reason I needed to build the Black Swan, but what a build it turned into...one of the most challenging and largest of all my builds. The studs-not-on-top half-timber technique alone was a handful, not to mention that gabled roof. It all comes apart in levels too, including the roof.
Please read the story; I know it's long but it's action-packed and my best writing yet, I believe. Cheers!
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The Black Swan Tavern was known for its dark ale brew, catering to sea captains, high prices and outstanding hot food served using fresh ingredients. It benefited from its location next to Angus Square, which hosted an excellent market every weekend, with fresh fish from the Aines River and wares from all over the Provinces. On this day however, reputations would change forever, and what was once a peaceful cobbled square would soon be known by all as The Bloody Market.
Lord Oslet moved his men as silently as possible through the misty morning streets of Durrough, determined to catch his prey, one Baron Munro and his lackey of an archer captain, Tavish. Oslet had ensured everything was ready; he had chosen the best shots in the entire garrison, all armed with deadly crossbows. He carried one himself—except his had a little extra potency to it. His 100 hand-picked troops had soft boots and no armor or shields to cause noise, and they moved carefully in the pre-dawn shadows toward the meeting place, the tavern the traitorous Duke Cartney had referred to as The Black Swan.
Oslet had seen to everything, sending a troop of 50 more men farther east to circle back around and approach Angus Square from the opposite end of the city. He even had his best tactical commander, Captain Bladari, standing by with another 200 men in the Bastion on call in case there was trouble.
There wouldn’t be, of course. The Aines River was flowing swiftly, and no boats were in the immediate vicinity, leaving no avenue of escape for this Caelan Munro. Lord Oslet’s anticipation of ridding himself of a thorn in his side, the leaders of those deadly Scout Snipers, grew with every step, and by the time they reached the Swan he was in high spirits. His men approached cautiously, but all appeared well in the mist as they were well ahead of the reported meeting time between Munro and his disreputable spy-traitor to the Queen.
His vanguard moved silently along the wharf and up to the riverside door of the Swan, trying to open it quietly. It wouldn’t budge, and several of them set about trying to force it while the rest moved past the Swan and peaked around the corner into Angus Square. The mist obscured much, but what they saw made them pause, and then motion for their lord to see.
Oslet came forward and peaked himself. The square was heavily cluttered with barrels, wagons, and stands from the three Factions of Roawia, but no movement. It smelled heavily of fish, but there was nothing strange about that. Oslet looked at his men to see what they meant, and one of them whispered, “Too much here.”
“It’s Market Day, you dolt, what did you exp….” he trailed off, for approaching from the other end of the wharf were two cloaked figures moving cautiously in the shadows. As they drew closer it was clear the two forms had bows strapped over their backs and wore green cloaks.
“Early, are we?” Oslet mumbled, and motioned for his men to spread out in reception, as the two unwary men were headed straight for the Black Swan. Oslet smiled at the sight of his prey, and when the moment was right he called out, “It’s to be the gallows for you, Sir Caelan!”
His two targets froze, but as his mind registered this he heard a calm but firm voice call from only thirty feet to his left, “It’s arrows for you stupid.”
And then all chaos broke out. The fly of arrows filled the air, and all around him his men fell like stalks of wheat before a scythe. Windows opened above him, and he caught sight out of the corner of his eye forms leaning out and raining deadly shots upon his troops from the top floors of the Swan. Oslet felt a pain in his thigh, and instinctively rounded behind one of his men, who immediately caught in the chest an arrow meant for him. He made his way back behind his guards one at a time, and only called for a retreat after he had passed them to ensure he had human shields to absorb the shots meant for him. By the time he rallied what men he had left, well out of arrow range, he had less than half of what he came with to that bloody tavern. Without their armor, they were easy pickings.
“Did you get him?” Sir Caelan looked up at Captain Tavish, perched atop the Angus Fountain to improve his shot advantage.
