Going the quick way would have been only 20 miles but, as usual, we set Tom-Tom to the scenic route...driving along the same dijks we drove last year January when we were at near-flood stage. Except that this time it was a sunny day!
This was the very first image I took this trip...
which turned into a bit of a story.
The lady of the house came out to see what we 2 "old ladies" were doing with cameras!
Point a camera and ...well, you can imagine what people start thinking these days.
Guess what her husband does? Yup. you guessed it.
She said they found the weathervane on the internet!
which turned into a bit of a story.
The lady of the house came out to see what we 2 "old ladies" were doing with cameras!
Point a camera and ...well, you can imagine what people start thinking these days.
Guess what her husband does? Yup. you guessed it.
She said they found the weathervane on the internet!
As we continued driving, I began seeing things I remembered from our last drive there,
and even started anticipating the landmarks...like the windmill without sails
and the crazy chair and gun atop that chimney!
Then, before anyone could say BOO, Astrid caught the storks out of the corner of her eye!
A Herwijnen stork village was created to multiply their population in the Netherlands,
after nearly dying out the first half of the 20th century!
We counted at least 10 nests, for a pair each....
(click any collage to enlarge)
...and even saw one couple do a "quickie." HA!
She fluffed her feathers while he dive-bombed himself away.
After all, it IS spring when all such things turn to love.
Hopefully the babies will come in their expected time.
"It takes a village," of course!
after nearly dying out the first half of the 20th century!
We counted at least 10 nests, for a pair each....
(click any collage to enlarge)
...and even saw one couple do a "quickie." HA!
She fluffed her feathers while he dive-bombed himself away.
After all, it IS spring when all such things turn to love.
Hopefully the babies will come in their expected time.
"It takes a village," of course!
And wouldn't you know, 3 days later our city newspaper had this very Herwijnen "village" on its front page:
Lentekriebels = Spring itches.
Spring really IS the time for love.
Babies were everywhere to be found as we drove around!
Babies were everywhere to be found as we drove around!
We saw HUNDREDS of these liddle lamzy diveys!
That must have made us hungry because we were ready for our koffie met apeltaart when we saw this restaurant right there on the dijk: Het Dijkhuis = The Dijk House.
Did I ever tell you how much the Dutch LOVE the sun?
I thought Americans were sun worshippers!
You ain't seen nothing yet. Astrid was in heaven.
This church was a stone's-throw away...on the outskirts of Tiel...
I thought Americans were sun worshippers!
You ain't seen nothing yet. Astrid was in heaven.
This church was a stone's-throw away...on the outskirts of Tiel...
...and when Astrid saw these bird houses by the side of the road, near the church,
she had to explain them to me. One word: Flipje.
Flipje is the mascot of Tiel, but more on him next week.
Continuing along the dijk, you can't miss this bronze monument by Cor Litjens:
Huizen op de Dijk = Houses on the Dijk, from 1997.
See how Astrid gives it scale...for all the big landmarks around the world.
This is my image on Shutterchance today from the monument,
a tip of the hat to Big Ben and all our English friends!
(Shutterchance originates from the UK.)
As we often say, we were short of eyes...and we hadn't even arrived in Tiel proper!
To be continued next post....
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
she had to explain them to me. One word: Flipje.
Flipje is the mascot of Tiel, but more on him next week.
Continuing along the dijk, you can't miss this bronze monument by Cor Litjens:
Huizen op de Dijk = Houses on the Dijk, from 1997.
See how Astrid gives it scale...for all the big landmarks around the world.
This is my image on Shutterchance today from the monument,
a tip of the hat to Big Ben and all our English friends!
(Shutterchance originates from the UK.)
As we often say, we were short of eyes...and we hadn't even arrived in Tiel proper!
To be continued next post....
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
As a teaser, here are the weathervanes we saw that day, in and around Tiel:
Happy first week of April.
Happy Easter Week!
Happy Easter Week!
