Business Card Maker

Business Cards — a free interactive tool that helps you plan out your card design, logo and budget all at once. Business Type, Motto, Colors, front & backside, glossy etc.

I wish I could say this is great, but Resolutions are the problem, make sure you ask for the max the ai's provide, 2048 width 300dpi, download are normally 72, so up them in upscaler online. & be prepared to redo some of the fuzzy wording in gimp or other paint program. It's still good to use as a general direction or look that you are after, for your card design. Then you can try to mimic the design style thru the print houses templates

Try the Business Card Maker →

Dream Wedding Maker: Dress & Venue

Dream Wedding Creations — a free interactive tool that helps you plan out your wedding dress, venus and budget all at once. Dress lengths and Dress Colors and a wide selection of Venues like the Beach, Forest or Estates. Select your dress length, color, venue, your models skin tone, and budget. Your personalized dream wedding heads to ChatGPT, Grok or Gemini for several AI-generated images, including an approx. shopping list with dress and venue prices that fit your selected budget.

Dress and Venue costs are typically the most expensive part of a wedding. Catering, Flowers and decor will be extra, so keep that in mind for your final budget.

Try the Dream Wedding Maker →

T-Shirt Design Maker

For Your Events: T-Shirt Design Maker!!

A free interactive tool that generates several t-shirt Custom Designs with your event Title and Topic, for your budget, number of t-shirts and print house pricing

The shirt specifics are sent off to AI and then from the results, save your favorite, upscale the resolution, either at upscaler or with gimp sharpener,
& then upload to your selected printhouse for single or bulk order printing.
In this example: it's t-shirts for "The Dragons Club of Monterrey, Ca"

Try the T-Shirt Designer →

Home Staging Style Finder

Say hello to the Home Staging Style Finder — a free interactive tool that helps you plan out a room staging in minutes. All types of Room Styles from Modern to Art Deco or even Farmhouse. Just pick your room size, budget, and style you love, and it hands your personalized staging plan directly to ChatGPT or Grok for AI-generated room images within your budget, including an approx.shopping list with prices for their stores.

Whether you're prepping a room for resale on a $500 or going for a $5,000 transformation, the tool builds a ready-made prompt for you — no guesswork, no typing out what you want. Just select your options and go.

Try the Style Finder →

What's Up? Is Blogging a Lost Breath?

As the Months Meander Past

My dedicated ritual of being a writer has dissipated.
Where the journey of this event, "writing online and expressing oneself"
whether in 3rd or first person, often ends up becoming an info-mercial, instead.

The purity of writing itself, abandoned to the commercial scene.
"Find me", "Find me":
Creative writers what happens to us?
Our outlet, simply a blog lost into googles* revelry of statistics towards money procurement, thusly we're never to be found, far too obscure and remote.

The Old Hats?

Who finds the writers? Perhaps a collegiate group might sift,
looking for something else in life, and there it is!
"The lustful wit found, by being a writer."

Adornments

Working for money, "the enslavement machine", how is it possible to be as free as, the writer who writes with a passion to retell and recant escapades, fortunes lost or gained, travels that went or were only planned and simply discussing the non-excitable in-between, the routine, a epileptic existence of a day sent into repeat.

What a bore, that time ensuite with our worker world has disallowed the plenty, and plenty is left sparsely clad, no longer able to show its extravagant ability, to delve into the richness found within our words themselves.

Topic Topic Topic

Stick to the norm, the discussion at hand, the politics, the wars, the strifes, the humanity dishonorments, the radio talk show, "YOU", you stick to those topics and never stray. We want the NORM. Cancel your abstracts, your free worded philosophy! Stay upon OUR Topics, news, religion, we only want similar in tone, add-in a link and maybe we'll buy a new iphone through you.

Fair Hearts I Cannot!

Is this a lie? Surely I've tried the commercial mechanism, yet I've been left with only half a laugh that only knows grumbling more.

Entertained?

Fast-Worlders, I hope I've entertained you today with this brevity of pomp, that I've allowed myself to share.

*(among others)

Non-FBA Amazon Calculator Tool for Sellers: Prices, Costs & Earnings

Determine Profit Potential!

Media Cateogory, but can be edited for other fee cateogories.

• You do need to know your fee category and usually there are 3 fees: referral, item, other
• The top row place the prices of products you're offering.
• List the products cost as a %.
• Under the 2nd shipping fee, try to include misc: like packaging tape, boxes & envelope cost into the actual shipping.
• Then... there's the answer for your profit potential.
• The helpful bulk purchasing tool is at the bottom, for earnings potential on purchasing 1000 items, ie., were sold per price & purchase level, etc.

Google Drive (View, save your version, or Download).

