Oriental 3

 Greetings

Here is the next version of this new computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 2

 Greetings

Here is a variation on this new piece of computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 1

 Greetings

Here is a new piece of computer art I have been working on.

I will post more versions later.

Until next time

Adieu

Headstone Manor

 Greetings

I recently attended a re-enactment with my fellow Paladins at Headstone Manor in Harrow.

This was a one day event for May Day and I had to pack the car the day before and get up early , as they wanted us on sight about 8.00 AM.

This did give  me the marvelous experience of the M25 early on a Bank Holiday morning.  Most of the sensible people were still in bed. It was like going back to driving in the 1970's.

One everyone had arrived we set up an arming tent, my awning and another awning

Here are a couple of pictures (taken By Ann-Marie and used with consent).

The weather was good and we had a reasonable number of punters. We did some training of squires, a bit of medieval  dancing, arming knight, a Kids battle and a short tourney.

It went quite well and I was surprise and pleased to see another man dressed as a bishop, only, this one was in cope and mitre.  We got talking and it turned out he was a local volunteer. He had learnt that the manor used to be owned by an Archbishop of Canterbuty, who, by coincidence had the same name as him. After some resistance from the site ( who, for some unfathomable reason, thought it wouldn't be PC) he'd got permission to play him.

His kit was bought from a local Am Dram, so looked far better from a distance, but he'd definitely made an effort. I was able to help him by pointing out that his stole should go under his cope, not over it, and he was grateful for the correction.

Later, however, it was I who learnt a valuable lesson. The tourney field had a distinct slope and the first time I was the one to yield, I found it very difficult to rise and, in the end, had to be heaved up by my fellows.

 It turns out I was trying to get up with my feet downhill. Whilst this would not be a problem unarmed, the additional weight on my upper body( even in my lighter harness) unbalanced me suffieciently that I could not get to my feet on my own.

This lesson did not go unheeded. When I  died again in the melee, I made sure to align myself across the slope before trying to get up and was able to rise unaided.

The event finished at 5PM and it only took half and hour or so to break camp, so, depite my Sat Nav directing me on different and interesting route ( I have now survived the Hanger Lane Gyratory) , I got home at a reasonable hour for my supper.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 30

 Greetings

Here is the last version of this computer art.

Now he is a nature intended...with a little censorship for this blog.

Until next time

Adieu

Aragog and his children

 Greetings

I have never had a green thumb . I occasionally buy plants for the garden. I plant them and tell them, firmly, that they are now on their own.

Some have survived, others have lacked the moral fibre.

When it comes to house plants, succulents survive the longest, thought I have been keeping an orchid we received as a thank you gift alive- so far.

One of my survivors, however, is the Spider Plant given to me several Christmases ago by my fellow-Paladin , Fiona. It came with a little note, reading; "my name is Aragog.". He was accepted, as Spider Plants are an exception to my usual arachnaphobia.

He stayed quite small for ages in his place in the Living Room, then we did some decorating and he was moved to the bathroom.Now he is thriving and producing offspring.  I have planted two out and they are enjoying their spot on the upper Garderobe windowsill.

Recently, Aragog suprised me again. He flowered. I didn't know Spider Plants did that...

Until next time

Adieu

To the Yield 29

 Greetings

Here is the penultimate version of the kinky sequence of this compter art.

Censorship has been applied for this blog...

until next time

Adieu

Gunpowder Mills 2

 Greetings

Our visit to the Re-enactors' fayre at the Gunpowder Mills in Waltham Abbey went very well.

It was a very nice day and the fayre had many and varied Re-enactors from Dark Age to Second World War.

There were a few traders there as well, but I managed to avoid spending too much money.

Here are some pictures( both by me and by our friend Kate)

I have included the unexpected Zulu impi(who had obviously adapted to our climate) and the marvelous true scale Soviet pit pony, who was animatronic and whinnied.

I may post more pictures later.

Until next ime

Adieu

To The Yield 28

 Greetings

More from this kinky lad..

Until next time

Adieu

Gunpowder Mills 1

 Greetings

Our friends Kate and Malcom down to stay with us at the weekend and we all went to the International Living History Fayre at the Gunpowder Mill in Waltham Abbey.

I took the opportunity to wear the Seventeenth Century suit I made for the 2019 Worldcon in Dublin.

It was a little snugger than when I last wore it and the forearms of the doublet were fashionably tight. 