“Nah, I missed the blighter I think…perhaps grazed him.” Tavish shrugged, “Hard to tell in this mist.”
“Mist?” Munro pretended to object, “You’re slipping.”
Tavish frowned. “He kept duckin’ behind his men, the coward!”
“It’s not manly to complain, you know.” This received Tavish’s most undignified look yet.
Caelan moved forward to see better and to wave congratulations at his 25 men in the Swan. Behind him were 75 more, all having hidden amongst the “clutter” and buildings surrounding Angus Square. The remaining 25 Scout Snipers under his command were farther to the east, serving as rear guard to oppose the encircling Queen’s troops no doubt trying to cut their path of retreat off. They would soon be getting the same brutal treatment Caelan had just given Oslet. Before him lay numerous bodies and wounded crawling away to anywhere they could. Some of his men were sniping those still able to aim their crossbows. They just couldn’t resist one of their primary roles they had been trained for: counter-archer fire.
One hundred yards west, Oslet cursed furiously, mostly for his lost dignity and little for the loss of his men. He had suffered only a flesh wound in his thigh, but had suffered greatly in the eyes of his command. When he learned however that Caelan was neither pursuing nor retreating, he brightened and immediately sent for Bladari and his 200 men, including his best unit, the Silver Spears. They were fully armored, and that alone ensured victory, so long as Caelan stood his ground.
And he did. As Bladari came up and saluted his master, Lord Oslet stated, “I have to admit they surprised us and we lost most of our crossbowmen, but the great fool has decided to stay and fight—pride, no doubt. Now we get them all—how stupid, a major threat in the countryside but now hopelessly outnumbered and outclassed in street fighting. Either way, I must ask the Silver Spears to storm that tavern and square. Kill them all.”
Captain Bladari indeed tried valiantly. His men moved in like a landslide, charging forward into a hail of arrows. The sun had come up, burning the mist off, and now the Spears were charging toward the east with the sun directly in their eyes. Their armor did help tremendously, until close range was reached. Then the Scout Snipers’ accuracy made any opening in their armor fair game.
Much worse waited for them in the square however. The Snipers had stacked the deck, for in the time in between attacks they had slammed open the many barrels they had brought, and out poured fish oil, the stuff of slippery nightmares on cobblestones. Just at the point where the Silver Spears should have made contact with the Snipers, the soldiers slipped perilously instead, and blood now mixed freely with the fish oil.
Up on the fountain, Tavish had a field day. He took particular delight in shooting whoever carried the Silver Spears’ banner, and after four fell in succession as they picked it up to lead forward, the spear-tipped signal remained on the ground for the rest of the fight.
The Snipers inside the Swan however had no such fish oil barrier to help them. Bladari’s men were able to withstand enough shots to approach and break through the windows, and the ones that lived to see the other side made it to the door to move the blockade keeping it closed. In addition, Lord Oslet was carefully taking those Snipers shooting from the windows out with shots from his poisoned quarrel bolts. The ten Snipers who held the bottom floor were overwhelmed as the Queen’s troops poured into the Swan, only happy to avoid the meat grinder in the square. Only two Scouts made it up the stairs before the others blocked it off with tables, but now their attention had to be on survival, and Bladari’s men were able to storm the wharf almost unopposed.
Sir Caelan only had a handful of pikemen to hold the attackers off for the Snipers to have shooting room, and they paid heavily for their bravery. Caelan’s squire, Sholto, was standing off to the side, taking an occasional shot with his short bow when he could, but to him it looked like they would soon be overwhelmed. Then he watched his knight charge forward into the fray in Lenfald armor, fighting two-handed as was his method, and swiftly four more of the attackers fell.
