If you want to conquer the world, you best have dragons.....

Happy New Year, we are rapidly approaching the end of the shingles.  Mr. M is definitely on the home stretch and since he has been back from his Christmas hols it's been full guns blazing.

And then he got all imaginative.  The Welsh Dragon , also known as the Y Ddraig Goch ("The Red Dragon") is a dragon that appears in Celtic Mythology/Welsh Folklore.   The dragon itself is named Dewi, modernly Welsh for David, the patron saint of Wales. 

So peeps, meet Dave..

First you need a pattern (Thanks Mr. Tesco's from a recent Welsh trip)..

You then draw around the pattern onto the shingles...

Next you cut out each individual shingle.  Dave is created using multiple levels and ramps... (apparently)...

And then you have a dragon...

Take him outside and nail him up...

Dave your gorgeous....

At this point for those that take an interest in these things you will note that all the shingles line up with the bottom of the windows, the top of the windows, all in level rows around the house.  12,000 nails, 6,000 shingles and about 5 months in total...



 

In other news from the homestead, we've been enjoying some sunny weather in amongst the winter storms....

 

And my winter garden has been giving it all.  It's not the size of the cauliflower that counts, it's the taste....

 

I'm already planning for my Spring planting, and Mr. M is planning for heating and venting.