I borrowed Teddy's bucket-top boots to go with it.They worked rather nicely with my boot hose.

! also used this an opportunity to wear my Toledo Salamanca sword.

Unfortunately, these boots had been sitting unworn in a cupboard for about ten years and the glue holding the one of the layered wooden heelsfailed, leaving me literally 'down at heel'.

Luckily I had put my Seventeenth Century shoes in the car,just in case, so went back and changed.

I will post more on this later.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 27

 Greetings

Here he is a high level of kinkiness...

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 26

 Greetings

Another kinky version for you...

Until next time

Adieu

Iridescence

 Greetings

Teddy and I spent the long Easter weekend at Iridescence, the 2026 Eastercon. ( Eastercons are the annual Science Fiction national convention for the UK)

This was at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham and, when we got there, we found we were sharing the hotel with an anime convention. An excellent detente had been worked out between the committees. They had access to our dealers room and artshow and we had access to their traders hall.

This worked extreemly well and we also gor to enjoy the large number of them walking about in costume.

I even started to regret deciding not to bring any of my costume.

It turned out that they had had no idea our sort of conventions existed. Some of them bought memberships to our con and many said they'd be joining next year's con.

Their traders hall turned out to be a slightly dangerous place. I discovered a stall selling discounted anime figures and ended up buying three.

I put both originals and prints in the artshow.

All the pictures here except the centre top one( armoured girl with sword) are being shown for the first time. They are all originals except the hussar( top right) and the young man with a sword(base middle) which are framed prints. The originals of those two are much larger.

Here are the displayed prints ( I had more in a box on one of the tables)

 I didn't sell any originals, but did sell two prints.  So, better than nowt.

Catspaw ( second down on the left)

and a cartoon from the box- Nosfer-R2 (again).

This , to date , is my most successful cartoon.

I think I also gained some fans of my work from the anime convention.

The convention went very well and , unusually, we both found several programme items we wanted to go to.

The journey to and from, however ,was very long. We were giving our friend , Melusine, a lift and she came to our the night before, but we were also taking Teddy's cousin, Gail ( who is in a wheelchair).

Thus, I had to drive the wrong way round the M25( vis the Dartford crossing) to go in to pick her up from Walthamstow, then drive on round to the M40 to get to Birmingham. Then I had to do that in reverse on the way back. So I drove nearly all the way round the M25 - twice.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 25

 Greetings

Here's a version in leather gear

Until next time

Adieu

To the yield 24

 Greetings

Here's another kinky variation of this artwork...

Until next tim

Adieue

To The Yield 23

 Greetings

More kinky gear for this lad...

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 22

 Greetings

Another kinky gear version of this computer art for you.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 21

 Greetings

Here's a new version.

I decided ( 'cos I can...) to redress him in something kinkier...

I think I may do some more...

Until next time

Adieu

Civil War

 Greetings

We went to visit our friend Karen in Chicago in 2010.

We all went to an American Civil War re-enactment at Napier Settlement. We had been told we would be going , so had brought appropriate clothing.

She recently came across some pictures of us( used with consent).

and here's one of Teddy- being silly...

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 20

 Greetings

Here's the new version of this computer I'll soon be applying the usual censorship...

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 19

 Greetings

Here is another version of the computer art.

We went to the Biannual re-enactors' markets yesterday. I am trying to gather enough suitable silver metal buttons to replace the plastic fake-metal ones on my 18th hussar uniform. Then I'll be able to have it dry cleaned.

There are 18x4 buttons on The waistcoat, dolman and pellisse each have eighteen rows of buttons across.  So that's a lot of buttons.

I only rarely wear the pelisse and its away from my body, so I'm leaving that as it is,

I've already managed to find the eighteen full round buttons for 'active' buttons of the dolman, but I still need about forty more half round buttons. Unfortunately the stall I bought thirty odd buttons from at the previous market wasn't there this time...

The buttons for the waistcoat are just domed( which are a bit easier to find) and I think I might have enough now- or possibly nearly enough...

Apart from not finding buttons (Drat!), I didn't spend too much.

I found a nice set of alternative shoe buckles for my Regancy shoes; a spare fan ( It's hot dancing in two layers of wool);a rather nice snuff box set with mother of pearl chips; a reduced end of roll of tartan(enough to make ar a new small kilt), some £5 a meter silk for a new waistcoat; a few bottles of interesting alcohol

 -and my most unexpected purchase -a small anvil, so I don't have to keep risking my cobblers anvil when re-riviting bits of armour ( it only weighs 9lbs( 4kg odd), but its big enough withut being too big, came ready set on a wood block and only cost £35).