One who caught sight of this action was Captain Bladari, who immediately recognized that he could end this madness if he could down Caelan. He moved carefully forward as to not slip on the oil while relying on his full plate armor to deflect every arrow. The two exchanged quick glances and then went right to work without any words. Bladari’s broadsword made brutal impact with Caelan’s armor, but with such a heavy weapon he couldn’t keep up with his opponent’s longsword with long dagger follow-up. Caelan eventually gave him a deep slash to his right thigh, then his left knee, and Bladari went down fighting. He continued swinging until Caelan slashed his sword hand and that was it. Expecting a death blow, he stared up at the young Baron defiant, but was surprised when Munro charged forward instead, leaving him wounded but alive. What he missed was the arrival of Duke Cartney at the head of his own Durrough men-at-arms, who swept all before them.
Lord Oslet was quite pleased with himself now that he was clearly winning the fight, when a runner arrived and announced that the North Gate of the city had fallen to Sir Haymar Glen, and an armed horde of Lenfel troops was storming down High Street. “Who the deuce is Haymar?!?” he yelled in surprise. “How can this…” and his eyes suddenly set in the distance upon Bladari’s men scrambling in full rout toward him. Right behind them were Lenfels in full charge, and leading them was Duke Cartney himself. All came clear to him; the entire engagement was a trap set by Duke Cartney himself with his lies of an easy ambush on Caelan, and he now knew full well that the entire city was in rebellion against the Queen.
“To the Bastion!” he screamed as loud as possible, holding up his crossbow for all to recognize him, and cries of retreat echoed his command. But he did not turn with the others immediately. Instead he lowered his weapon with poisoned quarrel loaded, and aimed it straight at the approaching Duke Cartney…
…To be continued in the next build, Battle of Durrough: Cobblestone Bridge
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Previous Caelan stories:
Phedora. - "Xeno" Shoehuggers Stomps Available at The Warehouse Sale 👽
These shoes cling harder than your ex-cooler, and with zero drama. In space, no one can hear you scream, but with these kicks, you'll be stomping through galaxies, hugging it out... violently! Our "Xeno" Shoehuggers Stomps come in 2 version 35 color fatpack (yes both shoes in one pack!),100% MESH,Parts Individually Changeable, Rigged for Anatomy,Belleza Jake, EBody Reborn,Kupra/Kario, Legacy F/M, Maitreya & LaraX!
❥ LM : maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rotten/92/38/25
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❥Join our group inworld for 10% discount: Phedora Updates
❥ALWAYS TRY DEMO FIRST
USEFUL LINKS
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on US50
Useful, Missouri, USA
I haven't been able to find anything out about the curious name of this town. If anyone knows anything, I'd be happy to hear about it.
UPDATE: janwalkerimages rocks. See her information on the town and its name origin below.
© All rights reserved
muslima with a niqab, taken at market in Fez, Morocco
Explore interestingness #24, February 9th 2007
All girls love to sit around chatting but I caught them in a moment where they were all in a world of their own...
For more amazing photos check out my website:
Alright everyone, I finally finished another build. I started it just before Thanksgiving and just finished it yesterday. This creation is for my series of builds based off of the chronicles of Narnia, it's from Prince Caspian.
I have two more sneak peaks ready, but I haven't decided if I'm going to post them or just go straight to the build. So whatever I decide, be ready! ;)
Also, since my last build I got another Bricklink order! I got some flex tubes, some cheese slopes, and some useful white pieces. I can't wait to use them all!
To God be the glory,
Carter
A build for the Lands of Roawia LEGO Castle game. It's based on a real medieval kitchen at Hever Castle (see the model here).
