beyond the pines

Yesterday Joyce and I made a bicycle tour trough the Hoge Veluwe,
National Park.
Such a beautiful place!

fever

JJ is very sick. He got fever at night and it stayed all day. 

Besides that, he also has a torn calf muscle, which prevented him from 

walking. So he spent most of the day in bed. I joined him, reading a 

book and bringing food and drinks if he wanted some. 

Later this afternoon, I had enough of being lazy and I worked in the 

garden. There I met Elio, who seemed to enjoy his farm cat live. 

I hope JJ feels better tomorrow. I'm leaving to the Hoge Veluwe with a 

friend for three days. 

for ella (my godchild)

Yesterday was Ella's birthday. She's nine years old. Today she and 

her family came to visit me and JJ.

We made a long walk. All the while Ella was looking for the pappus 

of a Dandelion flower. She wanted to make a wish. 

I hope that, in spite that she couldn't blow all bristles at once, all her 

wishes may come true!

among the trees

One week ago, on Friday evening, we've moved the horses from pasture.

for katrien (the girl with a hydrangea dress who had to cross the lake in a swan)

A few days ago I started painting again. It's the beginning of a series

about Japan, I'd like to make.

I felt so good to use those brushes and to smell the paint, after such a

long time.

My first study I will give to Katrien. Because it's her birthday and

because I love her!

The girl with a hydrangea dress who had to cross the lake in a swan.

mevrouw holvoets swimmingpool

One of our neighbors, mevrouw Holvoet, has a swimmingpool in her
garden. Today we went to ask her if we could swim in her pool. She's
very friendly and she said we're always welkom.
Her house and garden are so beautiful! For a moment, it felt like being
in France.

watering the plants

 

With this warm and dry weather, I have to water the plants everyday.
I have many flowers and plants and I also have to take care of
my neighbor's garden now she's in Norway, so it's a lot of work. But
I like to do it. It brings me in a "zen" state.
The two pictures are made by my dad when I was little. On both
pictures I'm pouring water next to the plants. I wonder why I did that.

monday

1. Pipa and Kate are growing fast. They're almost as big as their mum 

now.

2. Little puppets on my kitchen wall. I brought them from Ecuador.

3. Rose hips in the garden

4. Little feet, who doesn't love them? Those are from Renée, the daughter 

from my primary school friend, Evie. They have been visiting today.

oma's pancakes

Oma isn't allowed to cook if she's alone. She starts to forget things, so
it can be dangerous. Laura, JJ's sister, and I cooked her a meal today.
Later this afternoon I came in and oma had made pancake batter. She
also had set the table. So there was nothing I could do, I had to let her
make pancakes and watch over her.
Laura, Bart and their little baby, who moved to the farm recently,
came over and joined us. We had a pancake meal together, which made
oma very happy.

for marcellino (a garden party)

Yesterday it was my dad's birthday. I cooked for him. Recipes from a 

very nice cookbook "the forest feast", I bought a few days ago. 

The two tea light holders were a present for his birthday, from me and 

JJ. 

At night we waited for moths. (see blogpost below)

rood weeskind

Yesterday night we put a lamp in the garden. It's a special lamp to 

attract night-moths. 

We identified the Euplagia quadripunctaria, which is quite rare here. 

Further on we saw a Catocala nupta and a Sphingidae. 

Aren't they beautiful? And I especially love their Dutch names: 

Rood Weeskind, Spaanse vlag, Huismoeder, Pijlstaart, Volgeling...
I think its interesting to find out where these names come from.

For instance "Rood Weeskind" (in English "Red orphan") owes 

its name to the fact that the incarnadine and deep black zigzag tracks 

are reminiscent of the clothes of the orphanage children in Amsterdam. 

The children had these colors in their clothes, because these 

colors also occur in the coat of arms of Amsterdam.

(painting by Nicolaas van der Waay)