Trapped in Fairmont

After having a wonderful time in Gettysburg this past weekend my lovely wife dropped me back at the hotel in Fairmont for one (1) more day of work here. However, do to unforeseen circumstances I will once again be staying in Fairmont, the hotel staff and I are on a first name basis. Hopefully my work will be complete tomorrow and I can return to my wee castle were stacks of metal figures are begging to be painted.

Once I am able to return home I can proceed with Cavenderian reports. I hope everyone is well and at their homes.

ciao,

Trip to Gettysburg

Quick update, I have been working out of town in Fairmont, WV this week. I am currently in my hotel room typing up a quick update. I will be going to Gettysburg, PA tomorrow and am very excited. I have been to the battle field once before but this time we are going to have a battlefield tour and visit with family from New England who have journeyed down to meet us. I have been reading Gettysburg a Testing of Courage by Noah Andrea Trudeau. It is an excellent read and has refreshed my knowledge of one of America's most famous battles. I highly recommend the book. I will be back working in Fairmont next Monday and home Tuesday, I hope to present the Reich Dukes visit pictorial and a story on the Rescue attempt of Dukas next week. I will also be checking out the hobby store in Gettysburg I have read about on line, forget the name right now. That is all. I have missed painting this week, forgot to pack some minis and paints for the hotel. Oh well, time to get ready for dinner. If you are ever in Fairmont I highly recommend Murial's Italian restaurant http://www.murialesrestaurant.com/ that is were we will be feating this evening.

ciao,

Captain Lucien Verbeek, a bit of a departure.

Presenting, Captain Lucien Verbeek, Belgian observer for his majesty King Leopold II of Belgium, and his horse Teufel.




Steve Turner of http://theolddessauer.blogspot.com/ is running a northern Africa British colonial campaign and Captain Verbeek is my fictional character.

The mini is a Peter Pig British Cavalry officer. The mini is true 15mm and I believe very nicely sculpted. The animation is a bit disco but the details are very nice.I do not know why the Captain has a pinto but it felt right to me, I guess I have watched Hidalgo too many times. As the colonial period is not my period of expertise the uniform and horse furniture are probably incorrect, I claim ignorance of the period and creative license for the final outcome.

I like the pair of shoes or boots near the front of the saddle, if someone could explain to me what these are for I would be very thankful.

The pinto looks very wild in this shot. This is the first pinto I have painted so I looked at a couple of pictures of them on line and think it turned out nice. I tried adding a few brown dots within the white areas but this ended up looking like I had messed up so I got rid of them.

Final photo from above. I enjoyed painting this figure and have some British foot command that I might paint up as well. I will be mailing the miniature to Steve and hopefully see him in a few photos with the native contingent of the British forces in Steve's campaign. Steve if you decide to do a different scale than 15mm consider him a gift for all of your interesting blogs. Please send me your address so I can ship him off.

State of Cavenderia

News of Cavenderia from the Prinz's castle pictured left. The Rescue of Spyridon Dukas scenario has been played with a nice twist to the end a fiction will follow soon prior to the arrival of the our esteemed cousin Wilhelm Beerstien and Young Basil King of the Romans. I will be publishing a photo journal of the royal visit this weekend. I still have to paint up the 15mm royal coach and a few additional figures to create the vignettes of the Horse Festival and fleet inspection. So early this week the battle report and story of the Dukas rescue attempt and this weekend the royal visit. Additionally, inspired by http://theolddessauer.blogspot.com/ Steve Turner's blog, I ordered and completed painting a Colonial British officer from Peter Pig as my Belgian observer Captain Lucian Verbeek. The figure turned out really nicely, I have never seen Peter Pig minis before, they are true 15mm so a bit smaller than Old Glory but really well made. I hope to have some pictures of Captain Verbeek on his Pinto up very soon. I will be mailing him to Steve similar to my Cavenderian diplomats which reminds me I have had the Diplomat for Jean Louis done since March and have not managed to get her in the mail. My apologies to Monte-Cristo and I will certainly have to get that accomplished as well. The one year anniversary for this blog is August 28 and I will have to do something special. I did not realize I started my blog on Der Alte Fritz blog anniversary until around September last year so I may move the official anniversary date to September 1. I am headed to Gettysburg to visit the battle field and take a tour in two weeks and so have been having the itch to paint and play some ACW probably will work some of those into the mix as well. Hope to have many new blogs published this month and my article in Dadi @ Piombo should be out this month or September so look for that if you subscribe.

Ciao,