A Frosty Drive in Ottoland, NL

 

It was a week ago Saturday, January 9th, when Astrid and I awakened to a frosty winterland and decided we NEEDED to get out for a wee drive.  Our parched and aching souls needed a "fix" after the DC Capitol insurrection in America 3 days earlier.  When Astrid suggested Ottoland, I said "YES!"  It's only 13 km from home.

And it's known for its sheep.  I wanted me some sheep!

After driving through the wee village, we stopped at one of the first fields by a canal.

We're talking about only freezing point (32°F/0°C), so the thin ice surprised us.

But the calming effect was magical...

even though the icy soul of America's nation was gripping us both.

What was Mother Nature trying to say?

Would there be a peaceful transition of power?

Or would some still be tilting at windmills?

We found the sheep and asked them.  This is what they said:

"Sheep sheep are adorable.

Human sheep, not so much.

Think for yourself, for flock's sake."

--Scott Stabile

DUH!

And then I found this from J.R.R. Tolkien:

"Still round the corner there may wait, A new road or a secret gate."

And that gives me hope,

before our new USA President is inaugurated this coming week.

May God have mercy!

A Meet-Up with Jim and Laurel

How often do you get to rendezvous with old friends you haven't seen in almost 35 years?!?  Lucky for me, it happened a couple weekends ago, Sunday, April 29, when Astrid and I drove to Amstelveen (suburb of Amsterdam) to pick up Jim and Laurel Morrison, visiting from California.

Remember the Morrison part, because that'll come up later.

The "old friends" part goes all the way back to when Bill and I served in Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, first in San Diego, and then in Pasadena, CA, back when our kids were born in the early 70s.  Laurel was the one back then who gave son Mark his Marks-n-Sparks moniker.

We all look older now, of course, but it was like we all picked up from where we last left off...with Astrid merging into the mix like she had always been there from the beginning.  Besides, she's the same age as Jim and Laurel.

After picking them up in Amstelveen, on a rainy day, we drove first to Hoorn, 54 km north.

Jim and Laurel both were good sports about the rain.  We all took it in stride.

Hoorn is a delightful harbor town on the Markermeer lake

that has become a "bedroom community" for many who work in Amsterdam.

It's hard not to be mesmerized by the place, even with the rain.

Our short walk that day took us to the Hoofdtoren (Head Tower), the city port on the waterfront.

It was built in 1532 from limestone and brick and is now a restaurant.

And yes, that's where we ate lunch, compliments of Jim and Laurel.  Thank You!

We had been to Hoorn with Robin first (2012), and later with Chris and Chad (2013).

As we walked back to the car, it was fun to watch Jim hand his camera over to Laurel for a photo...

and then to look at what she took.

In the process, I took my own photo, of course.

From Hoorn we drove east to the tulip fields to find what we could see.

Lucky for us, tulips were still in bloom.

Even on a rainy day, they are a wonder to behold.

At the second field, I stayed in the car and took pics of the coming and going.

On the other side of the road, through the car window, I caught these lookers, enjoying the rain.

After the tulip fields, we ended up in another harbor town, Medemblik, on the IJsselmeer lake.

It was time for a good koffie break with appeltaart.

But guess what!  They had no appeltaart.  WHAT?  In a Dutch, harborside café?!

WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

But guess what!  The owner had his girlfriend go out and buy one to put on our table.

We were given "permission" to eat the entire thing...and we did!

Here's where the Morrison thing comes in.  Remember?

This café sports all kinds of music posters on its walls from the owner.

Next to our table was a Jim Morrison poster from The Doors.

So Jim took out his passport to show the owner that he also is Jim Morrison, in that café.

And that started a long conversation about San Francisco (where Jim and Laurel live)

and from where the owner himself swam to Alcatraz Island.

It's a small world after all!

 Another harbor to explore on a rainy day....

before we headed back to Amsterdam to drop them off at their hotel.

It was 7 hours of catching up and remembering why we have remained friends after all these years.

Thank you, Jim and Laurel, for the time and effort.

We'll never forget it.

End-of-Year Gifts

Christmas had already come and gone, leaving one week before the New Year celebration.  Things were slowing down, I thought, getting us ready for 2017.

But 2016 still had something left in her to give.  And did she ever!

First, Astrid called me from work last Friday to tell me there was a rare occurrence in the weather pattern that created an incredible display of frosty art.  When the temps are below freezing and there is fog, BINGO.  She then made me promise to take a walk for her to capture it in photos.  In fact, she was that close to telling them at work she was "sick" so she could come home to join me.

I promised, of course, and this is what I saw:

You may recall that we can access the citadel walk just meters outside our backdoor.