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Something wasn’t right, besides what Lord Sorely Meyrick, the Duke of Ainesford, was blabbing on about; no that cook…he was taking far too long to clean up the ale he himself had spilled. And Captain Tavish was certain he was pausing to listen to what was being said on the Speaker's Floor, strictly against the rules for “the help”. The grizzled archer nudged Baron Munro sitting next to him, but Sir Caelan barely noticed as he listened to Meyrick's speech and replied, “Can you believe what Sorely Lost here is advocating? Full compliance with Chartres! No wonder he lost the Battle of Ainesford so badly…”
Tavish shook his head in mild frustration and got up to check on that cook, but he had barely made it halfway there when the cook suddenly collected his rags and left. Now that was entirely too coincidental…
The Captain headed down the hallway to find him but was immediately accosted by the two ever-present and intellectually-challenged guards waiting there. Security at the Great Congress of Lenfald was incredibly tight; no one except the castle guards themselves were allowed any weapons whatsoever, and all the delegates and staff were sequestered inside the castle for the duration of this critical assembly. Upon seeing the archer they held out their halberds to stop him, but Tavish was way ahead of them. “Ah, there you are my good lads, I am here to report an illegal weapon, one of the delegates has a knife, I clearly saw it. Here, let me point him out.”
Excited that they finally had something real to do, the two looked like dogs waiting to go fetch a thrown stick. The Captain deliberately motioned at the middle of the delegates on the far side of the largest hall in all of Lenfald, and pointed indiscriminately, “there, that one wearing dark green.” The two were halfway across when they realized nearly every delegate there was wearing the official color of Lenfald.
The archer entered the Great Kitchen impatiently as he searched for the man, to no avail; he wasn’t there. It was incredibly busy in the hot room, but there was one cook removing the entrails from a goose who he grabbed by the arm after the man objected to his presence. “Did a cook just rush through here?”
“Oh no, I haven’t seen a cook all day!" he spit out sarcastically. "Look about you mate, you’re in a kit…” he didn’t get any farther as he was suddenly and violently shaken.
“Tall, thin, muscular, with a goatee and a deep tan like he has been in the…” a sinking feeling hit Captain Tavish as he finished his own sentence, “…desert.”
“Oh, the new bloke,” the cook muttered resentfully. “Yeah, he’s in the side kitchen over there.”
“New bloke? But the staff has been sequestered!”
“Aye but we ran short a’ help and contracted from outside…”
Now Tavish’s stomach was turning, and not from the sight of the goose’s entrails. He shot down the side hall and found the door to the secondary kitchen locked from the inside. He was not a slight man however and he burst through it after four body slams, only to face an arrow shot at him. Quickly turning to present a smaller target the shot barely missed, and he then plunged into the small kitchen. It had two ovens, one to his left and another to his right with a window facing the outer ward of the castle. A massive pot of some concoction was bubbling away in that fireplace, and two cooks were to his left, down and bleeding in front of the other oven. To his right across a table full of foodstuffs and dishes stood the dubious cook, now smoothly knocking another arrow. As Tavish reached for a large pot to try and deflect the shot, the cook instead leveled the shot at the window and fired the arrow out of it.
Instantly Tavish knew he had just lost, for two things came to his eye; the arrow had a note tied to it — the spy had just successfully gotten the word out as to whatever he had heard. And the other thing was personally alarming; the cook had an Areani tattoo on the inside of his arm—this was going to be one bloody fight, perhaps the Captain's last.
So he didn’t wait, and threw the pot at him as hard as he could, catching the spy in the ribs. That should have doubled him over, but the darker man barely noticed it. He produced a curved Loreesi dagger from inside his shirt and a second knife and attacked with both, while Tavish grabbed a kitchen knife and jar of seeds, and the two went at each other with full force. The jar wound up shattered as it absorbed a crushing blow from the dagger, and Tavish gave him a brutal slash across the shoulder, which again the Areani barely seemed to notice. In the flurry, the archer had sustained four bloody cuts from the spy and knew he wouldn’t last long against this seemingly inhuman opponent.
Then the Areani reacted to something over Tavish’s shoulder and a jar came flying out of nowhere and hit the spy in the head, shooting flour everywhere, clouding up the air. Sir Caelan then dashed by the Captain and attacked the cook with a meat cleaver, a sight that would have been hilarious if it weren't for the circumstances of their opponent being a deadly Loreesi agent.