Google Drive

Expenses and Net Worth Calculator

A Great Version

The benefit of this sheet is that it helps determine:

• Up to 2 Properties: Selling stats, that help figure out your profit from the sale.
• Equity of Properties if not selling.
• Optional Savings inclusion: Ira, Savings, Brokerage: that can go towards Net Worth.
• Easy Expense Handler for each Month, including Credit Cards, Utilities, Mortgage, etc: Each week providing the correct amount for your Checking Account.
• Which cards to move an old Balance Transfer balance from, because their reduced % is almost over (within 3 months).
• Which other cards and how much space is available on each of them, for the transfer(s).
• Obviously, you will still need to keep a few details, like each Credit Card's Balance. Some banks offer link data of all card balances and that could help to maintain it, instead of visiting 5-7 websites. & if the Old Balance Transfer Amount has dropped, that would need to be updated occasionally for more exacting numbers.
• Any extra amount after expenses that can go towards Credit Card Purchases, Balance Transfers, Mortgage, etc.

View on Google and Download.

Google Drive

Climate Coalition Companies: Global Disasters & New City Building

Avoiding The End of the World

Creation of the
"Coalition of Companies"

Formation of a bundled group of Major Companies, (publically traded companies)
that participate as New City-Building Sponsors offering Donations (overstocks, etc)
& those companies are given a Government Tax-Reduction Incentive for their participation, from the value of amounts donated.

Basic Plan to Start ASAP:

• #1.) Emergency Tax-Reduction Incentive ruling, from Governments*, supplying the incentives to companies participating in the Disaster Coalition.
• #2.) Then, Companies can rally into participation. "Add our Company to the list".
• #3.) Begin use of the Fulfillment center, and Design planning offices described below.

"New City-Building" Task-Force Companies for the Coalition:

• Delivery
• Airlines.
• Clothing
• Tools (esp. buckets, shovels in the beginning)
• Computers
• Eco Utilities
• Filtration
• Geo Mapping Companies; for best locations
• City Design & Building (software companies, etc.)
• etc.

Likewise: Personal donations to the Climate Disaster Coalition will be direct, a sure "donation" rather than an unsure.

The Coalition of companies, 1 from each country & their major markets: US, CAC, FTSE, DAX,
Indirectly, people will invest in these companies, which will help the companies revenue power & strengthen World Markets.
"Diverting Economic Instability."

*Governments will actually be fine monetarily, from the tax-reduction incentive,
because, normal disaster work has been way too costly to taxpayers already.
Instead of Gov. money from the tax-payers, being spent on all these new disasters,
New money is routed via investors... towards the coalition companies,
bringing less expensive work for the governments.

The Coalition companies are supported by:

• #1.) The Public (donations),
• #2.) Investors (investments)
• #3.) Government (incentives) for their participation.

To Start: Similar to the Salvation Army: Yet, Enhanced with Ecological City-Building

• A large Fullfillment Center warehouse for supplies & goods to be received: & then items shipped to each "New Build" City zone.
• Office group of the Fullfillment Center: keeps track of amounts donated per company. ie.

Items donanted in monetary valuations: ie., Month: Oct, 2022

• ie., 6 sewing machines (for clothing & tents): value $800 to JOAN.
• ie., 30 solar panels & batteries (complete equip.): value: $10800 to TSLA.
• ie., 600 used books (for schools): value: $3000 to AMZN (from unclaimed owner inventories).
• Another office group that's staffed as the "Coalition Center", which keeps track of current planning and logistics per city. (work-at-homes also). New Exodus regions and map plotting for safe city grounds.

"City Design"

• Forms of habitation (homes & buildings),
• Shopping venues,
• Pedestrian paths,
• Gardens,
• Nearby fruit, vegetable & legume food sources,
• & Transportation devices.

Environmental Benefits

Aside from just building a new city from donations, there is the new chance to be "ecological" enough, to attempt to stop the further increases of global warming.

Sincerely,
Therese Vaux de la Fontaine
"The Queen of france"

"Llywelyn The Great" & His Not So Good

Llywelyn The Great

I wanted Better for "The Great"

Disappointed, with the "Great Llywelyn": "Llywelyn Fawr", "Llywelyn ab Iorwerth", "Prince of Wales" & "Llewelyn Mawr". He was a man brought to anger and hatreds too fierce.

A jealousy enough, great enough to destroy any reputation he had from winning battles and conquering Kingdoms.
It's a sorrowful place and time back then 1199 when men killed in battle often. Nearly each warrior had murdered another.

Imagine going to the market, and the men around you had all killed someone. It was a terrible historical age of passion, impatience and no-stop to the ego of conquering.

What Happened?

