A Saturday Out-n-About Joy Ride

After day-in and day-out of working, without any photo hunts in between, Astrid and I will sometimes decide to just go out-n-about on a Saturday, just for the halibut.  Especially if that's the Saturday we're planning to visit our favorite pannenkoeken restaurant out in the middle of nowhere!

So, a week ago Saturday, that's exactly what we did.  And what follows, in order, is exactly as it happened.  I should first mention that Astrid drove one of her Sunday bike routes to show me what she sees.

This is the Scheiwijkse Molen in Hoornaar from 1638, also someone's home out in the polder.

It's a hollowpost/wipmolen mill used to drain the polder of water...so the Netherlands doesn't drown!

We so happened to have parked our car next to a canal where this guy was fishing.

Did I ever tell you Astrid loves to fish?  Well, so do I.

We just haven't done it together yet!  One day....

No sooner did we get back in the car, we saw this ice-cream cone at the side of the road.

There's no better ice cream than what you can buy at a farm in the Netherlands.

Astrid says they are very highly regulated and inspected!

All ice creams we buy are €1 per "one-ball" cone.  How can you say NO!  (We didn't!)

Our eyes were peeled as we drove slowly so that Astrid could stop on a dime when we saw something,

like these neighbors who came visiting with their Shetland ponies...

and graciously allowed that strange woman with her long lens to take pictures.

This is what you do on Saturday, of course, here in the Netherlands out in the polder.
Do you visit your neighbors on Saturdays?

That's also when we saw these dogs on the boat and I exclaimed:

"This is the Life of Riley!"
(click any image/collage to enlarge)

Don't you just love roadside produce stands!
No, we didn't buy anything...but we should have.

I've shown you the Meerkerk water tower before from 1936,

but the sundial was new to me, as were the girls playing in the field!

That's when we stopped and ate lunch at Onder de Pannen in Leerbroek.

If ever you come visit us, we will take you there.  We promise!

Back in the car and on our way home...we HAD to stop on a dime.

This man and cow were coming towards us in the middle of the road.

Since we had to stop, we watched him take Bessie to the barn to do his/her thing...

while that strange woman with her long lens snapped away from the car window.

Then we waved, said dank je wel, and were on our way.

As we drove into our city, Gorinchem, and passed the Jewish cemetery (for the umpteenth time),

I said to Astrid (for the umpteenth time) how much I wished we could get in to see it up close.  

It is always locked at the front gate when I pass it to my bi-weekly grocery store.

And just like that, Astrid stopped on aother dime, we got out of the car and found a back gate open.

The cemetery was founded in 1814 and has 134 tombstones.  I sure wish I knew Hebrew!

Remember the military vehicles we went to see awhile back?

A guy who lives on the edge of the cemetery tinkers around with them.

Like with the fisherman earlier in the day, Astrid had a nice chat with him.

Don't you love it!  Saturday neighbors.

And of course, here's all the weathervanes from just one out-n-about.

I'm in love with them.  I call them the cherry on top of a great day!

All on a Saturday's joy ride through the countryside while out-n-about!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

On Wednesday Astrid and I fly to America, first to Michigan for nephew Peter's wedding on The Farm (remember his sister's wedding there 3 years ago?) and then to Atlanta for my kids, grandson and friends.  Back on Saturday, 8 September.  Astrid is so ready for a loooong vacation, and I with her!  

Travel mercies to one and all...and stay cool!