On the plus side, I left my old hounskull bassinet helm to be passed on to the chap I've sold it to and met up with one of my fellow Paladins tto sell him the mail hauberk Idon't wear anymore.

So all in- sucessful.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 18

 Greetings

Here is another variation on my latest computer art.

I am currently working on a new piece of computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 17

 Greetings

Here is the latest version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu

Wintertide Ball 2026

 Greetings

Last Saturday we attended the Wintertide Ball in Reading. 

We gave a lift to our friend Melusine and diverted to Kew to pick up Cecile( who also attends the dance classes in Surbiton)

I wore my Horse Artillary uniform including my Tarleton helmet. I made sure thwt Teddy took a picture, but, unfortunately, his camera failed him and both shots were too blurry to use. I am hoping that we will find another attendee who has an image of me.

In the meantime, here are some pictures that I took of the event.

As yiou can see in the last image, Teddy wore his wedding suit again.

On this occasion , I was the only one in uniform, so , when one dance required us to shout "Huzzar",

I declined to change my branch of the military and shouted "Artillary".

I danced all the dances before supper, including Mother Goose, The Fir Tree, Winter Walk and The Merry Party and only stood out for Queen Pulkawalka'S Waltz( a Triolet) after supper.

I danced with Melusine for Mother Goose, Maid with a Bosom of Snow and Hunt the Squirel and  with Cecile for Sir Roger de Coverley

Once again, it was a very enjoyable event, athough , with the diversion to Kew) we didn't get home unil the small hours Sunday.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 16

 Greetings

Here is a new version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 15

 Greetings

Here is the latest version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 14

 Greetings

Here is the next version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 13

 Greetings

Here is the next version of this piece of computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 12

 Greetings

Here is another version of this computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Ensign

 Greetings

I have now finshed a new acrylic painting.

I am calling this one Ensign.

An ensign was the lowest  British offcer rank in the Napoleaonic Wars. They were often reposnsible for carrying one of the Regimental colours.

Until Next time

Adieu

To the Yield 11

 Greetings

Last weekend Teddy and I went to the annual British Filkcon.

For the uninitiated, Filk is music about Science Fiction, Fantasy and fannish life.

It was a bit of a trek to get there ,as the convention was in Norfolk again, but the journy to and from went quite well.

I did not have a set this year, as I had a set last year and didn't have any new songs..

We had a great time and heard many excellent serious and silly songs. I particularly liked a song about genetic manipulation called "My Homework Ate The Dog".

As usual, going to the Con triggered my creativity. I have written a new song, completed an unfinished one I found in my file, checked I'm happy with two I previously written but never performed and have started a new idea.

That reminds me, I must have another look at the one I started last year and left to percolate, as I could quite settle it.

I think I'm going to ask for a set next year.

Here is another version of my computer art

Until next time

Adieu

New Regency 2

 Greetings

Many many years ago I made a Regency fantasy costume called the Purple Pimpernel.

This was a Regency suit in goth colours. It had black britches, a black shirt and stock with black and gold lace, a cut-away coat in crush purple velvet and a silk grosgrain waistcoat. This had a broad chequer board edge to it which I used for the lapels.

Unfortunatly, thirty years of fighting in armour has caused my shoulders to get wider and , whilst the coat fit beautifully across the back, this effect was ruined when I raised my arm and recvealed four inches of wrist, so I sold the coat on.

The waistcoat still fit, howecver. Well... nearly. 

I had a choice. I could move the buttons, or I could make the waistcoat wider. I checked my fabric stash and found that I had a fair bit of the silk left, so I decided that , not only would I make the waistcoat wider, but I would also use more of the chequerboard silk on the facing of my new coat.

This way I would not have to make a new waistcoat for my new Regency suit.

I, therefore added two silk panels to the side seams of the waistcoat.

This alteration will be invisible from the front and I was rather pleased now neatly the grain lined up.

Here's a close up showing the chequerboard grain on the lapels and collar

I will post again when more progress has been made.

Until next time

Adieu

Alton Ball 2

 Greetings

Here are some more pictures from the Regency Ball at Alton.

It was an enjoyable event and several people complimented me on my dancing, which was nice.

Until next time

Adieu