Book - A History of the World.

A mammoth task, achieved with aplomb.  So many civilization lost to our tribal instincts.  How many times will we have to reinvent the flushing toilet?  Sorry, bit of a thing I have about that.  5/5 on the door for young Andrew.

Mona Lisa

2 x 3 inch, oil on linen, by Gek

Two miniature fairs in short order, the first in London on Feb 5th and second in Milan a week later.  This Lady will be going to Milan, of course.  

Film - La la Land

First film we have watched in over a year. The title says it all.  You have been warned.  2.5/5 on the door for the navel gazer.

Queen Anne

The first job to do after the structure is complete, the wiring. 

Added the pre-painted clapboard siding done in gentle lavender.  Not bad going for just over a months play-play.

Book - The Innovators

Filling in the blanks, all the way back to Lord Bryon's daughter, Ada.  Apparently, she wrote the first ever computer code back in 1843, envisioning back then that Babbage's analytical engine, which was never built, would one day lead to a 'machine' producing music.  4/5 on the door for Walter, a very interesting if fact filled read.

Miniatura Autumn 2016

Gek is in here somewhere.  A good portrait of the show.

Till We Meet Again

Just before the festive season began, we met up with Polly for a Sunday lunch at the Rose and Crown.   January 8th, she boarded a plane for a new life in Australia.   Singapore is schedule for our next get together in 2019.

Queen Anna's Progress

Having nailed and glued the main structure of the house together, it didn't quite look right to me.  Something was missing.

Then, whilst webnetting for a colour scheme, I chanced upon this beauty which said, -'add a porch, dumbo'.  So I have.  Lavender, black and white are the new orange.

Now, that's more like it.  I also had a delivery of components from Blackwells. Gosh, has the price of stuff got up or what?  I will have to budget myself 50 quid a month and even then the box delivered will only have 4 or 5 items in it.  But well worth it.  Doors and windows first.

Added Lighting

Ahead of the next Miniaturia Fair at the NEC in spring, I have added more lights to illuminate the art.  Found cupboard LED lights at B&Q fit for purpose.  Now there are three  lighting systems in the one house.

First Sprinkle - 13th Jan

Just for the record, woke to the first snow of winter 2017.

Works in Progress

The artist preparing for her next dollhouse fair at the Tower Hotel, London on the 5th Feb.

whilst the artisan plays in his new workshop.  Who could that be I wonder, keeping an eye from the wall

Workshop Kitted Out

Let the work begin.

But first, finish a job I started 20 years ago - put handles on a chest of drawers!!!!

Crete - The Flight Home

 We had a cloudless flight practically all the way from Athens to London.  Here the Swiss Alps.

 Basel and Mulhouse and the River Rhine.

 Dover.

 Canary Wharf and Greenwich.

 Staines Reservoir.

Crete - Chania

Young guys and gals learning to sail.

Sun setting on another beautifully day, in every way, here in Crete.

Crete - Samaria Gorge

The drive to the gorge takes you up to around  3,500 feet to not only to look down the gorge but also to look up at the 8,000 feet Lefka Ori, the White Mountains.

Running across the Osalos Plateau sheep/goats, take your pick, grazing the tarmac. Go figure?

White Mountains,

backdrop to the gorge.

Turn around and there is the Plateau

The scenery on the way back down to Chania brought into view gems like this.  So many photos I have taken. 

Crete - Chania

The entrance to the Venetian harbour.

 with its beautiful lighthouse,

and Ottoman mosque.

Lunch with the biggest pork chop I have every been served.  Love eating where the locals eat.

After lunch, wandered the older part to find a mosque that became a church, or was it a church that became a mosque became a church?

Crete - Chania

Another Minoan museum where,

I found something familiar, but 4,000 years old - safety pins!!!  Wonder if the Minoan's had nappies?

Crete - Plakias to Chania

 Driving towards the gorge and the wind.

A last look to the mountains.

Just before entering Chania we called at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Shouda.  Most here died in the battle for Crete in 1942, many stones to unknown solders, all very young.  Could all that happen again?  Could so called social media be anything but and lead to reinforcing our tribal instincts? 

Crete - Plakias Sunset

There she goes,

with strange effects.

Crete - Plakias

A day of rest with

Just an amble round the beach,

shooting up the valleys

and back to the beach. 

Crete - Amari Valley

The drive out of Plakias necessitates driving through one of two gorges, this one being the Kourtaliotiko Gorge.

A bit of a windy place is this.

Well we did get rather off the beaten track trying to find the Amari Valley.

But made some friends along the way.

Our lunch stop, just before crossed the saddle into the Amari

And there it is, Amari the village.