Total Pageviews

Greetings!

'A gaping silken dragon,/Puffed by the wind, suffices us for God./We, not the City, are the Empire's soul:/A rotten tree lives only in its rind.'

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Little house on the ...

... wargames table! Now that sounds a lot less twee, if just as child like, as the famous novel series.

 As I had expected, 4Ground's Lower Canada house went together nicely, although I am always thankful that PVA dries clear. The only problem I had was with the inner door surround, which I must have glued the wrong way around, as the door itself won't fit the right way round - if that makes sense. Anyway, another excellent bit of laser cut MDF perfection to go with the block house I enthused about a while ago. And a very versatile bit of kit:


Here with Canadian militia in the War of 1812, but, of course, French troops or Canadian militia from the French and Indian War would do just as nicely, or:


Loyalists getting ready to help repel the expected Rebel assault on Quebec early in the American Revolution.


A fine piece of wargaming scenery, and 4Ground are to be congratulated.

Making the cabin reminded me of this rather nice book on my shelves:


King's Landing; Country Life in Early Canada, photographs by Wayne Barrett, introduction by George MacBeath (Oxford University Press, Toronto, 1979). And a quick internet check led to the happy discovery that this marvellous living history/material history/educational/patriotic resource is still going strong in Prince William, New Brunswick. 


MacBeath headed his 1979 introduction with this:

'Behold the work of the Old...
Let your Heritage not be lost,
But bequeth it as a Memory,
Treasure and Blessing...
Gather the lost and the hidden
And preserve it for thy Children.'

While recognising that this is a far from easy task, for a host of reasons - ideological, practical, historiographical - I'll still second that.

8 comments:

  1. Ah yes, King's Landing. When working there as a re-enactor in summer, my niece used to commute by paddling her canoe directly across the lake rather than driving 20 km around to cross over the dam.

    Nice looking cabin. Not very typical for Quebec I'm afraid where stone farmhouses were the norm just like clapboard houses were in the settled areas in Upper Canada and the Maritimes but I could see cabins of this sort being built on the fringes as new land was opened up or being used in lumber camps, and of course on the American frontier. A delightful model in any case.

    (btw, I've had much the same problem with installing real doors)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, you're niece's commute must rank as one of the best in the world. I can't think of any finer way to get to work.

      Thanks for the building tips re different parts of the country. But, as you say, it is a nice looking cabin - wouldn't mind a full scale one myself.

      Doors ? Yup, another do it yourself nightmare!

      Delete
  2. What a great looking building Stephen. A fine addition to any table.

    Well done.

    Ditto the door problem.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers, Paul. I'm glad door suffering is universal - earlier this year I managed to jam myself in my bathroom as the door, which I had, I thought, sanded down enough to accept the new wainscotting, proved to be just a fraction not sanded enough...!

      Delete
  3. And I will third it...
    Splendid building work by the way,looks great with the figures...
    Yesterday i looked some rafm French Indian war figures with a view to getting two wee forces on the go.
    I daydream often about the Wilderness (albeit in an over romanticed way) and really ought to game it soon too...
    Best wishes
    Alan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aha! Glad to see your FIW fellows have emerged - and what great books as reference. As soon as I get paid in January I'll be after the Chartrand Ospreys on your blog.

      Delete
    2. I succumbed and ordered a 4ground building yesterday...

      Delete
    3. Aha ! Good, you won't regret it.

      Delete