His wife, daughter of King John (already deceased) cheated on him with a man named, either "Gwilym Brewys" or "William de Braose". In Llywellans mind, his defense of a cheated-heart, ... he had the man hung, and his wife "Lady Joan of England & Snowdon" spent 1 yr imprisoned. All for having an affair.

Dolwyddelan Castle of his Birth

Unjust

Today, this king action would have been a crime, yet back then they were allowed to rule in wicked ways. Including using morality from the religion of the given time, to rule over the life and death of man.

Llywellan was a great conqueror and did quest many lands, some with King John, as his ally, and some not.
Meanwhile, his character did not prove anything but to be spiteful, enforced by his puritanical mindset.

Using "the purity" issue as his best defense, giving him rights to be "righteous". Only proves he was only a follower of the era... and not a changer of the human character, for the better.

Way too aggressive to hang the man, and too aggressive to jail her for 1 yr.
Morality is morality, and he could have cast her aside, and found another more honest wife, like other Kings. Instead, he lived in his bitter, and made her a "moral war" on the home front of Wales.

Imagine the tension, where all must live in a near-church environment, no chance of "eyes to another","no flirting allowed". Adultery, equaling a dead man.

A Jealousy that went too Far

Jealousy

Where I see his actions as that of a coward, the ruling church would have gone along with him. Leaving him as being: "In the Right" to kill, with their moral-reasoning.

True, that by keeping her imprisoned for 1 yr he insured that any child she bore, would not be his. ...&... There's no mention of a birth while she was in prison. However, chances are with this strict "fashion of morality", any infant she bore would have been killed, as an objection to the King.

As much, and as "exciting" it is, to find the former Kings, thus far about 25 Welsh King Crowns, (from my lines). It bodes the question of their temperance, their devout organization of self and reason.

It was a brutal response, not thought-out, merely proving that Llywelyan was on edge, and would kill others for various reasons, & not only reasons of battle.

Respect is lost on him, not a judge-wise, not a thinker of human frailty and misdemeanors. Instead, just a thug reaction. Too impassioned into vengeance. "Nobody ever wrongs me". An attitude of a weak-ruler, a ruler who required the "negative example", to bring fear to all others.

Genealogy Notes

My Kings & Crowns of Europe Sheet General Links:
Link to wiki: Llywelyn The Great

Garden Theme: Narrow Gardens

The Wizard of Oz Garden

Narrow is Narrow Folks

3-10 feet across and yet skilled with magnificent wonder, ready for fairies and butterflies to jingle jangle along..
The direction is up to you, whether overtly modern, & contemporary with hard edges, or even billowing with hints of a subtle romantic in-tune with the gorgeous cottage floral style.

Narrow can accommodate waterways, and unusual walkways, to the point of an amusement theme. It's all up to your style, because narrow really is narrow, and a contrast to who you are in a small space would be upsetting.

It's time to be Lavish, and Decadent with Climbing Vines and Archways.

Garden in a Teacup

Time to laugh and play with the Teacup!

It's amazing and really called a mini-garden, not a narrow or small-spaced. It's my honorable mention though. A garden unique and with it the miniature requires a very passive and peaceful person. Not sloppy or unorganized. Maintenance is tiny shears and really a fun effect for apartment and condo owners to embark in.

Green plants are good & healing, no matter how small.

A Narrow "Beau",
Beautiful and Fragrant

Hidden Rooms of the Narrow Beau

This beauty is very casual, and contains hedge rooms, with places to sit down off in the distance. It allows for the meander through, adding depth and dimension right away. Bringing mystery and curiosity into each new garden "room". Each small and narrow space filled with its relaxed and specialties. From a fountain here or there, to a small chair. Note the pathway stones and a few stairs to add levels.

Starter Features for Narrow Gardens

Space is limited, so we have to get over the fact that the narrow space will not expand, or convert into tiny homes, unless that was your objective. & move your garden onto the rooftop. For most though, the narrow zone, is still useful as a glamorous garden space, for wildlife to enjoy as well. Therefore, all we can do is go with a set theme throughout to maximize the effect.

1. Large & small trees
2. Floral, Green or Variegated bushes
3. Vines & Climbing Roses
4. Calming ground-covers
5. Water feature: waterfall, pond or small brook (river)
6. Moat style: large water pond with the walkway or bridge
7. Quiet outdoor space with a bench, lounge, table or desk
8. Delicate Pathways or Heavy and definite
9. Gate or Statuesque Entrance
10. Pergolas
11. Garden Ornament
12. Easy to Water
13. Possible to grow vegetables, fruits or berries
14. An outdoor lounge room for pets.

Straight & Narrow

The Curvy Garden Fix

Straight or Curvy?

