The Queen's Christmas Message, 2012

The Queen's Christmas Message has always been a highlight of my Christmas Day, ever since Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952. At home, when I was growing up, the push would be on to have Christmas dinner eaten and everything cleared away, so that the whole family could gather around the radio - then, in later years, the TV - to listen to/watch the Queen, at two o'clock in the afternoon (or was it three o'clock??).. What changes she - and we - have witnessed during those 60 years of her reign! I have just 'gathered around' my netbook to watch this year's message - and now I am passing along the link to you, so that you can click below and enjoy the Queen's Christmas Message whenever you wish - regardless of whether or not you have your Christmas dinner dishes washed and put away!

Christmas greetings to all my faithful, and patient, readers!!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/12/24/queen-christmas-address-2012-commonwealth.html 

Christmas Greetings to One and All!!

Popping up out of the Pier Poinsettia!

This wave is for YOU...

Too chilly to sit on THAT saddle....

With Merlie, in a one-horse open sleigh....but the horse has fled!!

Troll the ancient yule-tide carol......FA LA LA LA LA LA LA!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL!!

In Remembrance of....

 

Visiting Canada, Summer 1970

Stopping to enjoy a view in the Okanagan

All aboard for the Columbia Icefields!

Peyto Lake viewpoint

The two intrepid travellers prepare to leave Vancouver...

103 Years Ago Today.....

...a baby girl, Phyllis (Phyl) Hilda, was born to Maud Carrie and Harold Hier-Davies, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Her parents had left England in 1906, to homestead in western Canada. They had made several stops along the way, planning eventually to settle in British Columbia, but by the winter of 1909, had only made it as far west as the adjacent province of Alberta. In the Edmonton area, Maud and Harold had friends, so this was where they decided to settle for a while, and it was here that Phyl was born. However, shortly after this happy event, life for this little pioneer family took a disastrous turn, when Phyl's dashing, adventurous father contracted polio, dying when Phyl was only ten month's old. Phyl always regretted never having known her father, and was always eager to learn as much as she could about her father's side of the family..... Having no means of supporting herself and baby Phyl, Maud returned to England, where a couple of years later, she married a former beau.

It wasn't until the summer of 1970 that Phyl next set foot on Canadian soil, but she was always very proud of her Canadian roots - and she herself would definitely have made a great pioneer! During the next 25 years, she paid several visits to Canada, initially with husband, Jimmy, then after his death in November, 1979, became quite a jet-setter in her own right....

On May 5, 2012, Phyl's earthly pilgrimage drew to a close, but on this her birthday, we cherish lovingly the memories of her that we all share......