Many of you will know Walter Draycott as the bronze figure who sits on a bench in Triangle Park at the corner of Lynn Valley Road and Mountain Highway. That he deserved to be immortalized is without question. He was a veteran of the Boer War and WWI. But his work documenting the development of Lynn Valley is what amazes me. Using his education in topography, his experience as a sketcher during the war, his talent as a photographer, and his interest in natural and social history, he published a 140-page book called Early Days in Lynn Valley. This book has become a definitive historical record and probably his most important legacy. However, I recently discovered another amazing legacy in his annual Xmas cards, drawn and annotated by him and sent to his closest friends. Many of these cards are held by the Archives of North Vancouver. I spent an afternoon there, going through his cards, laughing out loud and uttering “wow” more times than the other users of the Archives probably wished to hear! His love of the natural world, gardening and the “good old days” is evident, documented in fine detail and with a great sense of humour. But what really impressed me was how his yearly themes are still relevant today – inflation, the “cost” of development, crazy weather, thievery and so much more. Read on as I share my favourites. And watch for his signature squirrel which is present on every single card!