For the bike in a hurry type-of-person, straight is the best, but for a zen effect or a garden with a home effect, curvy is better. Less tunnel vision, out to the street and all the worries of the outside world, that go with that tunnel vision. Fears subside and paranoia lessens. "Curvy" is a garden for your well-being as well.

Not that we demand to hide away for comfort, in our houses and gardens, but we are more relaxed in a sheltered space. Which is obviously more comfortable and peaceful, not feeling overlooked, nor ready to be solicited, or even worse have the feeling of being interrupted by witnessing cars drive-by on a noisy thoroughfare. It's about the state of mind, bringing calm to oneself, as much as possible in order to cope with the external problems of the day.

High Deck Garden

Hill Creation Garden

Adding Garden Depth... Woodsy or View

Literally steps up, with the "climbing a mountain effect", how glorious and near to a Spiritual Nature God. & Yet so narrow, it's my favorite on this page, creating a garden forest also, a major wow. Squirrels are chattering and chickadees are definitely keeping this little garden as a nest-over. "Woodsy"

The high deck space is very interesting, probably holds storage underneath and even lifts up for a "View" off into the distance. What a neat place for a drink or even eat lunch. Here the straight path doesn't bother, as it's not so far, tricky-tiled and different from the outside world.

Interesting Fence

Garden Seating

Seating: Benches & Chairs

Seating can be unique and even "wild", with a hammock chair hanging from a tree. An old metal chair painted in interesting colors can create a gardeners charm, also. A nice wooden bench is substantial, and a pergola will even add further shelter and shade. A wooden Chaise lounge, to take a nap, or even camp-out under the stars. Seating can be ornamental or really in-use often. All part of the fun that makes the garden your entertainment motif. All narrow-garden approved !

Wooden Walkways

Stone Walkways

Ponds with Tiptoe Walkways Across

For the Recluse or the Magical Cave Keepers, a very different entrance, to achieve a mini-moat effect. Instead of the tulips to tiptoe across, tiptoe over the water of your lily-pad pond. Insanely beautiful and organic. Beckoning a wild duck to stopover and visit. Impossible? In the tiny narrow? Not at all.

French Formal
with High-Edging:

Don't forget the look of France.
The old stone facades help create an instant ambiance, to take you there when you step out your door.
Formal Topiaries
at the ready to dot around, next to a garden planting bed. The higher-edging planting beds are great for bulbs and perennials, while they raise smaller trees for a natural shade canopy.

French Formal

Pretty Pathway

Dainty Path
that wakes
into tomorrow...
hindered never
by stolen dreams.
 
Cheerful heart of love
adorns in splendour.
 
"Tiny garden, I love you.."

The Young Rulers: James III of Scotland & Margaret of Denmark

James III and Margaret:
King & Queen of Scotland

Arranged Marriage, by King Charles VII of France.

A marriage set in stone: James was born in 1451 & Margaret in 1456. At less than five yrs of age, there was talk that she was set to marry James.

After clarity of debts owned to Denmark were realized, Charles VII from the house of Valois, made his political suggestion for the two to marry.

The 13-yr old bride Margaret, became
the "Queen of the Scots".

Stirling Castle

Moving away from Denmark, the only daughter of Christian I and Agnes (Dorethea) Brandenburg, headed to Stirling castle, to rule her new kingdom, "Scotland". Which indirectly gained Orkney, Shetland, Hebrides, and the Isle of Man... all due to her non-paid dowry. The original dowry of 60,000 Florins, which also included that any former debts that Scotland owed Denmark were to be cleared. (long-held debts from James and other past Scottish Kings).

Not so fast though, while Margaret of Denmark was newly given 1/3 of all Scottish Kingdom income, for her side of the marriage deal. Her father Christian of Denmark did not pay the dowry, only 2,000. So, in essence James was stinted 58,000 Florins and ended up with islands instead. Perhaps very confusing to James, with both the Kings of France and Denmark pushing him to marry.

It was not a happy marriage, though, they lived perched up and away in their different castles.
Military styled Castles on steep cliffs, without extensive gardens.

Edinburgh Castle

He lived most of the time in Edinburgh Castle which overlooks the city, and she preferred her mountain-top view while raising her children to be at Stirling, high above the rest of the world in the countryside.

Somehow, as the years have passed on, generation to generation, we know that the married couple... apparently copulated only for propagation purposes. A lack-luster love pairing to say the least, a financial coup of Scottish Income for Margaret and a land claim for James.

Nothing to do with her beauty or attitude? Love lost? She wore very expensive haute couture to impress. Perhaps one of them was "gay" or "frigid" or the business of being King was just filled with constant troubles.

