Jim, thank you for the lovely pictures, especially the paintings. The one of Victoria at four years of age brought back so many memories for me. My Grandmother had an identical one of little Victoria hanging in her miniscule dining room in Chiswick. So some of my earliest memories are of gazing at that little figure, and wishing I could dress up like her! I think after all that "bubbly", we did a passable version of the Tango! Mind you my neck is suffering this morning after all those all those sudden turns! While you rest your weary bodies and recuperate from all of the partying I will tell you some more of Alix (as she is now known) and Nicky her fiance.........Alix visited England and spent some time at Harrogate hoping that the waters would help her painful legs. I never told you before but she suffered all her life with painful legs due to an accident, playing with her siblings outside in the garden. She was chasing her brother and sister and crashed into an area where there were seedlings growing. She immersed herself in the waters at Harrogate, and begun studying Russian with her teacher Catherine Schneider, a Baltic Russian Nicky had engaged to instruct her. To avoid journalists and the British public she was incognito as Baroness Starkenburg. She soon lost her privacy, her true identity was discovered, people crowded around her lodging, observing her every coming and going. Nicky arrived for a month long visit, Alix travelled from Harrogate to Walton to her sister Victoria's house. They went for drives, and picnics, breakfasted with Queen Victoria at Frogmore. Nicky had already given Alix a beautiful pink diamond engagement ring, along with a necklace of jewels so dazzling she "nearly fainted". Now he added other engagement gifts: a pink pearl necklace and ring, a bracelet with an enormous emerald, a saphire and diamond brooch, Some of the jewelry send from the Tsar's court was very costly and when Grandmother Victoria saw it she was quick to chide. "Now do not get too proud Alix". All too soon the day came for Nicky to return to Russia, they were both very sad at parting but looked forward to meeting in two months at Wolfsgarten. Meanwhile Alix would continue with her Russian lessons and training for formal acceptance into the Orthodox church...............
Doris M. Lediard ● 6678d
VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvThere are some great sights in the land of Sibelius!(Vaeltaga’s picture on Flickr)vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvClearing the snow away in Finland(henribonell’s picture)VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvOh goodo we’re coming up to the Finno/Russian border..Vyborg here we come!Busy crossing look at all those lorries!Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(Thank you HBCold) I’d better put the camera away.Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv