bird feeder

Thanks to Misako Mimoko, for the "bird feeder inspiration".
Next week my students will glue the bottle caps on each end,
make some more birds and finish their artworks.
Tree "bird feeders" made by Adnan, Jafar, Anisa, Kadiatu,
Mayo and Rumdana.

winter is coming

This morning I opened the curtains and saw that winter is coming.
It had been freezing last night and everything was covered with frost.
Flynn was very interested in these cold, white crystals beneath her
paws. 

After a morning walk, we spent the day inside. I love to put on my 

winter socks. I love to make some matcha latte.

an invitation

An invitation from Katrien, Mieke and Renilde to come to their book 

presentation. 

I expect this is gonna be the most beautiful abc book ever and I can't 

wait to see it!

the sleeping peasant

An other day in Ostend, when I was a child. Just like last Sunday, I went 

to the museum of art with my mum. You see me when I was little, next
to the sleeping peasant of Constant Permeke.

"Generations do not cease to be born,

and we are responsible to them because

we are the only witnesses they have.

The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling

to each other and children cling to us.

The moment we cease to hold each other, 

the moment we break faith with one another,

the sea engulfs us and the light goes out."

Baldwin, James. The Fire Next Time. 1963

a house on a tissue

When I left the classroom at five o'clock, I saw a tissue laying on a 

desk.

I wondered who of my students made that doodle. 

oostende

Sunday I went to Ostend. It was the first time with Flynn on the
beach and of course, she loved it. Playing with the other dogs and
running trough the water. When we drove back home, she smelled
like a seal.
(Last image: Roy Lichtenstein, Gullscape, 1964)

I love the sea.
"I need the sea because it teaches me,
I don't know if I learn music or awareness,
if it's a single wave or its vast existence,
or only its harsh voice or its shining
suggestion of fishes and ships.
The fact is that until I fall asleep,
in some magnetic way I move in the university of the waves."
Pablo Neruda, Memorial of Isla Negra, 1964.

ballard garden

An empty swimming pool in a lake. This picture I took one month 

ago, when I went to a dance performance in  deSingel. I love the blue 

of swimming pools. 

The swimming pool in deSingel is a part of an artwork by Dominique 

Gonzalez-Foerster. It's her tribute to the apocalyptic novels from the 

British science-fiction author J.G. Ballard.

a walk in the woods

We discovered a new place near our town, to take walks with Flynn. 

Woodland with a strange vegetation of bamboe-like plants. Flynn really 

liked it as there was so much to smell and so much to see. 

When I uploaded my pictures I saw they all have a diagonal line in the 

center.

monday

My Monday in four pictures.

nightprayers

Here some 'preview-pictures' of the new video clip from Brazzaville.
Yesterday evening we participated in the recordings. The costumes
were designed by Jochem Baelus and made of Katrien her blankets.
I can't tell you what we had to do, I have to keep some things secret,
but when the video is finished I"ll let you know. I'm also vey curious!

fear of cows

While making the first picture, I wasn't looking at Flynn and she got 

electrocuted by the electric fence. I had to comfort her for five minutes, 

before she would walk again.

Since that moment she's afraid of cows.

The other picture is a positive-negative made by Benjamin.

water kefir

From now on, JJ and I are drinking Kefir every day. It' s not only 

healthy, it's also very tasty and cheap. We got some water kefir grains 

from Pushpa and now we're trying to keep them alive. 

It isn't that difficult, you just need sugar, lemon and some dried fruit. 

If you're interested in how to make water kefir check this site. If you 

want some kefir grains; in a week mine will be doubled, so I can share 

them!

walk with bear

Some pictures of me and my bear, probably 27 autumns ago. I took bear 

everywhere. I even had a special baby buggy for it.

Bear is one of the toys I still have since I was a kid. So is my baboesjka. 

When yesterday friends came over, with their daughter, I was happy she 

played with my old toys.  

dreaming of sailboats and butterflies

Every first Saturday of the month, JJ and two friends take part in 

a sailing race.

Last Saturday Flynn and I went to cheer for them. We made a long

walk along the coast, looking at all the sailboats and the birds.

At the end of the day, Flynn was so tired that she couldn't keep her

eyes open. I imagined her dreaming of sailboats and butterflies.

Illustration: Papillion et eau by Keiko Minami, 1963