James was only 9 years old when his father died, crowned "King of the Scats". Then he had another 8 yrs to acquire debt. The marriage to Margaret was normally to be his financial trump card, and at the age of 17, he was to be "in the money" again. Yet, It was just those missing Florins that probably nagged at him and her, the missing Rhenish florins. Christian I to blame, turning her dowry into a near nothing, only the "No war state with Denmark" with the "keep-allow" of the outer islands.

Father to James:
King of Scotland,
James II

King of Scotland, James III

All that the "impoverished" Denmark could do, was drop their Military push on those outer islands. Possibly Denmark had planned to stop fighting over those islands and forfeit them anyway, plus Christian I, didn't have to pay the dowry.

James may have appeared like the new King on the block, to many people though, the islands making the country of Scotland its largest ever. They probably even had to change all of their maps, costing even more money.

Surely, England would have become very interested though, by the new Monster-Sized "Scotland". Where to next? Would the Scots take England or Ireland? All plausible. It was a historical land grab, that provoked World interest.

Ross, Scotland

Old Earl Macdonald & the Land of "Ross"

As the yrs past, James wanted his 2nd son to become the Earl of Ross. A good location, so James called Macdonald to "treason." However, his wife Margaret, Queen of the Scots, made the political decision, to allow Macdonald his freedom, his lands & continued status.

A further thorn for their marriage. Why did she side with a stranger & forfeit her son's rights? I can only presume, she liked to mingle with the social classes, and didn't want to make any waves against "the party group of nobles". Plus, going into battle in the North was expensive, and possibly she was told by her father in Denmark, to "maintain the peace".

The Unusual Gold Coin: "The Unicorn's" were Minted.

Yet, there was
"The Disfavor of James"

His action against Macdonald created an uproar & Margaret had to plea for the rights of James, for him to maintain his power of rule. All of which may have pushed her too far. The two became more estranged, and her religious self more pious. While his city was Edinburgh and her Castle was Stirling. "City & County" a marriage like a magazine title.

James was not adored by Scottish nobles either, because he only chose certain favorites and gave them expensive gifts and land. Those friends were called out as "wary characters". No mention of gambling debts, but normally wary friends go hand-in-hand with some sort of debt-owed. Chances are he was taken advantage of by them financially, from a very young age, as they "oogled" at his properties.

A mistake from James, was that he didn't make peace at home with the nobles, which eventually brought him to his death.

Sadness for the People, Due to Losing their Young Monarchs

The Young Queen died at age 30 from an illness, in her nested castle.
Two yrs later James died at 36. Some say he was killed in battle, others say, he fell off his horse during battle, injured & taken into safety... only to be brutally stabbed to death by opposing rebels, the horrible rebels that were led by his own 15 yr old son.

The War Years Before James III was Killed

The years preceding James' death, were filled with political disruption and even battleships. He sided with England & then called to France for weapons, and all sorts of problems "Arose"...

The desperate nobles convinced his own son, "first-born James IV", to fight against his father, during the rebel battle, the very same battle that brought the King's death.

Elites from many other countries had also become involved,
but I'm not a "war story" verbatim-exact type of story-teller here.

Just a few facts, like he was imprisoned for a time, in his beloved Edinburgh Castle.
There was talk of his escape with bed sheets from high windows, after he either:
caused his guard to pass out from binge-drinking, or he actually killed his guard.

Therefore, it appears his last few years were troubled, with Armada-styled ships invading cities, castles burned, and his first son becoming his enemy. Not a laissez-faire lifestyle at all, rather one that was very tumultuous, stressful & uneasy

Golden Rose

The Golden Rose

Even the Pope sent James a rare rose, which became an "unlucky" gift, like it was "the kiss of death" from Rome. Thereafter, he was further attacked, imprisoned and killed, just 2 yrs later.

Why would the Pope be mingling in Scottish Politics?
England was pushing-in for Dominion land takes, and France was involved, Navarre and other high Counts from Spain were all dabbling into the foggy Scottish Highlands. All looking for land claims, available and easy.

Edinburgh Castle

A Broken Scotland

It looks as if, James hadn't created enough supporters to maintain the border rights. Had he gone with the Lairds and nobles and respected their dominions of "chateau keeping", he would have created a region of "stability". Scottish leadership had became divisive, so much so, that it practically wooed the International takers into war.

Conclusion to his Son James IV

At the age of 15, James IV became the next King of the Scots. However, he ruled under bevies of guilt due to his fathers murder. Being pushed into leading that opposing side.

War never left his past time though, ordering the build of approx. 38 ships, an Armada to protect Scotland. 25 yrs Later, his reign ended when he was killed in battle as well.

Genealogy Notes

James II, III, IV run thru my "Thomas" line.

