The draw bridge across the Bayou Lafourche (a.k.a the Chetimachas River) at 308 & Main - Larose Louisiana

As I drove down East Main Street (308) following the canal (Bayou Lafourche) I was quite impressed with all the shrimp boats docked along the canal. 'Definitely a lot of hard working folk that man those boats to supply us with shrimp and other tasty fishes from the Gulf.

I also liked the BIG chains hanging from the bridge, and I believe they're attached to the huge concrete weights that are used to raise the bridge. Thought they did kinda remind me of the large gold chains Mr. T used to wear.

It's quite a scene to see a giant, crumbling brewery complex in essentially the middle of a residential neighborhood. In this shot you can see the black scars from a fire in 2009 that did a bit of damage to the complex.

In October 2023 demolition began on the southern part of the complex due to structural issues. Part of the demolition plan was to save the two towers, place them in the building's courtyard for refurbishing, and re-attach them to the remaining structure. By November 2024 demolition was essentially completed, with the north portion saved for potential development for affordable housing.

After a brief spell in intensive care to re-attach a broken tail, dove now sits on a log, on a lilac cake. If I was clever I would somehow edit out the lumps and bumps. Actually, if I was clever, there would be no lumps and bumps! :-) I don't know how you ladies do it! :-D

Prototype HST 41001, at Bo'ness Station, here having split from the train, for an unknown reason, before re attaching to the train.

Some Background:

Fang of the Sun Dougram (太陽の牙ダグラム Taiyō no Kiba Daguramu) is a 75-episode anime television series, created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Sunrise, and aired in Japan from October 23, 1981 to March 25, 1983 on TV Tokyo.

The series begins in a desert on the colony planet Deloyer, where the remains of a destroyed robot are resting as a red-haired woman is standing in front of it. The woman hallucinates what appears to be a group of armed soldiers alongside the robot in a non-destroyed state. A man named Rocky appears, leading to the woman running into his embrace where she cries tears of joy. After this, the series flashes back to an earlier time, in order to explain the circumstances leading up to the first episode.

Malcontents on the Deloyer colony agitate for the independence of their world from the Earth Federation. In an unexpected coup, the elected Governor declares martial law and sets himself up as absolute dictator. With the approval of the Federation, he rules the planet with an iron fist. In reaction, a ragtag group (including the governor's estranged son) rises in open rebellion, using a powerful prototype Combat Armor: the Dougram. Their goal is the end of the dictatorship and total independence from the Federation's influence.

The story follows the actions of the guerilla freedom fighters known as "The Deloyer 7." The war is fought across the planet Deloyer as the Federation vigorously pursues the rebels. The series is noted for its realistic use of not just the combat armors and support vehicles, but also military tactics. The series also followed a wide range of characters and political intrigue, with many shady characters switching sides throughout the series.

Crinn Cashim is the show's main character. Son of Governor Donan Cashim, he becomes trained in piloting the Soltic H8 “Roundfacer” standard army robot by Jacky Zaltsev, a Federation Ace, because of his father's political connections. When his father appears to be overthrown by a coup led by Colonel Von Stein, he pilots a Roundfacer while Federation forces battle Garcia's forces. He is stunned to learn that his father has actually sided with Von Stein in a secret plan, and eventually becomes angry at his father's forces in how they deal with the rebellion following the coup. Following a meeting with Dr. David Samalin, who introduces him to a combat armor he has designed, the Dougram, Cashim and his friends form The Fang of the Sun and join the rebellion against the Federation.

general characteristics

Unit type: CB (combat) armor

Manufacturer: Soltic Company

Crew: 1 pilot

Overall height: 10.02 meters

Base weight: 30.5 metric tons

Generator type: Rolls-Royce N8E x 1

Generator output: 54 points per second

Maximum running speed: 45 km/h

Continuous operational time: 324 minutes

Armament:

1x hand gun (various types, incl. a grenade launcher or a linear gun)

4x 25mm chain guns in the lower arms

1x shoulder-mounted 9-tube missile pod

Optional equipment: hang glider, camouflage suit, shield

Mechanical designer: Kunio Okawara

The kit (and its revival):

This is another model of an 1:72 Soltic H8 "Roundfacer" (there’s already one in my mecha collection), but it's not an original Takara kit, but rather comes from the Revell re-boxing in the mid Eighties among their Robotech line. It was there part of a kit set, called "Armored Combat Team", and came together with a wheeled vehicle set.

However, this model was originally not built and painted by me. It's rather a generous donation from a good friend who made an attempt into mecha when these kits were distributed. It was built roundabout 30 years(!!!) ago and, AFAIK, never 100% finished; for instance, the hoses around the neck were never mounted, and the handgun had never been never painted.

As the only one of its kind it never found a true place in my friend’s model kit collection, and after some years of disregard it even got damaged: the delicate hip joint got broken, the Roundfacer lost one of its legs. In this sorry status the model rested in a dark corner, collected dust...

...until it was given to me many years ago, unfortunately after I had already gone through my hot mecha phase in the Nineties, in which I resurrected many of my own builds for a second life. So the Roundfacer lay (again) around in my spare parts deposit for some more years, until I finally decided to tackle and revamp it in early 2018. Inspiration strikes in unexpected occasions.

At first I thought that I could just repair the leg and add some parts in order to finish the model, but this plan was soon foiled. However, the biggest issue remained the broken attachment point for the left leg - and it turned out to be more severe than first expected. Initially I tried to mend the problem with a metal pin reinforcement, so that the original pintle could be re-attached again. But then the right leg came off, too, and the whole joint turned out to have become so brittle (it literally fell apart) that it had to be replaced completely!

So I scratched a completely new hip joint and a sturdy attachment construction from styrene profiles and plastic-coated steel wire, which would allow a similar range of movement as the original construction, even though not as flexible - but the Roundfacer would be displayed anyway.

The rest of the kit was otherwise in good shape, and the joints free from paint for high movability. I made some changes and improvements, though. This included the cleaning of the seams on both legs (PSR) and the addition of some surface details with IP profile material. This meant that the original paintwork would have at least party to be renewed, but fortunalety I knew the paints and respective tones my friend had used when he had built the kit.

Another challenge were the characteristic hoses that lay around the Roundfacer's neck like a scarf. I was lucky to find leftover parts from a vintage 1:144 Gundam Zaku in my stash, the fit almost perfectly. Otherwise, they had had to be scratched.

The original missile launcher was re-fitted, even though it had to be fixed since the original attachment construction had also fallen victim to the styrene's brittleness over the ages. The handgun - while complete and available - was replaced by the weapon from a H-102 Bushman, which looks a bit more beefy, like a grenade launcher instead of the OOB assult rifle.

Painting and markings:

I was not certain whether I would re-paint the Roundfacer, which would have meant stripping it off of of its original enamels - but I eventually rejected this for two reasons: First of all I thought and still think that the brittle material of the finished kit made any surgery or chemical intervention hazardous. Esp. the joints were delicate, the loss of the hip joint was already trouble enough. And then I liked the fictional scheme the Roundfacer had been given, a kind of winter camouflage in black and light grey, separated by thin white lines. I simply wanted to keep the original concept, since it looks pretty unusual - and also in order to honor my friend's original approach.

So, instead of a new or additional layer of paint I limited my work to the areas with PSR and added details, and the original (and highly translucent!) decals had to go, too.

The original colors are Humbrol 64 (Light Sea Grey), 33 (Flatblack) and 34 (Flat White). For the repairs the same tones were used, just the pure black (which had suffered in the meantime) was replaced by Revell 6 (Tar Black). The result is pretty good, you hardly recognize the touch-ups.

In order to take the model a step further I also did some thorough weathering, at first with a dark grey acrylic wash, which was also texturized with vertical brush streaks along the flanks, and some later dry-brushing on the edges, emphasizing the robot's shape and details.

The new markings were puzzled together from various sheets, including some Dougram models.

For an even more unique look, and in order to hide some flaws, I decided to add a thin coat of snow – also in line with the small base I created for display (an somewhat in order to justify/explain the paint scheme).

The display base:

This is certainly not a diorama, but I wanted a small, scenic setting that would show surroundings in order to justify the Roundfacer’s strange black/grey scheme.

The foundation is a small MDF wood board, 8” x 6” in size, leftover from a street base gone bad many moons ago. On top of the wooden base, the landscape was sculpted with Styrofoam, using the Roundfacer as benchmark for the overall layout. The idea was to show an unpaved path or street, flanked by rock formations. Due to the base’s small size the rocks had to be limited in size. Since the robot would dominate the scene, anyway, I placed it further in the background.

