MAY DAY MORRIS

Posts are a bit thin on the ground recently, but there are things in the pipeline which will soon be finished.... a couple of Lion Rampant forces for my budding project Robin of Sherwood Wolfshead Rampant. I've been hanging around on a Robin of Sherwood forum, and it's very pleasant to chat with folk who are keen on the 80's TV series, a couple of whom are also wargamers or role players.

As usual, we went down to see the village Morris Men performing on May Day, outside the school where the 'side' was formed back in the 1930's

THE VVITCH

I went to see The VVitch last night , which lived up to all my expectations. We don't get to see many films set in the 17c , and rarely one where the dialogue, costume and behaviour of the protagonists is so well portrayed. The director had clearly done his homework and I recognised several real quotes from 17c witch witch trials. It certainly wasn't an easy watch, the burgeoning sense of paranoia, the graphic portrayal of witches rites (as recorded in trial testimonies) and the discordant soundtrack all added up to make a harrowing yet compelling film. I'll certainly be buying it when it's released on DVD to add to the folk horror collection.

Now...who does figures of 17c witches and civilians....?

LINCOMBE BARN TABLE TOP SALE

I took myself off to the Lincombe Barn Wargames club yesterday morning as they were having the annual tabletop sale. You can take along unwanted stuff and hire a table to sell it...a great idea and the ideal place to pick up some bargains. Last year there wasn't much I was interested in at the right price (people were expecting e-bay price sales) but this year I came away with a decent haul

Book on American folklore £1 (I like these 'dip into' books)

Cross of Fire dvd 50p (quite a good film  based on the murder of Madge Oberholtzer in 1925 by prominent Ku Klux Klan member D C Stephenson).

Lord of the Rings Painting Guide £1 (bargain of the year. Published by Heritage Models in 1979 I've bid for this on ebay before but the price shot up to £36!!!)

Games Workshop Steam tank £1 (Why did I buy this? Nice model though)

2 boxes of Airfix ACW figures £4 for the oldest boy (he's amassing ACW armies in 1/72, all donations gratefully accepted).

Huge SPIDER model 50p. I have a plan to bild Morgoth's army in 1/72, and this will do well for Ungoliant.

There is always something that I wished I'd bought and didn't, and this year it was a copy of  the book Gods and Generals , which I meant to go back for but forgot. Otherwise a very successful trip. There was a bod selling Osprey ACW books which I would have bought for £1 each (they were pretty dog eared, but he wanted £6 a piece). 

DRAGOONS AND DANCERS

Painting has been going on, but lack of daylight in the evening (after family chores are done) means I haven't been able to take any pictures of finished troops. I've just spent this evening getting these guys ready for the brush. They will be Waller's dragoons when finished.

I've plastered them in Milliput, Liquid Greenstuff and Vallejo plastic filler after swapping a few heads round. Bucket top boots were added, muskets shortened and hats made more puritanical. More blurb on the last unit of dragoons I did (3 years ago!!) is here.

Other news at Atticus Towers is that I have been forking out on 1/32 ACW figures with a vengeance and have found quite a few good deals. Initial plan is to do the battle at Little Round Top on a scale of 1/10 or 1/20, but this will be far in the future...I couldn't help buying the figures though especially after watching this

There are some great models of Joshua Chamberlain available, and I believe you can get an Ellis Spear figure, complete with his trademark pipe (not shown in this clip from the film Gettysburg ).

Finally , on the First of May, we went down to watch the Bathampton Morris Men perform their annual dance outside the school where they were formed 81 years ago. 

The Village children welcome in The May.

The Mast Beast is hailed .

The Hobby Horse/ Mast Beast is usually a firm favourite with the kiddiwinks, but this year our youngest took fright at it's clacking mouth and took to his heels. You can put money it the beasts mouth to fund the dancer's post performance pub visit. A good start to the Summer.

WES HAL!

I was at work today, but Mrs. Atticus took herself and the 3 lads down the road to the local community growers where she does a lot of work ensuring we get a constant supply of organic veg. and a freezerful of organic pork at Christmas. Today the team were Wassailing, planting new trees, thanking the old and generally having a knees up (sods law that I missed it)

Last years harvest is consumed.

A old re-enactment friend turned up to see what was going on, and then dashed home to get his musket to frighten off evil spirits that might be lurking in the orchard

The new trees are honoured with the Wassail Toast

The libation continues (the chap on the far left is my old music teacher and a druid!)

The old trees are thanked as well

A gathering of good people of all ages

Here we come a Wassailing 

among the leaves so green

Here we come a wandering so fair to be seen...