Even dazed the Areani fought like a lion until Tavish grabbed a small iron pot and slammed it into the side of his head. Still the spy stood, but wavered. The temporary lull in the action allowed the sound of the bubbling pot to come through, and both Sir Caelan and Tavish simultaneously had the same idea, grabbing the spy by the arms and shoving him toward the fire. They forcefully pushed the Areani's head down into what turned out to be a lovely pea soup, now at full boil. The spy struggled mightily as he burned, but both his opponents held on until he went limp.
“We need to question him, I think,” Caelan barely managed and finally Tavish relented, letting the man fall to the floor with horrendous second-degree burns now all over his head and face, also covered in a slimy green.
The two friends stood huffing from their exertion until Baron Munro finally blurted, “You left just when the Duke was getting interesting…”
"I doubt that very much." Tavish stumbled to the window and cursed. “The blighter must have shot right over the outer wall. Jig’s up now; whatever was on that note is surely gone.”
Just then the same two guards who had stopped the Captain earlier now slammed into the kitchen. They took in the Areani, the mess, and the two hurt cooks to their right and looked furiously at them. Sir Caelan only waved at the spy on the floor and by way of explanation stated indignantly, “He ruined the soup.”
Two days later, a man dressed in fine red clothing stood on a tower of the King’s Castle, and held out his arm expectantly. A bird came down swiftly and alighted on his arm, and he gently caressed the falcon. He then unfastened the message tied to its leg and began reading carefully. His brow furrowed slightly after reading a few lines; then a calmness came over him. He looked towards the vast horizon and paused to consider everything that had taken place in the last few weeks. Prince Jarius then tucked the message into his pocket and, carrying the bird with him, walked purposely towards the stairs of the tower.
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This was a build to advance the Global Storyline in the Lands of Roawia LEGO Castle game. Hope you like it! 100% LEGO.
Deep below the tortuous streets of the Outlaw city known as the Shade, on valley floors roofed with layer upon layer of city, in caves entombed below foundations, lies the Goblin District. These dank chambers, where no human foot ever dares to tread, and no ray of sun ever penetrates, are crowded with goblins. These outcasts of outcasts live in cramped stone cells and tunnels built or carved into the rock. The streets are a haphazard, bewildering vertical maze of slowly decaying wood platforms. The air is still and foul, and the murk is only broken by dim smoky torches. All the refuse of the city above slowly filters down into the goblin district.
Naturally, this suits the inhabitants quite well, and they consider it the pinnacle of modern urban planning.
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A build for Lands of Rowia, a LEGO castle group in which members create a character and then use builds to tell their story in a shared LEGO castle world. LoR also features motivational contests and challenges. We are currently looking for new members, so come on over, pick a faction and join the fun!
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This build was built specifically for and displayed at Brickworld Chicago 2017. It is all new, but the concept is a redux of an earlier "Goblin District" build, which I decided to do because I particularly liked how that build turned out as an in-person display piece, and I wanted to enlarge on the idea and add a few things I couldn't fit in the original. This build is viewable on all sides, and includes a working winch and built-in lighting.
Special thanks to Grant Davis, for suggesting the addition of angle braces at the corners under each level.
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Questions and critique welcome.
I absolutely love trees. They are truly living monuments, they catalyse my feelings of nature’s strength, they help me feel humble in their majesty, they remind me of childhood and they encapsulate all the very best feelings I have towards nature. But, they are so ‘very’ hard to photograph! Not the solitary one in a field, that’s moderately straightforward, or the one growing out of something that it shouldn’t, that generates interest, but the ones sounded by others. Well that’s a real pain to make work photographically. So to be fair I should change my opening statement to, ‘I absolutely love trees, but when their hanging out together, I find them hard to photograph!’
Now forests are wonderful places that generate such strong emotions for me. It’s a mixture of child hood fun, nature’s majesty, even an evolutionary resource and security. But can I tap into those feelings and transpose them into a photograph, can I buggery! The problem is composition.