General Links:

Wiki: James III, King of Scotland and Margaret of Denmark.

Ottokar III King of Hungary "Bela V": Imprisoned

Ottokar III King of Hungary

Ottokar... on his Way
to Hungarian Rule

The former 12-yr old ruler of Hungary, Wenceslaus III, had inherited Bohemia and at the age of 16 left Hungary... and renounced his throne away, to Ottokar.

Already 44, born in 1261, Royalty was nothing new to Ottokar, because he had already been Duke of Lower Bavaria for 22 years. Otto had even engaged in a vicious battle at Golheim, over electoral princes. Where his side, ruled by King Adolf of Nassau, died by the hands of the Albert I of Habsburgs army. Later Albert I was renamed Albert the One-Eyed due to injuries..

Ottokar was also of Hungarian royal blood. The son of Henry XIII & Elizabeth of Hungary (1236 – 24 October 1271, daughter of King Béla IV and Maria Laskarina. Most likely due to his age, he was disputed.

Crown of Hungary

To be Crowned

He traveled a dangerous distance under a commoners disguise to become King. Venturing, to Buda (pest), acting and clothed like a merchant for protection because of the Hapsburg soldiers near the border.

In Buda, he was officially crowned as "King of Hungary", by the Holy Bishops of Veszprém and Csanád.
Along with being given title rule over the lands of Croatia.

Some new Silver denar coins were also minted.

While Hungary was essentially given to Ottokar in 1305, his Monarchy as "Bela V", wasn't an easy keep.

He held the title as the Hungarian King for only 4 years, with the enchanting & symbolic golden crown of Hungary "St. Stephan", from Kings of the past eras.

Charles I
Ottokar's Opponent
& Successor to Hungary

 

However, during his reign, Charles I was unstoppable, and called Ottokar out as the "Anti-King"

Charles I became Otto's ousting successor.

Ambitious Charles was determined to become King, siding with nobles who preferred his methods.

 

Captured in Transylvania

To further his predicament, Ottokar was captured during a visit into the wealthy lordship lands of Transylvania. He was imprisoned for a year by the "Voivode of Transylvania," "Ladislaus Kán".

However, Ladislaus did not remove Ottokar from his Sovereignty though. Instead, Ladislaus merely held Ottokar, away from being able to rule as King. Leaving the status of the kingdom in limbo.

Abdication of His Throne To Charles I

Ladislaus eventually freed Ottokar, who quickly escaped away back into Bavaria. At that point, Ottokar abdicated the throne to Charles in 1308.

So, it wasn't until, 1308 that Charles actually received the status along with the "believable" King of Hungary crown. & another 10 -12 yrs until he seized Hungary by force away from regional lords, that Hungary truly became his keep.

Burghausen Castle (Ottokar's Domain)
& the Longest castle in the world

His Sparse Home-life

Born in being a Bavarian Duke, his path was set into politics. However, he lived much of his adult life without a spouse. He lost 2 infant sons and was then his wife Catherine of Habsburg died, where he then became a widow for 23 yrs.

Not until he married Agnes Glogau of Bavaria, was Otto a father again: to his daughter Agnes of Wittelsbach and Henry XV, Duke of Bavaria. Ottokar died at the age of 51, just a few years after his children were born, in the German Bavarian town of Landshut

Conclusion

Even with coins and an illustrious royal crown, someone can still call into question who is to be the ruler of a Kingdom.
All in all, the disfavor of Ottokar, being the son of a Duke of Bavaria, plus his own rule of Bavaria must have gone against him. Not only with his opponent Charles, but in the eyes of others.

The Hungarian nobles would have still wanted warrior leaders, Kings who looked ready to fight; like famous Kings in Hungarian history. Charles fit the "look" of a younger conquering spirit, increasing his popularity, no doubt.

In truth, most of the people didn't have a choice of which King, it could have been an 8 yr old boy or a 95 yr old man. Charles simply was naturally suited, with his "brawn", to effect himself as a capable knight, rather than being just a less active political leader. By appearing ready to fight with his armies, it would have allowed for idolization and favoritism by the people.

Genealogy Notes

Issue with his ascending children linking through from Burgandy or Naples. Some data has changed since.
Mary of Hungary's line is confirmed through Blanche D'Anjou, & later Bela IV, but Ottokar the "Anti-King" is in question if he's a real ancestor or not.
General Links:
Wiki: Otto III : Bela V
and Dukes of Bavaria

Andrew II of Hungary: "The Braided King"

Andrew II King of Hungary

Manly King Andrew II, Braids & All

A leader of the wicked Crusades? Beginning with a murky tale of succession after Béla the III died.

