Sunday Drive II...

OK...so if one could top the original Sunday Drive I posted some time back, what would it take?  Well, I don't think today's will top the first, but it must come close.  Other than below, the most unusual thing maybe after 2 1/2 hours of driving, we ended up only 15 minutes from where we started, and weren't even trying...all estimates had us 1 to 1 1/2 hours away from home.

The Ribcage...OK...we were way out in the country...on one of those roads, as my wife puts it, "...that can't make up its mind if it wants to be black top or it wants to be gravel."  Houses were few and far between, the road was narrow, and woods on both sides.

You've seen the big ranches with the posts on both sides of the drive an usually steer horns in between that you drive under?  OK, this wasn't that, but half of that.  It was one post and one half of the overhead...but where the steer horns normally hand was a full ribcage...white and spotless...of a dog(?) maybe...I don't know.  I am sure it kept trespassers away...it certainly would me.

The Mannequin Head...OK...don't know how better to put this.  It was carved out of wood, larger than a man's head, big, big crooked bent nose, big ears, very creepy looking, and sticking on his fence post where you turn into his drive.  No, was not the same man, this was another, miles down the road.

You know the old scary movies where their car breaks down out in the country, and one by one they start disappearing? Yeah, this is the kind of back country road that you wouldn't want your car to break down on!

But I saved the last for best...and have pictures to show (courtesy of the wife).  These two take the cake:

Town Population

So does it go back to 11 when the mother-in-law leaves?

and then there was this one...

Neighborhood Watch

Better not be out in the field after dark!!

Baldor Globus...

It is not too often I paint 15mm miniatures anymore these days...too hard on the eyes.  I still use some of them for the David and Goliath scenes, but beyond that not too often.  Don't get me wrong, there are just as good pieces in 15mm as in the 25-28mm range.  However, every so often a 15mm comes along that I like, as was the case with "Baldor Globus".

The other two pieces I may have shown on here before, but added to make an "action scene" out of the photo.  They are Norman knights (or you could make them Saxon too I suppose).  "Breg Aldwald" with the green shield, and "Gotle Eagborn" with the red/yellow shield and weilding the axe.

Baldor Globus

Breg Aldwald

Gotle Eagborn

The Uninspired...

Every once in a while, you will get a miniature that no matter how much you try, you cannot get inspired to paint him.  Such was the case with Stafngrimr Stoneaxe (although no lack of inspiration for his name!)

Even with a good name though, nothing was coming to me on this piece.  I am not saying it is bad...but nothing jumped out at me to make this one stand out.  Although I did like the base job on him.

If a Sparrow Falls...

I was walking the dog tonight, and around the back corner of our house we have a large conifer tree.  Sitting on one of the limbs just above the ground, was a chickadee.  She allowed me to get very close to her, and never moved.  She seemed to have her head down, and wings slightly outstretched. 

As our neighbors are very inconsiderate, they feed the neighborhood stray cats...sometimes.  But they have created and fostered a serious cat problem in our neighborhood.  They keep that cats fed just enough that they are sickly, and recklessly kill birds for more food.  The little chickadee was in serious danger because she was so low to the ground.

I fetched my wife, thinking she was either hurt or had lost a baby or an egg.  As I was waiting on my wife, the chickadee seemed to "wake up"...she jumped one limb up...sat there for a while, then flew up higher, but did not fly off.

About an hour or so later I came back out, and again she was sitting on one of the lower limbs next to the ground in the same area...a very dangerous spot for an opportunistic cat.  She did not seem to mind my presence...and stayed there a while, then flew off again.

This time I decided to investigate.

A quick parting of the limbs in that area brought a tragic sight.  A cat had killed her mate and there lay his bits and pieces under the limb.  It was very sad.

A decision was made to bury her mate, it was the least that could be done.  I placed two stones over his grave so the cats would hopefully not disturb it.  She never returned.

It was about thirty minutes later when it came to me - yes, I think she was in mourning, but I also think she wanted someone to take care of her mate...she did not want to leave him there in such a shape.  I hope she has peace this night.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." - Matthew 10:29