In the foreground, some space was saved for a small vehicle, which would add some variety and create some kind of scene. Since I did not want to invest too much effort into building or even converting or scratching a scout car or something similar.

After some search I settled upon a modern Bundeswehr “Dingo” from Panzerstahl, a completed plastic model. I found it to be a very good match for the base and the Roundfacer – and for the scene I took it OOB and just re-painted it in black with light grey mottles and dusted it with snow (see below), too.

With the positions of the vehicles determined it was time to add details to the landscape. Most inspiration came from Antarctica and Iceland – you have volcanic rock formations, namely black basalt, with hexagonal structures, and ice and snow on top. Anything that the Roundfacer’s livery reflects.

The hexagonal rocks would be the most prominent structure on the base, and these were created with bits from …pencils. They were tailored to size with the help of a paper cutting machine, then glued into bundles and finally stuck into the Styrofoam ground and arranged into bigger structures.

Once dry the rest of the surface was covered and sculpted with plaster. A coat of thinned plaster was also spread over the pencils, blurring their shapes. On the street, track marks were created with a truck model kit wheel and the Roundfacer.

Once the plaster had dried, the diorama received a coat of thinned white glue, mixed with black paint, into which different grains of sand were strewn. Around the rock formations, broken shell gravel (from a home decoration shop) was used to mimic bigger chunks of rock. Again, things had to dry thoroughly.

Next came an overall basic coat of black – applied with a rattle can, so that the paint would evenly reach all recesses. After more drying time the landscape received washes with dark grey and dull olive green. Into the wet paint some grass fiber and wood pieces were glued, in areas behind the rock formations which would offer some protection against the weather.

Another drying period followed, for the second-to-last treatment: a thin coat of snow (which was also added to the Roundfacer and the car). I prefer white tile grout for this task, because it is easy to handle, sticks well to wet surfaces and remains white and stable in the course of time. For application, I put some of the dry material in a glass and cover it with a nylon stocking, and shake it over the wetted (water with drop of detergent) surface. This makeshift device is easy to handle and has the charm that you can gradually adjust the grit and amount of tile grout that rains down.

The street area received some additional treatment with thinned black and grey paint, simulating a mix of snow and dirt.

In a final step, the base and the vehicles received a coat of acrylic matt varnish from the rattle can for protection and snow fixation.

Pacific National's 7WM2 made an unscheduled stop at Albury due to a defective wagon in its consist.

LDP003, LDP001 and NR43 are seen here attached to the rear of the train after running around their consist.

After the defective wagon had been removed the wagons were re-attached and the locos returned to the front of the train.

7WM2 then continued on to Melbourne following NSW TrainLink's ST23.

Over this weekend the XPT service was only running between Albury and Melbourne due to track work north of Albury.

Saturday 23rd November 2019.

Cougar 9-5, of the Washington Army National Guard, joins in formation with Wolf 0-8, of the Colorado Army National Guard, after moving several Hotshot teams to new locations around the fires raging in the area around Lake Chelan, WA. After the aircraft land and fuel, they will re-attach their Bambi Buckets and continue fire-fighting efforts from the air, in concert with ground teams and several other aircraft.

Things continue to go poorly. In my efforts to repair the front left wedge, the front right fell off completely resulting in another backwards step. To fix this I had to flip the ship back over, which innitially went well but damaged the one part of the ship that was still solid and the most difficult to install.

The two rear wings that caused me so much frustration to install both came loose at the top. I had to completly remove the left wedge and re attach it, which also ment removing an engine. Miraculously I got it back on after several hours, everything was attached but only just. I attempted to straighten one of the hinges and then it fell through and then everything broke all over again, completly undoing 3 and half hours of work! To make matters worse the right side then decided to let go in the same spot as well!

I am really at a complete loss as to how to fix this. Other problems were easy to identify but this... its hard to see what went wrong much less how to fix it. I tried to add an extra lift arm underneith the hinges but that buts up against the 1x2 technic bricks holding the skin to the frame, which is still holding some how, which also makes it harder to reattach the broken section.

So now all 6 major body pannles, 4 wedges and the two panles above the hanger are now off the ship. Only the 4 corners around the hanger remain intact. So six months of work has been all for nothing! At this point I really, really hate working on this project, as every thing I attempt to fix breaks something else and I no longer have any cofidence in my designs ability to endure moving it.

Having re-attached to the RPPR 'Class 74 Farewell' at the Ocean Liner Terminal 74003 left Southampton Eastern Docks & headed towards Northam Jct stopping en-route for a photographic opportunity at MP 78III just south of Chapel Road Level Crossing. The view above is roughly SW & the tower block in the background is still there today on College Street.

All done, except that the nosewheel (which had no securing pin whatsoever) has come loose and needs to be re-attached. Hopefully in order for these pics though.

I might take some other views tomorrow but ran out of light.

It's fairly rare to see one of these around these days, so when I spotted this Dolomite Sprint I had to shoot it, especially bearing in mind the fab colour!

Some years ago I very nearly bought one of these. The garage where I had my cars serviced had an immaculate one for sale. They had reconditioned it from tip to toe and I took it for a test drive. It was an absolute blast! These days a 2 litre 16 valve engine is normal but in a car dating from 1973 it was something pretty special. I remember fondly the thrill of flooring the accelerator and feeling a rush of raw power, without all the smoothing out you get with modern technology.

But, alas, the guys who owned the garage knew I wasn't someone who would want to spend each weekend underneath the car re-attaching bits that had fallen off. Apparently when Triumph fitted this monster engine into a car designed for far less powerful engines they created a car that was lots of fun but didn't quite manage to modify it properly, and as a result various components would break, come loose and so on.

And I'm someone who would rather just drive a car, not repair it and then drive it.

But I still always have a smile on my face when I see one of these handsome cars still motoring around.

Large

Eep, the scalp shifted on the dome so the part is more centered than I wanted. Looks like I'll have to re-attach it anyway since it will also need to be glued to her face plates for it to sit right, but that can wait until she returns home.

She's excited to start her travels and I'm jealous! My dolls are so much better traveled than I am...

40/52 Weeks of Blythe 2011

Rope access work installing a water pipe after the winter storms on an oil rig.

Wear a sweater around your waist, sew it to fit, cut it really short and re-attach the trim, turn the sleeves inside out: voila, pockets! I have been watching a lot of Project Runway recently.

Edit: This just made the Craft magazine blog! Thanks!

The Railroading Heritage of Midwest America held its annual "Walk Amongst Giants" fundraiser on June 29, 2024. The fundraiser allows visitors to go inside the former Rock Island steam shops in Silvis, IL to view the progress of restoration efforts on UP 3985 and UP 5511 (for a fee).

Incidentally, CP 2816, the "Empress" steam locomotive, was on her way back to Canada after leading CPKC's business train to Mexico as part of CPKC's "Final Spike Steam Tour" to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the CP-KCS merger and was laying over in the Quad Cities for a couple days. Originally the locomotive was going to lead an excursion out of Silvis on Iowa Interstate trackage, but that was subsequently cancelled, so the CPKC crew offered to put the locomotive on display in Silvis during the RRHMA event.

After the event, 2816's crew had to gingerly reverse out of Silvis back to Nahant Yard in Davenport, IA to re-attach to its trainset. Part of that reverse move consisted of backing across the famous rail/road Government Bridge connecting Moline, IL and Davenport, IA. Here, the crew looks ahead as the Empress makes her entrance onto the bridge.

It was about a month ago when this same engine was passing underneath the bridge on the Davenport side of the river when

leading the Tour train down to Mexico; nice full circle moment here.

D200/40122 runs round its train at Kings Lynn on Saturday 9 May 1987 after arrival from Liverpool Street on 1G50, the "Anglian Diesel Farewell" railtour. After running round its train here D200 would haul the tour to Harwich Town station, where 37138 would take over for a trip to Lowestoft, and then to Norwich. D200 would be re-attached at Norwich for a non-stop run back to Liverpool Street.

Hello Flickr Friends.

We met with RA's Doctor/Surgeon yesterday evening.

Her CT-scan was not good so she will stay in the hospital until she has surgery. The earliest that could be is next Tuesday but could be much longer. The infection has to be under control before the surgery.

