ABC Wednesday, R for Rattling Baby

Some toys are very simple and give as much joy as the most expensive gadgets. See how the baby moves the empty box from one hand to the other hand and back again.
The baby is my youngest grandchild, but you've probably guessed that already. Here she was almost 11 months old.

 With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with R.

Weekend Reflections, Our World Tuesday.

This photo was taken a few years ago in May. This year the birds are still not nestling

  Weekend Reflections was started on 27 September 2009, by  James. You can join this meme at some time during the weekend. Just post your photo and go to  James to tell him that you are on, or click on the logo in the sidebar.This meme is created for any type of reflection.

Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our  logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar.
 

ABC Wednesday, Q for Queen Beatrix

After 33 years Queen Beatrix leaves the throne to her eldest son Willem- Alexander.

Speech of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander to honour his mother the ex-Queen.


My dear Mother,
As Queen you were fully conscious of the responsibilities attached to your position. You were utterly dedicated to the duties of your office. But you were also a daughter, a wife, a mother and head of the family. And you have always sought to do full justice to each of those responsibilities. Sometimes you felt torn, but you combined your many duties with great inspiration. You never refused a request for help. Even in times of personal sorrow you supported us all in the most loving and dependable manner.
With the help of my father, you developed your own style as Queen. You never chose the easy path of fleeting popularity. You navigated stormy waters, charting a sure and steady course in the knowledge that you were part of a long tradition.
Now, I follow in your footsteps. And I have a clear picture of my duties. No one knows what the future may hold. But wherever my path leads, and however long it may be, I will always carry with me your warmth and your wisdom.
I know that I speak for many in the Netherlands and in the Caribbean parts of our Kingdom when I say: thank you for all the wonderful years in which you served as our Queen.

Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our  logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with Q.

The Inauguration of the new King

Queen Beatrix(1980-2013)

Queen Beatrix signs the Abdication Deed and becomes Princess again

This week we watched the ceremony of the inauguration of the new Dutch king. It all happened on Queensday 30th April 2013.

The King signs too.

As soon as the Queen had signed this deed her son became King.

His signature is a kind of formality. His wife the Princess Maxima was the third one to sign and thereafter all members of parliament signed as witnesses of this ceremony.

1Princess Beatrix announces to the people that her son is king now.
Photo by Floris Looijesteijn

After the presentation of the King. The Family went to the New Church where the inauguration  took place in the company of royalties all over the world.

2The royal family including the three children of Willem-Alexander and Maxima
Photo by Floris Looijesteijn.

Queen Beatrix was the only ex queen at that moment.
All the royal foreign guests were crown-princes and their spouses. There was one exception: Crown-princess Victoria of Sweden. She came with her husband.






Photos 1 and 2 are taken by Floris Looijesteijn, as you see I thought they are a lot better than mine.












The square in front of the Palace in Amsterdam was packed with enthusiastic people, all of them wearing something orange. They could attend the whole ceremony  which would happen in the New Church on large screens around the square.

The New Church

 Nieuwe Kerk
The Nieuwe Kerk as seen from Dam Square General information







Construction started c. 1385

The Nieuwe Kerk , New Church  is a 15th-century church in Amsterdam, located on Dam Square, next to the Royal Palace.
The Nieuwe Kerk is a burial site for Dutch naval heroes, including Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, Commodore Jan van Galen and Jan van Speyk. The poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel is also buried in the church.

Prince Håkon and Mette Marit of Norway

Crown-prince of Japan and Princess  Masako.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall

Taking the oath

ABC Wednesday, P for Platypus

This animal was very difficult  to see , but a sculptor showed us what we could possibly expect to see if we were lucky.

 Here is what it tells us about himself:
"Burrows and Babies
I dig a long nesting burrow in which to lay my 1,2,3 small leatherly eggs.
The burrow needs tree roots to hold the structure from collapsing, and prevent soil from being washed away."

"I collect all kinds of leaves and twigs rolled in my wide flattened tail, for lining my nest. When my babies hatch they suck milk from my golden coloured belly fur and stay in the burrow for months growing very round and chubby!"

Platypus on the mainland of Australia may have their burrow entrances below the water's edge, but mine is often above and  and well hidden under tussocks.










With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with P.

Our World Tuesday, The Netherlands,

Tomorrow our new King will have his inauguration. He will not be crowned, but his crown will be lying on a table together with the other regalia. The reason why the Crownprince will not be crowned is that this inauguration is a state affair. There is a separation of  Church from State. So there cannot be a member of the church ( in this case the Dutch Protestant Church) to crown him. In a former post I said that the crown  was too big and too heavy  for the royal heads, but that was of course meant as a joke.  ;) Lol.