Good composition tends to balance the viewing process, placing subjects, often strong graphical shapes in equal proximity around the frame, to offer an overall balance that is pleasing to the mind’s eye. This then is useful at guide the viewers eye around the image and if done well securing their attention, keeping it there as long as possible. (On a momentary side note truly ‘great composition’, for me, tends to have overall balance and good control over the viewers eye movements, but deliberately leaves elements of tension, to challenge the viewer. But I shall probably explore this in a further post.)
Anyway to my point, trees (or should I say the ones in forests) don’t fall into this formula, as they are unordered. It’s incredibly hard and often frustrating to find order in such a complicated environment, and balancing the viewer’s eye is near impossible. Now conceptually speaking this is wonderful, why should we find order in kayos, why should a composition formula make nature fit to our artistic desires? But our photographic desire to seek out and capture order, to simplify nature into component elements that balance the viewers eye is contradictory to how most forests actually are. They are unorganised, tangled, complex gnarled, wonderful, joyous, protective, natural places! Photographic paradoxes.
Note: this shot is the result of a 45 second exposure in heavy wind. The wonderful thing about the silver birch trees here is that they move evenly down the trunk (unlike more solid trees) and this gives a surreal feeling to the movement as some trees are protected by others and don’t move much, and others get gusts and move allot.
Most of this set is private, due to flickr's regressive nudity rules (they are decidedly not pornographic, not that there's anything wrong with that....)
If you want to see them, ask. especially if you have useful criticism or praise ;-)
The drop of water in the old fountain does not ask how useful its existence. It is the whole.
Taken a few nights ago at Sparks Lake, Oregon. Just myself and another photographer from Portland up there fighting off mosquitoes. I find I'm not that reliant on ND filters in scenes like this with mountains jutting out into the sky simply because they don't seem very useful unless you have a straight horizon, such as at the seashore. Too much work in post-processing undoing the darkening effects of things you never intended to darken. So instead, I use multiple exposures on a scene like this one and blend in post. The end result is always to get the image as I saw it, not as the camera saw it. Worth viewing on a black background. Press "L" on your keyboard or click the image.
When I worked on 1st Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh, this building was one og my favorites. I know nothing about its history, but I always envisioned it as being something important and always hoped that someone would turn it into something useful, but it is slated for demolition and will likely be replaced by a surface parking lot and a boring glass box building.
Sample image taken with a final production Fujifilm X100 VI. All are JPEGs straight out of camera. If you find my reviews and samples useful, please treat me to a coffee at www.paypal.me/cameralabs
These samples and comparisons are part of my Fujifilm X100 VI review at:
www.cameralabs.com/fujifilm-x100-vi-review/
Feel free to download the original image for evaluation on your own computer or printer, but please don't use it on another website or publication without permission from www.cameralabs.com/
Quality prints, greeting cards and many useful products can be purchased at >> kaye-menner.pixels.com/featured/vibrant-fuchsias-on-black... OR www.lens2print.co.uk/imageview.asp?imageID=24710
Dainty pink purple fuchsias in a garden with a black and white background. I chose selective color for this image to make these colorful fuchsias pop.
Fuchsia is a vivid purplish red color, named after the color of the flower of the fuchsia plant, which took its name from the 16th century German botanist Leonhart Fuchs.
THE FINE ART AMERICA LOGO / MY WATERMARK WILL NOT APPEAR ON PURCHASED PRINTS OR PRODUCTS.
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Finally thanks for liking the picture
Some useful points for my flickr friends..................
A Negative person always thinks what others can do for him. But A Positive person always thinks what he can do for others ! Everything is PRE-Written - Nothing Can be RE-Written.
SO, Live the Best and L E A V E the rest ! Wanna Know how rich you are ? Don't count your assets .. Just drop a tear and see how many hands come to wipe it !
We often do not express our feelings For fear of losing the one we care for.. But we often loose the one who cares for us By not expressing our feelings for them !
The best things about STONES that come accross your path in Life Is that once you have crossed them, they become MILESTONES in your life !