Béla's son, Emeric, became King of Hungary and ruled for 8 years.
During which time Andrew convinced Emeric to forfeit his lands of "Dalmatia and Croatia", and title them to his name.

Then, Emeric became quite ill and died, leaving the Kingdom of Hungary to his 4-5 yr old son Ladislas the III.
Ladislas the III, died within 6 months of his "child rule", and immediately, thereafter: Andrew became King of Hungary.

Statue of Andrew II

Árpád Dynasty King at 28 Years Old

Now, if Andrew was dedicated to the "Throne", and exceedingly ambitious, he very well could have secretly ordered the death of the young boy. "A boy king?"
The chances are quite high Ladislas was poisoned.

Not much is said though, about the upstaging "all of a sudden" from Andrew.
After all, Andrew was a true descendant of Béla, just known to be pushy for land and titles with his older brother Emeric.
Therefore, thoughts can't help but to linger towards if the boy was assassinated in a quest for power.

It was power too, Andrew reigned from 1205 to 1235, 30 years as King.
He built an army of 15,000 men with horses, & countless infantry, all requiring food, housing and provisions. Andrew and his army traversed, and claimed: Halych and Lodomeria in the Rus territories after many failed battles.

Andrew's father, Béla the III
John of Gaunt, England
being his descendant look-a-like.

To the Crusades

However, Andrew's father, Béla the III had wanted the Crusades to take hold. So, in effect Andrew eventually followed his father's orders.

The dutiful son fulfilling his destiny off to the Holy Land, the 5th historical Crusade for a military coup d'etats. He had been fighting for years prior so he may have already experienced too much sadness from war and by losing his first Queen. Not alone in this quest, Leopold of Austria, The Templars, Teutonic Knights, & The Emperor of Constantinople, John of Brienne

In Jordan and Andrew achieved only a mild success, when the Egyptian Sultan Al-Adil I, Sultan of Egypt forfeited. Andrew became more intrigued though, by the local trinkets and after a years time returned to Hungary.

Returning to Hungary, finding disquieted nobles demanding freedoms from non-paid Military duty and over-taxation.

The Golden Bull

In 1222, he decreed "the Golden Bull", to include some limits to his power, increasing nobility power in the counties, plus freeing the elites from taxation and being in the military without a hefty pay scale. Surely, he was pushed to it, the expenditure of running his kingdom was costly, constantly having to sell his lands and castle quests, in order to maintain his "powerful stance in the public eye".

By creating his "rich coup of noble friends" they were given a trump card, to look lightly upon him with favoritism in the immediate future.

The Golden Bull was essentially the same as the rich guise under to this day. Using corporate leveraging to remove themselves from being drafted, and lobbyists to increase their business powers. The free taxation in our today's time is "Golden Bull" given to certain businesses: agriculture, forestry, weaponry, gas & oil and other tax-free and tax-reduced government granted subsidies.

What a tangle of the rich to keep, since 1222.

Queen Gertrude of Hungary
Mother of Béla the IV
Murdered by Peter

Andrew's Wives

During his campaign of Galicia in the Kingdom of Ruthenia, from the North Sea to the Black Sea. "When the cats away, the mice will play", and his Gertrude*, lost her life.
In 1213, The Lords of Hungary murdered his wife Queen Gertrude of Merania & most of her courtiers, due to her & her court, siding with the Germans. Upon his return Andrew had the murderer, "Peter, son of Töre" was executed, and Andrew left the other lords, to be named as perverts.

There was quite a bit of murderous fallout with the Germans, even between the Germans themselves at the time. The group of Lords feared a German takeover, and apparently not the wrath nor chance of death from Andrew, upon his return.

What can be said about the year 1213, a despicable number 13. Raining itself throughout history.

Three years past, and he married again, to Yolanda de Courtenay later to Beatrice d'Este in 1233.

Andrew's Age-gap Wives

1. Queen Gertrude (Merania) was 8 yrs younger.
2. Yolanda de Courtenay was 23 years younger.
3. & Beatrice d'Este was 38 yrs younger.

Andrew's End

Andrew died shortly after his trip to Vienna, in 1235. At the age of 58.

In the Summer of 1235, he made a trip of demands to Austria, to retrieve indemnification costs from Duke Frederick, whose troops had recently caused damages when they raided Hungary.

Béla the IV King of Hungary
Son of Andrew II & Gertrude

Andrew's Son: The next King of Hungary, "Béla the IV"

*During Gertrude's short life, before being murdered in the Pilis Hills, on 28 September 2013, Queen Gertrude of Merania, bore Andrews' Royal son, Béla. He became the next King of Hungary, "Béla the IV" immediately after Andrew's death. Béla, was named ruler of Hungary at the age of 29, and ruled for 35 years. A larger Army than his father, of 60,000, with many battles away from Hungary, and yet he was known more for being defeated by the Mongols.