This was around 8:45 a.m., just as it was getting light.

Already, dogs were out walking their "masters."

It was another world.  Magical.

Those who have taken this walk can almost guess what comes next.

You climb the hill, round the corner, and there she is:  the outer harbor.

That was when I saw the sun starting to rise.

Leaving the outer harbor, you see the church, the toll house, the Brainwave.  

And then buiten de waterpoort:  outside the water port.

After crossing the inner harbor and climbing back onto the wall,

the water port is viewed from a different perspective.

And then, De Hoop windmill...my favorite place on the entire walk.

You round the next corner and get the salmon fisher and the Dalem Gate.

 Looking back on De Hoop and looking ahead to the last part of the citadel wall,

even the birds were in heaven.

If you can't have snow, what better gift than to have FROST.

Thank you, Astrid, for making me promise.

I was back home by 10 a.m.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

That was Friday and Saturday, the last day of the year, promised to be foggy, but without frost.  Astrid and I had already decided to drive out into the polder as long as there was fog.  So off we went, once again around 8:45 a.m.

The fog was so thick you could cut it.

At first, we couldn't find the sheep and cows we were looking for.

Astrid said they were probably still in the barn because of how cold it was and still early.

But a few minutes later, we found them...the sheep, that is...far off in the polder.

Did you know that swans pair up and mate for life?

Almost every farmer's plot has a pair...coexisting with the sheep and cows.

This time, however much Astrid whistled, the sheep did not run to us.

Fine.  We just cuddled them from afar.

We had one last goal before driving back home:  capture the polder gates.

When I finished with my captures, I then concentrated on Astrid!
She is, after all, the Lady of the Polder from our Shutterchance photoblog.
I am often reminded that that's where we met, on the Internet, via our photography.

And believe it or not, the only weathervane that spoke to us that day

was one I didn't already have.

How timely for the end of the year, don't you think!

So, see what I mean by GIFTS!

2016 wasn't all that bad, you know, no matter what anyone else says.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Season's Greetings from the Netherlands

We interrupt this broadcast to share some seasonal greetings from here where we live in the Netherlands!

First of all, remember how we used to have a Christmas tree like this in our apartment?

Every year, that is, until I needed the space for my exercise bike after knee replacement in 2015.

So, both last year and this year, we opted for a wee live tree sitting on the bookcase.

And Astrid is now the one who decorates it...with a bit of help from me.

An exercise bike AND a Christmas tree, just because you need priorities.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

You may also remember that every year at this time our city, Gorinchem, holds a Santa Run for charity.  Astrid and I ran it my second winter here, in December of 2010, when we had...drum roll, please...S N O W.  This year Astrid ran it with her son Jeroen, while I took the pics:

All 3 km of it, over in almost a flash.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, because there was first a half-hour warm-up at the town 

square.  I love how everybody and her aunt and uncle participate.  It's a family affair.
Over 1,000 runners this year raised €28,000.

What a great way to raise money for charity, right?

After the warm-up, I went to one of my favorite spots on the citadel trail to catch them.

That's Astrid (bottom-left) trying to pass the ones in front of her...once she spotted  me.

What a colorful, soulful event, year after year, snow or no snow.

(We can always wish for snow next year!)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

That afternoon (which was last Saturday, incidentally), we drove out into the polder for lunch at our favorite pannenkoeken restaurant.  I wanted to see "the brethren" again.

What is it about sheep!

When I got out of the car, Astrid whistled for the sheep to come over, which they did.
But who expected THIS!  A sneezing fit.  HAHAHA!
It made my day.

But as they say, all good things must come to an end.
Even sheep are easily bored?

Last evening we celebrated a Christmas meal with 30 neighbors here where we live in the retirement center.  Tonight we'll celebrate another Christmas meal with our very dear friends at the Malle Molen (the Silly Mill).  And then on Sunday, Christmas Day, we'll celebrate the BIG Christmas meal at our favorite Greek restaurant nearby.  That's THREE festive meals this year, our gifts to each other.  And why not?  It only happens once a year.

Then, on the 2nd Christmas Day, Monday, (a Dutch holiday), we are scheduled to see the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One, with Femke and Jeannette, followed by some up-close-and personal hapjes (snacks) in their home to end the holiday.

Good God, Good Friends, Good food!

It's like the celebration never ends!  But there you have it...a run-down for this magical time of the year (even without snow).  My wishing cap is on, not only for snow but for magic everywhere to settle things down a bit, all over the world.

So, to you who celebrate it, may there be wonder, joy, health, peace and love.

MERRY CHRISTMAS