The surgery can go two routes but they wont know which until they get in there. The best option is they will just be able to cut the inflamed section out and reattach. And then just heal as a normal surgery. The second is they will cut the section out, attach the upper section to a colostomy. In 3 to 6 months they go back in and re-attach the two sections. Then normal healing after surgery.

Stopped in the hospital about 5:30 this morning to drop some things off she wanted/needed. She was wide awake. Was in a bit of pain but overall she said she didn't feel real bad and had a good night.

I then met a Flickr friend for a couple hours of shooting. Didn't get her anything out of this world but did get Rednecked Grebes with tiny baby's riding on there backs and feeding, Bonaparts gull, OC Warbler, Savannah and Lincolns Sparrows, magpie, Sandhill crane. The light was just crap so I hope she got some keepers. My friends long glass was 420 mm so I set her up with the 500 and 1.4x so 700 mm. Hope that didn't cost her a lot of money. ;))

I have not been sleeping well so I came home and ate a bite and napped for a couple hours.

Time to go see how RA is doing.

Will catch your photo streams as I can.

D

I am planning a Portal-themed collaborative display for next year's BrickCon. The idea is for contributors to design interchangeable Aperture Laboratories test chamber modules based on a common standard, which we can arrange into a series of test chambers that can be populated with whatever props contributors wish to build.

By props I mean Aperture Science Heavy-Duty Super-colliding Super-buttons, Aperture Science Materials Emancipation Grills, Aperture Science Sentry Turrets, Aperture Science High-Energy Pellet emitters and receptacles, Aperture Science Unstationary Scaffolds, or anything else you might find in the Enrichment Center! The baseplate modules will need to adhere to a common standard so that they align correctly and look right together, but how you build the props is entirely up to you.

Modules can be pristine and well-kept, or deteriorating and invaded by nature as they are in Portal 2. You can even contribute "behind the scenes" areas, as long as they're attached to a test chamber wall--in fact, that level of detail would be wonderful!

The standard is still a work in progress. In the coming weeks and months as I flesh it out, I'll be posting reference images and more details on the module standard. I will also post more information specific to how and where this theme fits into BrickCon once I have that available.

Information and discussion will be hosted in the Aperture Laboratories at BrickCon 2012 Flickr group. I encourage anyone who is interested or curious to join and post your thoughts, questions and suggestions there.

Heres what I do:

1. Use an x-acto knife and turn the polaroid face down and cut around the edges of the negative (the black part on the back)

2. Pull the two pieces apart and save the negative for later to be taped back on.

3. Use watercolors on top of the chemicals on the positive side (the back of the photo where it looks pastel) and apply a heavy layer; they almost instantly blead through and "stain" the image.

4. When you reach your accomplished look just clean off the excess paint and then re-attach the back and tape all 4 sides.

That's it! youre done :)

Sidenotes:

When you pull the two pieces apart sometimes you get areas where there is more emulsion than in other parts so these areas will need to have thicker watercolor applied and may need more time to sink in.

I hope all of this makes sense; its kind of like painting backwards

:)

Just play around with trying new things and have fun!

wider view of the wellington's rear turret..the four machine guns are out while they recondition the rest of the turret before re-attaching it to the aircraft..

I start the New Year re-attaching the severed hand of the Virgin Mary - lost in a quick fight with a very large Siberian Husky called 'Blue'

Happy new Year all of you.

Some Background:

Fang of the Sun Dougram (太陽の牙ダグラム Taiyō no Kiba Daguramu) is a 75-episode anime television series, created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Sunrise, and aired in Japan from October 23, 1981 to March 25, 1983 on TV Tokyo.

The series begins in a desert on the colony planet Deloyer, where the remains of a destroyed robot are resting as a red-haired woman is standing in front of it. The woman hallucinates what appears to be a group of armed soldiers alongside the robot in a non-destroyed state. A man named Rocky appears, leading to the woman running into his embrace where she cries tears of joy. After this, the series flashes back to an earlier time, in order to explain the circumstances leading up to the first episode.

Malcontents on the Deloyer colony agitate for the independence of their world from the Earth Federation. In an unexpected coup, the elected Governor declares martial law and sets himself up as absolute dictator. With the approval of the Federation, he rules the planet with an iron fist. In reaction, a ragtag group (including the governor's estranged son) rises in open rebellion, using a powerful prototype Combat Armor: the Dougram. Their goal is the end of the dictatorship and total independence from the Federation's influence.

The story follows the actions of the guerilla freedom fighters known as "The Deloyer 7." The war is fought across the planet Deloyer as the Federation vigorously pursues the rebels. The series is noted for its realistic use of not just the combat armors and support vehicles, but also military tactics. The series also followed a wide range of characters and political intrigue, with many shady characters switching sides throughout the series.

Crinn Cashim is the show's main character. Son of Governor Donan Cashim, he becomes trained in piloting the Soltic H8 “Roundfacer” standard army robot by Jacky Zaltsev, a Federation Ace, because of his father's political connections. When his father appears to be overthrown by a coup led by Colonel Von Stein, he pilots a Roundfacer while Federation forces battle Garcia's forces. He is stunned to learn that his father has actually sided with Von Stein in a secret plan, and eventually becomes angry at his father's forces in how they deal with the rebellion following the coup. Following a meeting with Dr. David Samalin, who introduces him to a combat armor he has designed, the Dougram, Cashim and his friends form The Fang of the Sun and join the rebellion against the Federation.

general characteristics

Unit type: CB (combat) armor

Manufacturer: Soltic Company

Crew: 1 pilot

Overall height: 10.02 meters

Base weight: 30.5 metric tons

Generator type: Rolls-Royce N8E x 1

Generator output: 54 points per second

Maximum running speed: 45 km/h

Continuous operational time: 324 minutes

Armament:

1x hand gun (various types, incl. a grenade launcher or a linear gun)

4x 25mm chain guns in the lower arms

1x shoulder-mounted 9-tube missile pod

Optional equipment: hang glider, camouflage suit, shield

Mechanical designer: Kunio Okawara

The kit (and its revival):

This is another model of an 1:72 Soltic H8 "Roundfacer" (there’s already one in my mecha collection), but it's not an original Takara kit, but rather comes from the Revell re-boxing in the mid Eighties among their Robotech line. It was there part of a kit set, called "Armored Combat Team", and came together with a wheeled vehicle set.

However, this model was originally not built and painted by me. It's rather a generous donation from a good friend who made an attempt into mecha when these kits were distributed. It was built roundabout 30 years(!!!) ago and, AFAIK, never 100% finished; for instance, the hoses around the neck were never mounted, and the handgun had never been never painted.

As the only one of its kind it never found a true place in my friend’s model kit collection, and after some years of disregard it even got damaged: the delicate hip joint got broken, the Roundfacer lost one of its legs. In this sorry status the model rested in a dark corner, collected dust...

...until it was given to me many years ago, unfortunately after I had already gone through my hot mecha phase in the Nineties, in which I resurrected many of my own builds for a second life. So the Roundfacer lay (again) around in my spare parts deposit for some more years, until I finally decided to tackle and revamp it in early 2018. Inspiration strikes in unexpected occasions.

At first I thought that I could just repair the leg and add some parts in order to finish the model, but this plan was soon foiled. However, the biggest issue remained the broken attachment point for the left leg - and it turned out to be more severe than first expected. Initially I tried to mend the problem with a metal pin reinforcement, so that the original pintle could be re-attached again. But then the right leg came off, too, and the whole joint turned out to have become so brittle (it literally fell apart) that it had to be replaced completely!

So I scratched a completely new hip joint and a sturdy attachment construction from styrene profiles and plastic-coated steel wire, which would allow a similar range of movement as the original construction, even though not as flexible - but the Roundfacer would be displayed anyway.

The rest of the kit was otherwise in good shape, and the joints free from paint for high movability. I made some changes and improvements, though. This included the cleaning of the seams on both legs (PSR) and the addition of some surface details with IP profile material. This meant that the original paintwork would have at least party to be renewed, but fortunalety I knew the paints and respective tones my friend had used when he had built the kit.

Another challenge were the characteristic hoses that lay around the Roundfacer's neck like a scarf. I was lucky to find leftover parts from a vintage 1:144 Gundam Zaku in my stash, the fit almost perfectly. Otherwise, they had had to be scratched.

The original missile launcher was re-fitted, even though it had to be fixed since the original attachment construction had also fallen victim to the styrene's brittleness over the ages. The handgun - while complete and available - was replaced by the weapon from a H-102 Bushman, which looks a bit more beefy, like a grenade launcher instead of the OOB assult rifle.