A drop of water falls in the sea - Loses its identity. A drop of water falls on a Lotus - Shines brilliantly. A drop of water falls in a Shell - Becomes a Pearl.
Drop is the same - Its the company that counts !
In happiness - You'll remember the person who you love the most. In sadness - You'll remember the person who loves you the most !
Even a correct decision is wrong - When its taken too late. Vision without Action is DayDream Action without Vision is a Nightmare !
10 fingers that come together to Clap for our Victory are nothing in comparison to that One finger that wipes someones Tears ! Anger is meaningless - Because, Its always about something that has already passed !
Success is like your own shadow -Try catching it, It always runs away. Just walk your true path, And it obediently follows you !
A duck looks calm and beautiful gliding peacefully on the water. But below she is 'paddling' furiously !
Spend time improving yourself-You won't find time to criticise others !
You can win in LIFE - Just stop COMPARING and EXPECTING ! Your DREAMS require soundless Sleep Your AIMS require sleepless Efforts
My entry to the LC19 for Loreos, in the Lands of Roawia LEGO roleplaying game.
My first entry to the Merry Band category of the Colossal Castle Contest XII.
Story:
The vastness of the Loreesi plains took Erathor’s breath away every time he looked upon them. They spread away for miles in every direction, broken up by the odd tree, village or stone castle. The road Erathor and his few companions travelled on was quiet, and for a while they rode in silence, each man deep in his own thoughts.
“My lord,” came the voice of Archer, ever respectful and proper in his speech. He was not on horseback – having never trusted the beasts he ended up walking almost everywhere, and yet he never complained.
“The next village we come to, you’re getting a horse. You can’t travel to Dalmunatha on foot!” Erathor laughed, mopping his brow. Archer shook his head and pushed his dark hair from his face
“I’m afraid I must refuse the offer, my lord,” he responded with a grin. “What I wanted to ask you was concerning the Council of Loreos, as I don’t know which position you are vying for. I would hope it was the Hand of the Prince, but – “
“It is the position of the Hand,” Erathor interrupted. “You have served under me for a long time now, and so you know me well enough to understand the views I have about Loreos. We need a man with strong views in command.” Archer nodded and kept silent, his dark eyes constantly scanning the landscape. “There are other reasons, though,” continued Erathor, “reasons that include my military prowess and the way I control Sarenhold’s lands. Obviously my father set in motion many of the events that have led to this stability in Sarenhold, and my loyal knights…” he gestured at the men with him, “…have assisted me greatly in the various battles we've fought, but I believe my actions still warrant a place beside the Prince. With that position, we could do great things.” Erathor looked at Archer, whose gaze was fixed straight ahead, and arrow nocked on his bowstring. The lord placed his helmet on his head quickly, drawing Shard from its sheath.
Three armed men stood in the centre of the road, between two ruined walls,with weapons bared towards the oncoming Loreesi, but underneath their hoods and cowls there was not the look of a typical highway Outlaw, one of brutality and determinedness, but instead pensive, nervous fear.
“You shall not pass!” one man called, shifting the spear in his hands. Erathor shook his head.
“Fools, dealing with soldiers of Loreos like this! Feel free to take our gold, does it look like we’ll put up a fight?” he called mockingly. The men gulped and shuffle on their feet. “Take their weapons and tie them to these trees.” Sir Bryke and a couple more knights moved towards the would-be thieves, rope in hand. Erathor turned to Archer. “It’s not hard to see that they are in need of provisions, but this is not the way they should be gaining them.”
“After all, I never held up peaceful travellers on the roads, my lord.”
“Indeed you did not, Archer…indeed you did not.”
Another not-so-great build, but it was a necessary one. Yes, this is another Outlaw MOC, but it had to be done to fit in with the CCC - I believe that's six entries to six different categories from me now! I have a couple more builds planned that should be much more interesting, so hopefully I'll get one up this weekend. Also, I had to slip the classic LotR reference in there. ;)
Thanks for viewing and have a great day!