Today I want to share three of what I think are the prettiest Christmas songs of the past sixty years. They are not carols, but they do bring the spirit of the season. The first is “I Believe in Father Christmas” by Greg Lake. A bit of interesting trivia about this song is he did not compose it as a celebration of the season, but rather as a protest over what he saw as the increasing commercialization of the holiday….
Today, in honor of Remembrance Day here in Canada and Veteran’s Day in the US, I wanted to express my appreciation for all who have served their country in past conflicts and those who do so now. I thank you for your sacrifice and acknowledge the debt I, and millions of people living in freedom all over the world, owe you. My thoughts go to my father, who served in the South Pacific as a US Marine in the Second…
Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. As with so many times of the year, it arrives ahead of our American friends’ observation of the occasion. (Please don’t take offense, my tongue was firmly in my cheek as I wrote that last sentence.) My eldest sister lives in Utah, so I have a habit of pointing that out to her every year. What is a younger brother for, if not to bother older siblings, of which I have two? In Canada, the…
Monday is Labor Day in Canada and the US. It’s a federal holiday that celebrates the contributions of workers, whether or not union, to the country’s development. The three-day weekend it falls on is called Labor Day Weekend. Alternative accounts of the event’s origin exist. Descendants of two men with similar last names claim their great-grandfather was the true father of the holiday. One early history of Labor Day suggests it started in 1882 during a Knights of Labor meeting…
Happy Fourth of July, folks! Today’s the day that Americans celebrate the obtaining of independence through activities like eating food from the grill, swimming, and setting off fireworks. We can’t set off fireworks where we live, but my eldest daughter isn’t very fond of them regardless, so we’re intending to make some food on the red-white-and-blue theme! Like RW&B fruit skewers, which we did a few years ago! I hope everyone has a safe and pleasant day, whatever you decide…
We have come to a new year. I don’t look back especially fondly on 2022. There were good times, certainly, but we lost my soulmate dog in November, and I just don’t think that’s something I can easily recover from. As the days go by, I don’t see him as often from the corner of my eye, and I don’t as often plot out strategic shutting of baby-gates or placement of cat food to ensure he goes where he is…
Here is the final chapter of our little tale. As always, if you have missed the previous chapters, you can find the story here. I hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas, everyone! *** Disaster struck on Christmas Eve. Until the moment when it happened, Darcy had been considering what he might do to claim the fair Miss Elizabeth Bennet for himself and foil the odious toad of her cousin, several delightful possibilities flitting through his mind, while ignoring Miss Bingley’s…
With Christmas mere days from now, I thought I’d mix the holiday with some trivia about the Rockefeller Christmas Tree in New York City. This might be the most recognizable Christmas tree in the world and, based on the time, effort, and money that goes into creating this magnificent display every year, the title is well deserved. Every one of these trees is massive, ranging in height from 69 to 100 feet. Decorating takes almost two weeks and the lighting…
This chapter was written amidst the craziness of the holiday season. I have not even done my usual multi-review proofreading (or even a single proofreading), so I apologize! Missed one of the parts? Here’s Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and Chapter 4! Chapter 5 When the day of the Christmas assembly dawned, Elizabeth seriously considered whether to spend most of the day in bed, feigning a headache and avoiding the effusions of the exhausting parson who was the…
As this will be my last post before Christmas, aside from the final chapter of our serial, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas! Whatever creed, religion, or belief system you ascribe to, I hope you have an amazing holiday season and a peaceful and happy New Year. As a final Christmas wish, I’d like to share with you a bit of holiday cheer from my family. The video I have attached below is the full cantata,…