Painting and markings:

I was not certain whether I would re-paint the Roundfacer, which would have meant stripping it off of of its original enamels - but I eventually rejected this for two reasons: First of all I thought and still think that the brittle material of the finished kit made any surgery or chemical intervention hazardous. Esp. the joints were delicate, the loss of the hip joint was already trouble enough. And then I liked the fictional scheme the Roundfacer had been given, a kind of winter camouflage in black and light grey, separated by thin white lines. I simply wanted to keep the original concept, since it looks pretty unusual - and also in order to honor my friend's original approach.

So, instead of a new or additional layer of paint I limited my work to the areas with PSR and added details, and the original (and highly translucent!) decals had to go, too.

The original colors are Humbrol 64 (Light Sea Grey), 33 (Flatblack) and 34 (Flat White). For the repairs the same tones were used, just the pure black (which had suffered in the meantime) was replaced by Revell 6 (Tar Black). The result is pretty good, you hardly recognize the touch-ups.

In order to take the model a step further I also did some thorough weathering, at first with a dark grey acrylic wash, which was also texturized with vertical brush streaks along the flanks, and some later dry-brushing on the edges, emphasizing the robot's shape and details.

The new markings were puzzled together from various sheets, including some Dougram models.

For an even more unique look, and in order to hide some flaws, I decided to add a thin coat of snow – also in line with the small base I created for display (an somewhat in order to justify/explain the paint scheme).

The display base:

This is certainly not a diorama, but I wanted a small, scenic setting that would show surroundings in order to justify the Roundfacer’s strange black/grey scheme.

The foundation is a small MDF wood board, 8” x 6” in size, leftover from a street base gone bad many moons ago. On top of the wooden base, the landscape was sculpted with Styrofoam, using the Roundfacer as benchmark for the overall layout. The idea was to show an unpaved path or street, flanked by rock formations. Due to the base’s small size the rocks had to be limited in size. Since the robot would dominate the scene, anyway, I placed it further in the background.

In the foreground, some space was saved for a small vehicle, which would add some variety and create some kind of scene. Since I did not want to invest too much effort into building or even converting or scratching a scout car or something similar.

After some search I settled upon a modern Bundeswehr “Dingo” from Panzerstahl, a completed plastic model. I found it to be a very good match for the base and the Roundfacer – and for the scene I took it OOB and just re-painted it in black with light grey mottles and dusted it with snow (see below), too.

With the positions of the vehicles determined it was time to add details to the landscape. Most inspiration came from Antarctica and Iceland – you have volcanic rock formations, namely black basalt, with hexagonal structures, and ice and snow on top. Anything that the Roundfacer’s livery reflects.

The hexagonal rocks would be the most prominent structure on the base, and these were created with bits from …pencils. They were tailored to size with the help of a paper cutting machine, then glued into bundles and finally stuck into the Styrofoam ground and arranged into bigger structures.

Once dry the rest of the surface was covered and sculpted with plaster. A coat of thinned plaster was also spread over the pencils, blurring their shapes. On the street, track marks were created with a truck model kit wheel and the Roundfacer.

Once the plaster had dried, the diorama received a coat of thinned white glue, mixed with black paint, into which different grains of sand were strewn. Around the rock formations, broken shell gravel (from a home decoration shop) was used to mimic bigger chunks of rock. Again, things had to dry thoroughly.

Next came an overall basic coat of black – applied with a rattle can, so that the paint would evenly reach all recesses. After more drying time the landscape received washes with dark grey and dull olive green. Into the wet paint some grass fiber and wood pieces were glued, in areas behind the rock formations which would offer some protection against the weather.

Another drying period followed, for the second-to-last treatment: a thin coat of snow (which was also added to the Roundfacer and the car). I prefer white tile grout for this task, because it is easy to handle, sticks well to wet surfaces and remains white and stable in the course of time. For application, I put some of the dry material in a glass and cover it with a nylon stocking, and shake it over the wetted (water with drop of detergent) surface. This makeshift device is easy to handle and has the charm that you can gradually adjust the grit and amount of tile grout that rains down.

The street area received some additional treatment with thinned black and grey paint, simulating a mix of snow and dirt.

In a final step, the base and the vehicles received a coat of acrylic matt varnish from the rattle can for protection and snow fixation.

In preparation for Holy Week / Semana Santa 2015....

Sto. Entierro / The Entombment

aka Sto. Sepulcro / Holy Sepulcher

18th Century

FILIPINO

Solid ivory with polychromy.

Height: 27.5 cm or 11 in.

A very rare image of the dead Christ known in Philippine iconography as the Sto. Entierro or the Sto. Sepulcro. The dead Christ is shown here right after he was taken down from the Cross and is prepared to be buried in the tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea.

His eyes are closed in death but signs of rigor still extant. His knees are bent in typical fashion of Philippine images of the dead Christ. His arms are lying to the side with the palms still stiff from the crucifixion. The bruise marks shaded in blue are exquisitely rendered. The toes suffer some damage and may have been re-attached as some point. This is probably due to the veneration of the faithful over the centuries.

Provenance:

Collection of Dr. Porfirio J. and Mrs. Socorro Rodriguez Callo

Purchased from Palacio da Memoria.

Of all the Cambrian systems the line between Oswestry and Whitchurch was the least photographed especially the hinterland around Whixall Moss. The Moss or bog as it is known locally lay between Fenn's Bank and Bettisfield.

In the Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway formative years there was much opposition from landowners along the route which forced the company to divert the line across Fenn's Moss and Whixall Moss, thereby creating considerable engineering difficulties. The draining of the bog was considered, but this did not come to fruition and it remained a picturesque expanse of heather and silver birch, rich in peat. The surveyors during their soundings regraded the possibility of the bog taking the weight of passing trains, lost their 35ft rod in the swamp but this did not deter them from working out a way to avoid the railway meeting a similar fate. The moss was on average about 12ft deep and at its deepest point, 17ft and beneath this there was sand. Their solution was to build the line on a raft of brushwood 3ft thick and between 8 ft and 12 ft long, supported on a framework of larch poles extending the full width of the rails. These poles were then interwoven with hazel branches and brushwood, and, upon all this sand ballast was laid (taken from nearby sand pits) thus being capped with flagstones. before finally the sleepers and rails were laid. in addition, extensive drainage ditches had to be put in running parallel with the line This section of the track covered a distance of almost three miles.

A description of the railway from Welshampton and Bettisfield station.

Dropping down from Welshampton on a 1 in 80 incline the line continued in a easterly direction before a further drop of 1 in 268 was encountered.

After approximately 1 mile the line started to climb again on a 1 in 80 for a little way over half a mile before levelling out and arriving at Bettisfield station

At 11 miles and 49 chains from Oswestry. Bettisfield was a typical way-side country station, but as was often the case the station was not in the village it purported to serve but was situated some distance away to the north.

The station was substantial for its location comprising of a twin-storey building with covered waiting accommodation. The majority of the main building was set aside for railway accommodation while the remainder comprised a ticket office, station masters office, waiting areas and a ladies' toilet a gentleman's toilet was situated adjacent to the waiting accommodation.

The station layout incorporated a crossing loop which was 840 ft in length, however as there was only one platform the station was not suitable for the passing of passenger trains, it was nevertheless a block post, although the signal box could be switched out making Whitchurch Ellesmere a long section.

Bettisfield had sidings for coal, minerals and general merchandise which were situated on the downside of the running line and incorporated a further loop which was 470 ft in length and two short sidings, one that served a brick-built goods shed and the other that served a small cattle loading area.

Originally the station at Bettisfield would have looked a lot different to the one we see here. The original structure would have comprised of nothing more than a few wooden huts on a timber platform it wasn't until the early 1880s that Bettisfield and all the other intermediate stations between Whitchurch and Ellesmere were afforded more substantial brick-built buildings along with the associated track works and sidings.

Bettisfield station in its early infancy would have been more liking to a huge builders' yard as most of the materials used to construct the railway across the nearby Whixall Moss would have been transported in on the nearby Shropshire Union Canal.

All local passenger trains stopped at the station.

In the early to mid-1950s Bettisfield goods yard was served by an early morning local pick-up goods service, returning mid-afternoon. Around the same period, the station was staffed by a Station Master 2 Porter Signalmen and an Office clerk.