Wikipedia says:

"In 1840, when King Willem I abdicated and a new crown was made. This small crown contains no real diamonds or pearls. It was made of gilded silver, balls covered with fish skin and glass with coloured foil behind it. The lining was made of red silk. Willem II and his successors chose not to wear it, but to leave it on a special table during the ceremony when both the King and the States-General take the oath.The crown was used in royal funerals.
In 1898, 24 of the 74 pearls were removed as the crown was prepared for the installation of Queen Wilhelmina. The crown has not changed since then. It was the monarch's private property until 1963. It was given to a foundation controlled by the Royal Family and has never been on display, except for the investitures of 1898, 1948, 1980, a funeral in 1934 and an exhibition in 1990."

Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our new logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar.

ABC Wednesday, Our World Tuesday, O for Orange

Next week this time our new King will be inaugurated in Amsterdam. We don't have  crownings for our monarchy. Some people think that the crown is too big for a king's head.


The Monarchy of the Netherlands is constitutional and as such, the role and position of the monarch are defined and limited by the constitution of the Netherlands.
The constitution refers to the monarch of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as "The King". This is an indication of the role and refers equally to a man or a woman.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands has been an independent monarchy since 16 March 1815 and has been governed by members of the House of Orange-Nassau since.


Our kingdom is a young one, before that time the members of the House of Orange ruled the country as Stadtholders to begin with William the Silent.
 In office 1544–1584 He was assassinated in Delft in 1584.

William the Silent
Prince of Orange
Our King Willem Alexander is  a descendant of William the Silent, Prince of Orange.
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The future King Willem Alexander, his wife Princess Maxima, their three little daughters Princess Catharina-Amalia (born 7 December 2003) Princess Alexia (born 26 June 2005) Princess Ariane (born 10 April 2007)
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Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our  logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar. With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with O.
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ABC Wednesday, N for The Nut on Tasmania

To enlarge slide, please click on the rectangle in the right bottom corner.

The Nut, Stanley

The historic village of Stanley, in far north-west Tasmania, is nestled at the base of The Nut, a sheer-sided bluff - all that remains of an ancient volcanic plug.

• Climb the remains of a giant volcanic plug.
• Take a chairlift up The Nut.
• The prettiest spot on the tip of the north-west coast.

My daughter, partner and three of the children walked to the top of the Nut. I took the chairlift, which gave me the opportunity to see the beautiful town of Stanley. I saw it well in spite of the fog.
While walking on the top my daughter suddenly stopped and pointed to some bushes. We saw an animal watching us. It was a little pademelon, a very small macropod, related to his bigger brother the kangaroo.

Some of us took the chairlift.

On top of the Nut

Back  from our walk on the Nut

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC and Roger, the captain of the ABC on Wednesday Team. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with N.

Pademelon

ABC Wednesday, M for Menorah

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and thanks to Roger. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with M.

Wikipedia says: "The menorah (Hebrew: מְנוֹרָה‎ [mənoːˈɾaː]) is described in the Bible as the seven-branched ancient lampstand made of gold and used in the portable sanctuary set up by Moses in the wilderness and later in the Temple in Jerusalem. Fresh olive oil of the purest quality was burned daily to light its lamps. The menorah has been a symbol of Judaism since ancient times and is the emblem on the coat of arms of the modern state of Israel".

Photo 1 is from Wikipedia,and the last photo shows the Chanukah Menorah with eight arms + one..

This photo is taken by an unknown photographer

Photo taken in the Jewish Museum in Jerusalem
 When I was in the Jewish Museum in Jerusalem with Dina, we saw this beautiful menorah. It was good to be in the company of such a great guide like Dina. She told me a lot of Jewish traditions and holy days. This menorah is used for Chanukah.

ABC Wednesday, L for Lapoinya, Tasmania

Lapoinya Tasmania
Lapoinya
	Waratah-Wynyard Council

Lapoinya (pronounced La-porn-ya) is a small agricultural centre on the north-west coast of Tasmania west of Wynyard. The name is Tasmanian aboriginal word for "fern tree", a plant that abounds in those surviving untouched parts of the original temperate rainforest. At the 2006 census, Lapoinya had a population of 368. First developed commercially around 1900 it has been a centre for forestry, mixed agriculture (especially potato-growing and grazing (mostly dairy cattle)

After our stay at Arthur River on the north-west coast we went to Lapoinya, where we were to stay at Newry Cottage Park in a cottage that was so delightful, that I wouldn't mind staying there for ever. The only thing I would have changed was the heating. I would have had central heating installed, for it was rather cold.

 We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words    beginning with L