Son of Béla III of Hungary. Andrew reigned during 1205 to 1235, 30 years. King of Jerusalem, Hungary and Croatia.

Genealogy Notes

*My ancestral Queen from Andrew's wives: Queen Gertrude.
link to wiki: Andrew II
xlsx sheet link: 10 "Andrew II" Crowns:
Mother’s Ancestry side: Baker, Thomas (4), Sevey (2), Vaux (2), Williams
or the Kings of Europe Chart: Ancestry Kings Chart

Theme Gardens: Japanese Shofuso with Zen

A Serene Garden

Zen, Shofuso & Ikebano

The Tranquil, "Pine Breeze Villa", Flower arrangements on a grand scale.
Imagine walking into your own backyard, and it was a real forest scene with delicate formed topiaries of azaleas with thick green carpets of clovers and mosses.

A large pond or waterfall hosting fish, with tall pines to nest the birds.
Poetic, quiet, and serene.

Pond with Floral Bushes

Japanese Garden House

Well, the option to create a little Japanese house that borders the garden edge would be more official-looking. Yet, it's not necessary. A few Japanese-looking screens, and occasional lanterns along the side of the house area will help fit the Japanese style.

How Popular Are They?

The sanctuary garden effect is really for the home-owner to experience every day. However, they're such interesting gardens, that you might attract a bunch of curious people, who would love to see your "Japanese Forest"

Smaller Shofuso Garden

Backyard Spaces: Large & Small

The conversion would take some effort, but even a smaller garden can accommodate the theme., A few basic items help to define the space as a Shofuso:

1. Pine trees
2. Water feature: waterfall, pond or brook (river)
3. Floral bushes
4. Calm ground-covers
5. Delicate Pathways
6. A Bridge, with or without a small island.
7. Large Garden Ornament(s), boulders
8. Low maintenance, once established.

Oddly, planting varieties are much more minimal in retrospect to a typical English Cottage Garden. The bushes tamed into rounded forms, with ground-cover which takes up most of the ground space.

The sky itself is often an important interplay, where clouds chance the mirror upon the water.

However, it's not for everyone to have an open garden look. If left too-open, the garden could be appear as "amusement-park tacky", like a disneyland with it's very open sky, waiting for a giant costumed creature to shake your hand.
The trusty trees are a mandatory planting, in order to create the "symbolic refuge effect".

Shofuso River Look

Waterfalls & Rivers

The meandering river directly off from a back porch would be amazing. Water intensive though, an easier garden in rainy regions, especially.

Desert gardeners, the re-circulation process can be done, even filtered gray water sent from the house to create a humid environment. In drought areas, ponds & mini-rivers would need to be replenished with water often. i.e., an average desert region pond requires a refill once a week during the summer of approx 10 - 20%.

Waterfall with Koi Fish

Believe it or not, some states do not allow the plumbers to re-route gray water, so, gray-water is an Ecological Political issue.
Converted, Laundry and shower water (botanical soaps) can bring thousands of gallons into a garden space from an avergae sized house. If you do it yourself, it may effect your property re-sell values. The thousands of gardening gallons are there, they're simply going into the sewer systems. Another political fight on the eco-table.

Mosquitoes are an issue, but with fish the larvae doesn't late long, and becomes their dinner. I prefer to include the mosquito dunks & recirculating the water as a precaution.

Water features of course also attract, small mammals, birds, amphibians (toads, frogs and salamanders), snakes and even turtles.

Philadelphia Shofuso Gardens

Famous Japanese Gardens

There are the Shofuso in Philadelphia and The Huntington Botanical in Los Angeles. As well as a few other notables like the busy Japanese Tea Gardens in San Francisco, with it's steep bridge.

The Huntington using more of the Ikenobo technique which can look a bit more wilded. Allowing for large decorative grasses.

Huntington Botanical Gardens

Note, the size of the Huntington, which in the image, is actually the same as a typical backyard (rear garden) space in the USA.
 
Showing that given the chance, the delicate theme of a Zen directional garden, from Japan can exist on most plots of property.
 

List of Japanese Gardens
in the United States.

Cherry Blossoms & Geta's

Don't forget your Geta's !
Fun wooden sandals worn by men and women.
Ready to pour tea,
while resting into the ideal of a respected space.

Japanese Geta Garden Shoes

Waterfall's Plethera

Cherry blossoms to Weeping pines
bringing the Japanese motif into reality.
Imagine the birds, as they stop over,
 

"What is this magnificence,
the land of Nature's Utopia?
I must stay & rest my idle hours,
to ponder my journey's next."