The signal box was a brick and timber structure dating from 1926, it contained a 36-lever frame supplied by McKenzie and Holland it was recorded as being open from 06.30 am to 9.30 pm the remainder of the time being switched out.

one of the station's busiest periods was during the First and Second World Wars it was during WW2 with the build-up to D-Day that most signal boxes between Oswestry and Whitchurch were open throughout, due to the huge influx of traffic and movements of armaments machines and Military personnel.

Other nocturnal movements during the postwar years were the evening and early morning mail train, setting off from Whitchurch which was attached to a Shrewsbury, Crewe train and at Whitchurch. Once unloaded and loaded again it set off at 3.15 am, on its 92-mile trip to Aberystwyth although it was scheduled to stop at intermediate stations, it also stopped on request at all other stations en route.

By all accounts, this working could be heard for miles around as it rattled over Whixall moss on a still morning.

Recollection by Reg Meredith and Andrew Dekker.

The mail train from Aberystwyth had a letter box for public use which was detached at Whitchurch and re-attached to the Shrewsbury to Crewe train. At Crewe, it was unloaded and the train was then loaded with the morning mail and all the newspapers. It then ran overnight and could be heard around 3 a.m. hurtling over Fenn’s Moss. A goods train ran each morning from Oswestry and returned in the afternoon also there was an early morning milk train, especially for the farmers.

During the summer months, on Saturdays, many “holiday trains” passed through between Manchester and Aberystwyth. In these days the station was manned by a station master, two porter signalmen and an office clerk.

Bettisfield Timetable

8.30 am Oswestry

9.00 am Whitchurch

10.15 am Manchester

12 noon Aberystwyth via Whitchurch

2.15 pm Oswestry

4.20 pm Aberystwyth via Oswestry

6.00 pm Whitchurch & Manchester

7.00 pm Oswestry

7.30 pm Whitchurch

9.15 pm Oswestry

10.00 pm The Mail train

The army aviation convention is over and it's time for the helicopters to leave.

The helicopters arrived a week ago, they land one at a time and about a half hour apart. Once they land they remove the rotor blades and tow them to the hotel. Once they are inside the convention space they re-attach the blades. Then when it is over they reverse the process and they leave.

English Staffordshire black & white transfer printed coffee pot, c.1820-1840. Belonged to Mrs. Martin Dowd (b.1806) of Madison, CT. It has repetitious views of a peacock perched on a galleried table with a house in the distance. C-scroll and stippled borders. Spout and handles have have been re-attached to the body and finial is repaired. 12 1/4" tall, length 11", base diameter 4 3/4".

Donated by Mrs. Mary S. McAfee

ACC# 62.6 a&b.

See other porcelain items in the MHS collection at flic.kr/s/aHskyoEXzH. (Photo credit - Bob Gundersen www.flickr.com/photos/bobphoto51/albums)

I made this one of a kind sweater by reconstructing this out of an over-sized wool sweater

This Lovely, pull-over style sweater features a V neckline decorated with handcrafted bows. I removed the original sleeves and made them more fitted. To give this sweater a more indie look (see photo 2/3 for reference), I re-attached the sleeves by placing zig-zag stitches on the outside of the shoulder seam. Two decorative flaps with vintage buttons located near waist. High empire waist with flare at hips. Very Pretty & Unique!

Soyokaze - Gentle Breeze

This is my new ro geiko hikizuri. It features lovely pampas grass motifs which seem to be bending in a gentle breeze. There are also chinese bellflowers and what appears to be cock's comb flowers. Thanks to SingleMomSusie, I've learned that the large pink flower is some sort of Amaranthus. robsrainbarrels.com/images/Amaranthus1 rev1.JPG

This kimono came with a white hiyoku that was detached, I did some quick needle work and re-attached it last night.

Thanks to MissMyloko, I've been able to identify this hikizuri's previous owner. It belonged to the Tama Okiya in Gion Kobu. MissMyloko directed me to photos of Mayuha, Mamesuzu and Wakana wearing this hikizuri for hassaku.

Mayuha in 2007:

www.flickr.com/photos/mboogiedown/1353251394/

In this image Mayuha is standing near the centre with Suzuha behind her. In that image you can see the pink Amaranthus flower on her skirt. Also, the crests match the ones on my hikizuri

www.flickr.com/photos/31093817@N08/3235381952/

www.flickr.com/photos/31093817@N08/3235382120/

In these two images you can see Mayuha with Suzuha and the bellflower and sweet pea details on the right side of the hikizuri's skirt. Also, you'll notice that Mayuha's kimono is a three crested kurotomesode (the ones on the shoulders are missing) just like my hikizuri.

Mamesuzu 2008:

www.flickr.com/photos/nobuflickr/2777459863/

Here you can see Mamesuzu in this hikizuri. The hikizuri is difficult to identify in this image, but the sweet pea details are there as well as a hint of that pink flower on the left side. The shoulder crests are also missing.

Wakana 2009:

www.flickr.com/photos/23314901@N06/3785023156/

And here's Wakana. There's that pink amaranthus flower, the bellflower and sweet pea details as well as the matching crests!

Now the strange thing about this hikizuri is that all of these geisha belong to the Tama Okiya which has a Pulownia crest. Seen here on Suzuha's obi: www.flickr.com/photos/maclir/23958474/ Yet, this hikizuri has a definite Sensu shaped crest. As does the hikizuri that all three geiko are wearing. The question is, why would geiko wear crests other than those of their okiya? And why would an okiya even have a hikizuri with crests that belong to someone else? Or does this hikizuri have a much longer history than we suspect?

After making some inquiries of sources in the karyukai, I've come to learn that this kimono is one of a few "sisters" (identical kimono), that were owned by the Tama Okiya. These sister kimono were worn by geiko who play a special role in the hassaku festivities. I know for certain that the okiya formerly owned one five crested version and one three crested version. Mine is the three crested version, and the five crested version was sold shortly before mine. Meanwhile, the okiya CURRENTLY owns at least one more of these identical hikizuri. The crest seems to be that of a particular teacher, and all the geiko who wear it are her students. The number of crests also indicates the prominence of that geiko's role. Five crests would make her a more central participant and three slightly less central in nature. I don't know how long these sister kimono have been in use, or how long they will continue to be so, but they have been worn in every hassku at least as far back as 2007, and we have even found a photo of these kimono sisters being worn as far back as the 1960's.

This kimono being worn:

www.flickr.com/photos/13061699@N06/4427767269/in/photostr...

www.flickr.com/photos/13061699@N06/4427767391/in/photostr...

www.flickr.com/photos/13061699@N06/4427767471/in/photostr...

English Staffordshire black & white transfer printed coffee pot, c.1820-1840. Belonged to Mrs. Martin Dowd (b.1806) of Madison, CT. It has repetitious views of a peacock perched on a galleried table with a house in the distance. C-scroll and stippled borders. Spout and handles have have been re-attached to the body and finial is repaired. 12 1/4" tall, length 11", base diameter 4 3/4".

Donated by Mrs. Mary S. McAfee

ACC# 62.6 a&b.

See other porcelain items in the MHS collection at flic.kr/s/aHskyoEXzH. (Photo credit - Bob Gundersen www.flickr.com/photos/bobphoto51/albums)

Today's fun project was doing some re-establishment of an old fence that partly surrounds a slough on the west edge of the property.

Our guess is the posts might be from settlers who built a home here in ? late 1880s (no sign of those who lived here long before the Europeans showed up). I found a few more old posts and long beams in a pile, added two more posts, straightened others. Then I re-attached some lost, partly buries barbed wire (and appreciating the tin can full of various sized fence staples that I got from my father-in-law).

My facing skills are developing and these are more for decoration than managing livestock (of which we have none). I got a few cross rails up from the old wood pile.

That's the loyal Red Dog work truck

Some Background:

Fang of the Sun Dougram (太陽の牙ダグラム Taiyō no Kiba Daguramu) is a 75-episode anime television series, created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Sunrise, and aired in Japan from October 23, 1981 to March 25, 1983 on TV Tokyo.

The series begins in a desert on the colony planet Deloyer, where the remains of a destroyed robot are resting as a red-haired woman is standing in front of it. The woman hallucinates what appears to be a group of armed soldiers alongside the robot in a non-destroyed state. A man named Rocky appears, leading to the woman running into his embrace where she cries tears of joy. After this, the series flashes back to an earlier time, in order to explain the circumstances leading up to the first episode.

