a day in my life

 around the first bend on our morning walk, to get onto the path into the woods, Django and I encounter these men-at-work at the pumping station where the pump is due for replacement; in the meantime a temporary pump is being installed along with pipes that have to run through the dike and across the road, I am impressed by the scale

 it's a misty morning, everything in the woods is quiet and we seem to be alone, apart from the many many birds, chattering; evidence in a broken eggshell

 back to our garden, weather has improved

 another death, alas Spring also means loss of new life

 evening walk: hay-making in the field I mentioned in the last post, Grace

the cracks mean fertile soil=clay and sand, according to our eldest son, who has chosen to go to Wageningen university next year (law in Leiden wasn't his thing) a much more nature oriented study, to do with forest/water/land management, I am very happy for him

our latest addition to the outdoor part of our home-life, an east-facing terrace, to which I added the poles and metal construct on the right this afternoon; it doesn't look like a lot of work, but it actually was; the complete terrace was built by husband, eldest son and self and is a week old!

a small package from Ireland with tara powder and alum, now the dyeing can get going once more....I will have to do a bit more reading in one of my many guide books

 home alone, both boys are away and himself won't be here till later this evening; sometimes it's like that and it doesn't feel completely as it should after nineteen years in a full house. Hence, a solitary meal and as I worked so hard, I felt I deserved a glass of wine, cheers 

simple pleasures

i really love this unassuming landscape

been back a week and with the Sun shining fiercely in Holland it feels like the holiday never stopped!

Me ‘OBK?’

OldBirdKing ‘Yes, Saskia.’

 ‘Did you miss me when I was in Greece?’

‘Yes, yes I did. As a matter of fact most of us did.’

‘Really…..’

‘Absolutely. And you, what about you?’

‘What about me?’

‘Did you miss us in sunny Greece?’

‘To be perfectly honest I hardly missed you, there just wasn’t any time.'

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well the first day, when I wandered off on my own, on my solitary beach hike, I missed you especially. I had conversations with you in my head and thought how much you would have enjoyed the views and the sun. The rest of the week activities with everyone else took over and I completely forgot about home…..’

‘As it should be, well all I can say is I’m very glad you’re back.’

‘So am I OBK, so am I’

‘OBK?’

‘Yes Saskia.’

‘Will you always be here when I go away and come back?’

‘Yes I will.’

‘Promise?’

‘Promise.’

above, view from bedroom window at home; last night as I woke up to go to the loo I heard the countless frogs croaking their love songs, the sound drifting through the open window;
below, view from bedroom window in Greece

colourful toilet in Greek village of Georgios

we managed to take the sun back home with us

an intact sea urchin 

ha, a nine-patch set in stone, so Jude was there in spirit as well

back where I belong, wrapped in large landscape cloth

Django Flying 

it's hot