Malcontents on the Deloyer colony agitate for the independence of their world from the Earth Federation. In an unexpected coup, the elected Governor declares martial law and sets himself up as absolute dictator. With the approval of the Federation, he rules the planet with an iron fist. In reaction, a ragtag group (including the governor's estranged son) rises in open rebellion, using a powerful prototype Combat Armor: the Dougram. Their goal is the end of the dictatorship and total independence from the Federation's influence.

The story follows the actions of the guerilla freedom fighters known as "The Deloyer 7." The war is fought across the planet Deloyer as the Federation vigorously pursues the rebels. The series is noted for its realistic use of not just the combat armors and support vehicles, but also military tactics. The series also followed a wide range of characters and political intrigue, with many shady characters switching sides throughout the series.

Crinn Cashim is the show's main character. Son of Governor Donan Cashim, he becomes trained in piloting the Soltic H8 “Roundfacer” standard army robot by Jacky Zaltsev, a Federation Ace, because of his father's political connections. When his father appears to be overthrown by a coup led by Colonel Von Stein, he pilots a Roundfacer while Federation forces battle Garcia's forces. He is stunned to learn that his father has actually sided with Von Stein in a secret plan, and eventually becomes angry at his father's forces in how they deal with the rebellion following the coup. Following a meeting with Dr. David Samalin, who introduces him to a combat armor he has designed, the Dougram, Cashim and his friends form The Fang of the Sun and join the rebellion against the Federation.

general characteristics

Unit type: CB (combat) armor

Manufacturer: Soltic Company

Crew: 1 pilot

Overall height: 10.02 meters

Base weight: 30.5 metric tons

Generator type: Rolls-Royce N8E x 1

Generator output: 54 points per second

Maximum running speed: 45 km/h

Continuous operational time: 324 minutes

Armament:

1x hand gun (various types, incl. a grenade launcher or a linear gun)

4x 25mm chain guns in the lower arms

1x shoulder-mounted 9-tube missile pod

Optional equipment: hang glider, camouflage suit, shield

Mechanical designer: Kunio Okawara

The kit (and its revival):

This is another model of an 1:72 Soltic H8 "Roundfacer" (there’s already one in my mecha collection), but it's not an original Takara kit, but rather comes from the Revell re-boxing in the mid Eighties among their Robotech line. It was there part of a kit set, called "Armored Combat Team", and came together with a wheeled vehicle set.

However, this model was originally not built and painted by me. It's rather a generous donation from a good friend who made an attempt into mecha when these kits were distributed. It was built roundabout 30 years(!!!) ago and, AFAIK, never 100% finished; for instance, the hoses around the neck were never mounted, and the handgun had never been never painted.

As the only one of its kind it never found a true place in my friend’s model kit collection, and after some years of disregard it even got damaged: the delicate hip joint got broken, the Roundfacer lost one of its legs. In this sorry status the model rested in a dark corner, collected dust...

...until it was given to me many years ago, unfortunately after I had already gone through my hot mecha phase in the Nineties, in which I resurrected many of my own builds for a second life. So the Roundfacer lay (again) around in my spare parts deposit for some more years, until I finally decided to tackle and revamp it in early 2018. Inspiration strikes in unexpected occasions.

At first I thought that I could just repair the leg and add some parts in order to finish the model, but this plan was soon foiled. However, the biggest issue remained the broken attachment point for the left leg - and it turned out to be more severe than first expected. Initially I tried to mend the problem with a metal pin reinforcement, so that the original pintle could be re-attached again. But then the right leg came off, too, and the whole joint turned out to have become so brittle (it literally fell apart) that it had to be replaced completely!

So I scratched a completely new hip joint and a sturdy attachment construction from styrene profiles and plastic-coated steel wire, which would allow a similar range of movement as the original construction, even though not as flexible - but the Roundfacer would be displayed anyway.

The rest of the kit was otherwise in good shape, and the joints free from paint for high movability. I made some changes and improvements, though. This included the cleaning of the seams on both legs (PSR) and the addition of some surface details with IP profile material. This meant that the original paintwork would have at least party to be renewed, but fortunalety I knew the paints and respective tones my friend had used when he had built the kit.

Another challenge were the characteristic hoses that lay around the Roundfacer's neck like a scarf. I was lucky to find leftover parts from a vintage 1:144 Gundam Zaku in my stash, the fit almost perfectly. Otherwise, they had had to be scratched.

The original missile launcher was re-fitted, even though it had to be fixed since the original attachment construction had also fallen victim to the styrene's brittleness over the ages. The handgun - while complete and available - was replaced by the weapon from a H-102 Bushman, which looks a bit more beefy, like a grenade launcher instead of the OOB assult rifle.

Painting and markings:

I was not certain whether I would re-paint the Roundfacer, which would have meant stripping it off of of its original enamels - but I eventually rejected this for two reasons: First of all I thought and still think that the brittle material of the finished kit made any surgery or chemical intervention hazardous. Esp. the joints were delicate, the loss of the hip joint was already trouble enough. And then I liked the fictional scheme the Roundfacer had been given, a kind of winter camouflage in black and light grey, separated by thin white lines. I simply wanted to keep the original concept, since it looks pretty unusual - and also in order to honor my friend's original approach.

So, instead of a new or additional layer of paint I limited my work to the areas with PSR and added details, and the original (and highly translucent!) decals had to go, too.

The original colors are Humbrol 64 (Light Sea Grey), 33 (Flatblack) and 34 (Flat White). For the repairs the same tones were used, just the pure black (which had suffered in the meantime) was replaced by Revell 6 (Tar Black). The result is pretty good, you hardly recognize the touch-ups.

In order to take the model a step further I also did some thorough weathering, at first with a dark grey acrylic wash, which was also texturized with vertical brush streaks along the flanks, and some later dry-brushing on the edges, emphasizing the robot's shape and details.

The new markings were puzzled together from various sheets, including some Dougram models.

For an even more unique look, and in order to hide some flaws, I decided to add a thin coat of snow – also in line with the small base I created for display (an somewhat in order to justify/explain the paint scheme).

The display base:

This is certainly not a diorama, but I wanted a small, scenic setting that would show surroundings in order to justify the Roundfacer’s strange black/grey scheme.

The foundation is a small MDF wood board, 8” x 6” in size, leftover from a street base gone bad many moons ago. On top of the wooden base, the landscape was sculpted with Styrofoam, using the Roundfacer as benchmark for the overall layout. The idea was to show an unpaved path or street, flanked by rock formations. Due to the base’s small size the rocks had to be limited in size. Since the robot would dominate the scene, anyway, I placed it further in the background.

In the foreground, some space was saved for a small vehicle, which would add some variety and create some kind of scene. Since I did not want to invest too much effort into building or even converting or scratching a scout car or something similar.

After some search I settled upon a modern Bundeswehr “Dingo” from Panzerstahl, a completed plastic model. I found it to be a very good match for the base and the Roundfacer – and for the scene I took it OOB and just re-painted it in black with light grey mottles and dusted it with snow (see below), too.

With the positions of the vehicles determined it was time to add details to the landscape. Most inspiration came from Antarctica and Iceland – you have volcanic rock formations, namely black basalt, with hexagonal structures, and ice and snow on top. Anything that the Roundfacer’s livery reflects.

The hexagonal rocks would be the most prominent structure on the base, and these were created with bits from …pencils. They were tailored to size with the help of a paper cutting machine, then glued into bundles and finally stuck into the Styrofoam ground and arranged into bigger structures.

Once dry the rest of the surface was covered and sculpted with plaster. A coat of thinned plaster was also spread over the pencils, blurring their shapes. On the street, track marks were created with a truck model kit wheel and the Roundfacer.

Once the plaster had dried, the diorama received a coat of thinned white glue, mixed with black paint, into which different grains of sand were strewn. Around the rock formations, broken shell gravel (from a home decoration shop) was used to mimic bigger chunks of rock. Again, things had to dry thoroughly.

Next came an overall basic coat of black – applied with a rattle can, so that the paint would evenly reach all recesses. After more drying time the landscape received washes with dark grey and dull olive green. Into the wet paint some grass fiber and wood pieces were glued, in areas behind the rock formations which would offer some protection against the weather.

Another drying period followed, for the second-to-last treatment: a thin coat of snow (which was also added to the Roundfacer and the car). I prefer white tile grout for this task, because it is easy to handle, sticks well to wet surfaces and remains white and stable in the course of time. For application, I put some of the dry material in a glass and cover it with a nylon stocking, and shake it over the wetted (water with drop of detergent) surface. This makeshift device is easy to handle and has the charm that you can gradually adjust the grit and amount of tile grout that rains down.

The street area received some additional treatment with thinned black and grey paint, simulating a mix of snow and dirt.

In a final step, the base and the vehicles received a coat of acrylic matt varnish from the rattle can for protection and snow fixation.

From the back and side.

Wings: they're attached to a neck bracket with back stud. Hawkgirl has the bright green one from one of the sets with the Green Goblin. The water slide decal is attached on this side of the PVC, and there's a hole punched in it to go over the stud. It's a tight fit and doesn't rotate freely. I considered cutting some flaps to go over the sides of the vest to prevent rotation, but with the tight fit it didn't seem necessary.

Yes, Hawkmen's head feathers are weird. I tried modelling individual feathers in Milliput with limited success, so I resorted to delineating them with a decal.

D3 639 makes its way clear of Southern Cross Station so its carriages can be returned into the station and then the D3 re-attached for the short journey back to the Steamrail Depot in Newport.

A W class tram on a City Circle service passes over the La Trobe Street bridge.

D3 639 at Southern Cross Station - 02-07-2009.

Note the tube of black Sikaflex 291 Marine sealing compound - for re-attaching the loose X-axis mill motor wiring cover

Mill Road Cemetery

James Rattee (1820-1855) was a highly skilled woodcarver and stonemason whose work can be seen in the chapels of Jesus and Magdalene Colleges and the Round Church in Cambridge, as well as in Ely Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Eton College chapel.

He was born in Fundenhall, Norfolk in 1820, and learnt his trade as an apprentice to a Norwich carpenter, who also taught him carving. Early in life, he showed an interest in church ornamentation and restoration and first met George Kett while the latter was working on the restoration of Norwich Cathedral in the 1830s.

James Rattee moved to Cambridge in 1842, and set up as a woodcarver on Sidney Street. His reputation as a craftsman grew swiftly and his successes included the carving of the choir stalls in Ely Cathedral, hailed as ‘the most elaborate piece of art workmanship executed since the Reformation’.

Rattee & Kett

He took the lease on a prime business site at the corner of ‘a little lane leading to nowhere’, which became Station Road when the railway was built in 1848. To expand the business, he asked George Kett to join him as partner. Their company was originally called the Wood and Stone Carving Works, Cambridge, though its name was soon changed to Rattee & Kett. The company developed the premises on Station Road into offices, stone works, a joinery and a builder’s yard, all of which adjoined Poplar Cottage, James Rattee’s home on the corner of Station Road and Hills Road.

Early death

James Rattee was dedicated to his work, and his health was not good. In 1852, his doctor advised him to take a break and he travelled to the Continent. While there, he spent time studying with master carvers in Cologne, Hamburg and Antwerp. On his return, he constructed George Gilbert Scott’s design for the five-panelled reredos at Ely Cathedral. In 1855, he suddenly fell ill with a cold and, already weak, was unable to fight the infection. Forty-eight hours later, he died at his home in Hills Road. He was buried in Mill Road Cemetery on the afternoon of Good Friday, 1855, with a huge crowd in attendance, who came to ‘evince their admiration of his abilities and respect for his character’. He was 34. His widow Caroline Rattee retained a share and interest in the business of Rattee & Kett until her death in 1866. She is also buried in the tomb, as is James Rattee’s mother.

The monument

James Rattee’s monument is one of the most beautiful in the cemetery. It was carved by Rattee & Kett in Ketton limestone, with a double-arched canopy with crocketed finials and embattled cresting. The sexfoil arches are set below quatrefoils within gables. There are inscription panels engraved in black and red Gothic letters, about James Rattee and other members of the family.

The limestone monument was cleaned and restored by Rattee & Kett (part of the Mowlem Group since 1926) using bristle brushes and water, so as not to lose the natural patina of ageing. Open joints were repointed with lime mortar, loose ornamentation was re-attached using stainless steel armatures, and a biocide was applied to protect the stone and prevent future colonisation by lichen and other plants.

Inscriptions

On the left-hand panel:

‘Erected to the memory of

James Rattee who departed this life

the 29th of March 1855 aged 34 years.

“He is not dead, but sleepeth”

Also of Caroline Louis (widow of the above)

who died 9 March 1866

aged 45 years’

(remainder illegible)

On the right-hand panel:

‘In the same vault

lies the body of Elizabeth

(mother of James Rattee)

who died the 13th of Dec 1850

aged 64 years.

Also of Charlotte Berridge

who died the 14th March 1853

aged 29 years.

“Death where is thy sting”

Also of …’

(remainder illegible)

Source: millroadcemetery.org.uk/james-rattee/

From British Listed Buildings -

Grade 2 Listed

Monument. c.1855. Stone. Double-arched canopy with crocketed finials and embattled cresting. Sexfoil arches below quatrefoils within gables. Inscription panels to James Rattee, d.1855, and other members of the family. HISTORY: James Rattee was one of the founders of Rattee and Kett, a notable firm of woodcarvers and architectural sculptors.

Forms a group with the Kett tomb (qv) and the Moyes tomb (qv).

Getting a shot of Disneyland Splash Mountain from the front facing angle is much more difficult than at Walt Disney World. I wandered around here quite a while trying to find some good spots to shoot from and trying to figure out how to shoot over the high fence. Well I couldn’t so I took my lens off and re-attached it to my camera body through the fence instead. Much easier (riskier?) and I was able to finally frame up and get the shot I was looking for.

As an added bonus the fireworks started going off around the same time I started shooting (long story on why I wasn’t shooting the fireworks). This really helped light up the foreground and the frame I used here was nicely illuminated by some non-colored fireworks. I ended up using only 2 shots total, the one extra lit up from the fireworks, and another frame to cleanup some highlights. I made several color and levels adjustments and did some manual dodging and burning to get my final image.

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She's back with her original scalp that I need to properly re-attach. I also need to find her a new body as I have managed to snap her stock body knee :(

Today, I'm combining my "Sunday Selfie" with an experiment about supporting the camera with something in lieu of a tripod.

I use a hand strap, not a neck strap. The hardware that attaches the hand strap to the bottom of the camera tends to get a little grumpy about attaching to a tripod. And, the strap is a pain to remove and re-attach.

So today, I grabbed a pillow that my wife has used for various purposes. It's a microfiber cloth, filled with tiny beads. The pillow conformed well to the camera, allowing me to position it easily in the upward angle I desired. And, I left the hand strap on.

I focused on a prop, hit the self-timer, and jumped into the frame. Voila! It worked!

The prop, by the way, is our dime jar. By saving each dime we receive in change, we've filled it numerous times since the kids were growing up. Each time the dimes have hit the very mouth of the jar, we've bought something the whole family could enjoy.

Although most non-birders believe that the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a fictitious bird created just for the humorous name, in fact it is a widespread species of small woodpecker. Its habit of making shallow holes in trees to get sap is exploited by other bird species, and the sapsucker can be considered a "keystone" species, one whose existence is vital for the maintenance of a community. I love this shot, and Lee's capable hands! She is amazing! =o)

I took this shot on Saturday, on my first trip to Save Our Seabirds in Sarasota, FL. www.saveourseabirds.org Wow! I am still reeling! I think it may be one of the most awe inspiring experiences of my life. I know, I’m a nerd, but I am utterly sincere. My husband Derrick went as well, so that made it all the more fabulous, sharing the experience.

Our new friend Lynn, the Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator and in my book Certified Sandhill Crane Wrangler, met us there. We got an inside look at this fantastic facility. I have to tell you, I was OVER THE TOP impressed with its cleanliness and their philosophy of operation. The absolute goal is re-entry into the wild, though of course there are some who can never go back. Lee (Leigh? I’m sorry if I am spelling your name incorrectly) who operates the facility is one of the best people I have ever met. She showed us everything, and at every turn, she was feeding a bird. I felt like a child, as I saw so many things for the first time, and I loved Lee on sight!

Lee took us to some wood enclosures where baby and young screech owls were housed. To my surprise, she ushered me in and left me alone inside with them. I felt like I was stepping into the labyrinth, and I thought “Where will this take me, literally, emotionally, spiritually?” It was dark, and I could not, nor would not use my flash on dozing baby owls, of course. I didn’t start shooting for a couple of minutes. I was taking them all in. Some were in the shadows, some in dappled sunlight, some up at the top of the habitat, and all looking at me with their BIG pale eyes! It was like being in a house of Furbys! It was utterly surreal, and I am getting goose bumps just thinking about it. I cried…tears of joy when I came out their space.

Of course we also saw Sandhill Cranes, my personal connection to Lynn and Save Our Seabirds through Mama Cherry and her paperclip incident. The injuries are tough stuff to see my Flickr friends, and most of them happen on golf courses! Broken legs which often have to be amputated, head injuries, blindness, broken beaks…it is heart wrenching.

They make prosthetic legs for them, which helps, but have to be re-attached often. This prosthetic leg thing has had me puzzling ever since. This is going to be a long ongoing story, so step in if you dare!

I asked Lee, what she needed besides money and chicken? A joke because they go through so much chicken for the birds of prey it would blow your mind, and money being obvious!! She said she needs a computer, preferably a lap top so she can work on it at the sanctuary and at her home. She documents all of these birds, their injuries, their care and their outcome, and I think she does it all on paper, or on a PC so old that she can hardly open the internet!!! My wheels are turning, and I have a lot of ideas, but of course I welcome any input and ideas you all may have as well!

One of Lee’s most important messages is that if you hook a seabird when you’re fishing, “DON’T CUT THE LINE!!” Please to go their website for capture and removal information. You can do this, and if you do not, it is VERY likely they will experience grievous damage and most likely death.

***All rights to my images are STRICTLY reserved. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing my images or if you are an educator or non-profit interested in use. copyright KathleenJacksonPhotography 2009***

On Route 3, Gottingen St., at the corner of Young St. The photograph shows a snow-covered Hydrostone park and several houses in the background. A sign for Monar[h] Pastry and Flour can be seen on the inside of the car. The Operator is in partial view in the photograph, and a man can be seen emerging from the car. Another man is shown behind the car, and appears to be re-attaching the tram pole to the wires.

Date: [Between 1947 and 1949]

Photographer: Photographed for Douglas Parker, possibly by Fred Steeves

Format: 1 photograph : b&w negative ; 63.5 mm × 108 mm (2.5" × 4.25") (size 616)

Retrieval Code: Douglas Parker Collection, CR 60.6

Photo Taken : 27.06.1987.

31 463 is seen under threatening skies at Long Marston Ministry of Defence establishment with the SEG/LCGB 'Walsall Concerto' railtour. The train had been booked for class 50 haulage throughout but after leaving London Waterloo behind 50 023 it promptly failed at Reading. The only spare loco available to take over was Type 2 no.31 463 which worked the train from Reading to Long Marston when two Army 'Steelman' locos took over to cover the internal network of lines. This photo was taken after 31 463 had been re-attached in Long Marston Exchange Yard for the onward journey back onto the BR Network. The 31 took the train as far as Worcester Shrub Hill where it was replaced by a fresh class 50 no.50 031. There was doubt the 50 had enough fuel to complete the rest of the tour itinerary but thankfully did do and worked back to London Waterloo.

We all love cute TLRs like Baby Rollei and Sawyer/Topcon that produce 4x4 images using 127 film. But 127 film is no longer available commercially, so here is my way of hand rolling 127 film from 46mm bulk roll film.

1. Prepare all the material and tools needed

- Backing paper Reuse from other official 127 rolls (Rerapan, Efke, Agfa)

- 2 metal 127 spools

- One large and heavy clamps, and 2 wooden clothe pin

- 12” plastic ruler or paracord for measurement in the dark

- Scissors, masking tape

2. Procedure (in daylight)

- Roll the beginning part of backing paper onto one metal spool, use big heavy clamp to secure the top bundle, put near edge of table.

- Put fresh masking tape (thicker, slightly narrower than backing paper) where film should start. Keep half of the masking tape unattached.

- Use another metal spool for the bottom end: pre-wind some backing paper until “Stop” sign, use wooden cloth pin to secure the bottom bundle. Let it hang from side of working table.

- Put additional wooden cloth pin in the middle of the backing paper (to avoid tangles)

3. Procedure (in total darkness)

- Measure and cut 25” length of film (e.g. use paracord)

- Tape film to the backing paper on the top end, keep the film straight all the way to the bottom end. Use wooden clothe pin to secure the middle (along the length of backing paper) to avoid tangle.

- Roll tightly starting from the bottom end, all the way to the top end

- Adjust or re-attach masking tape where the beginning of the film is attached tol the backing paper

- Tightly rolling all the way to the beginning, spin the spool to get rid of any slack

4. Back in daylight

- Use another masking tape or rubber band to seal the backing paper

- Keep the 127 roll film in aluminum foil or light-tight canister

- Clearly mark the type of film on the container

Lovely sunset at Halnaker windmill in West Sussex this evening. I missed the fabulous red sky the night before, so felt compelled to make the effort this evening. I was rewarded :-) . The windmill is being renovated and is due to have the sails re-attached soon.

This picture intends to show how I angled the intakes my old Skyhawk model, which much to my own amazement, is almost six years old, already. They're attached using Technic pins, which is easy enough, but positioning them was tricky.

The picture also shows some of the design work I'm doing for my next build: a 1/32 scale SH-14 Lynx for a friend of mine.

Corners were taken off. I then sanded, and painted the top w/ cream, black and red acrylics as a base. Various paper elements were glued to it. Rubber stamp images and inks added. Finished w/2 coats crystal clear Krylon.

Then the brass corners were re-attached.

A pretty famous landmark, that I have been meaning to stop and photograph for ages.

There are pics on the net of this beauty going back years, if you look at them you can see how she has slowly deteriorated over the passing of time.

Balderton, Nottinghamshire - side of A1

The Lightning, serial number XN728, served with 92 Squadron at RAF Gutersloh in Germany – on the front line between Western Europe and Warsaw Pact countries

Thanks to Gary Parsons for the full story below:

www.airsceneuk.org.uk/oldstuff/2002/sentinel/sentinel.htm

Lightning F2A XN728/V (c/n 95105) was built during 1961 at English Electric's Samlesbury facility.

She first flew on 26 October of that year, piloted by test pilot T. M. S. Ferguson, and was issued to 92 Squadron at RAF Leconfield on 1 April 1963.

She was to spend her whole career with 92 Squadron, initially coded 'B', later 'F' and finally 'V'. Her career was unremarkable, except for an undercarriage collapse on 3 April 1968, during the repair of which she was converted to F2A standard, basically a Mk6 but still retaining her guns.

31 of the original 44 F2s were converted from 1968 onwards - the engines were upgraded to the Avon RA211R but the armament fit was retained.

External features were the most noticeable, comprising the cambered wing, square-cut fin and much enlarged ventral tank of the F6. XN728 went on to serve the RAF in Germany until 92 Squadron disbanded in March 1977, prior to re-equipping with the Phantom FGR2. She then made her final flight to RAF Coningsby where she served as a decoy aircraft for a number of years with the maintenance serial 8546M.

On 3 October 1983 she was purchased by G.A. Wilks, and transferred to the yard of A1 Commercial Vehicles in Balderton, near Newark. The method of transfer was brutal, the wings and tail being cut near the root, so that she would not be able to support herself once put back together - a trestle support, placed under the ventral belly tank, kept her properly poised once at the yard. The wings and tail were re-attached using large metal plates, which sadly went unpainted and proved to be a bit of an eyesore.

During the nineties the vehicle yard fell on hard times and eventually closed, falling into disrepair. Being so close to Newark, anything that had a tangible value was swiftly removed (including the fence) and XN728 eventually became abandoned and alone, available for the attention of anyone wandering by. Removal of the wheels and the radar radome hurried the collapse of the ventral tank, causing the now tail-heavy aircraft to settle back into her present attitude, as if clawing to get airborne once more.

Attacked by vandals and graffiti 'artists', she remains more as testimony to man's wanton desire for destruction, rather than a proud sentinel of the Cold War in which she played a major part at the sharpest end.

It's been a little while since I kept you all updated! I've been so busy with the kits and college, but I'm ready to start showing a commission I'm working on for an excellent client.

This is the 1/72nd Finemolds Millennium Falcon which is a really incredible kit (900 parts!!) but we decided to correct as much as possible and accurize it to the filming model. So far John and I have created a new jawbox, and today I laser-cut a specially designed MDF frame structure for the correct mandibles to be set into (I forgot to take any photos of it oh dear).

The rear engine deck has been cut out, and will be re-attached with a magnetic frame so that all the electronics can be easily accessed

Test of concept kind of thing. The principle works OK, but needs some way to stop as much light hitting the bare sensor whilst the lens is re-attached to do the spiral. You get the idea...