Icicles like îles flottantes

The moment our waterways get frozen over something happens to the Dutch: we simply have to skate. It is like a bug, a virus, a madness – no remedy against it: just get your skates from the attic, the cellar or garage and go. We indulge in endlessly repeated stories on heroic skating tours on television and eagerly follow all the news on ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is it safe to skate.

Our skating reputation caused one of my English superiors when I worked abroad to say: ‘Send Miss R in on her skates, please’. I hear him say this today, it is funny how the mind works and recalls moments like yesterday.

The river nearby is partly frozen, but is very dangerous to skate on. The water level keeps changing because of the continuous water works. There have been rare times though that the period of frost was so severe that we could skate from village to village. My old ice dancing skates were not suitable for tour skating on the river and the lakes nearby. A friend lent me a pair of old fashioned wooden skates, saying  they had just been seen to and sharpened. The disappointment of not being able to move one inch and not getting anywhere made me literally cry and so mad. It was terrible, and terrible to see how everyone was enjoying themselves. An outsider at once of all the ice fun. No compassion from anyone, busy as they were with their own skating. How stupid can you be not to be prepared for upcoming skating?! My friend told me later he discovered the skates had been sharpened the wrong way round and no wonder I was not getting anywhere.

Someone asked me then ‘Which village is this?!’, apparently in ice heaven and totally absorbed by the ice not knowing where he was going. I guess this ice madness is a bond with nature all around us, it is in our genes. The moment you can stand up and walk  like a kid you are put on skates.

Have a look at Jeroen Bosch's messenger in the side bar: on skates!

No more skating for me, I have reached the age that ulnar and hip fractures should not be sustained and being avoided. But I squint with envy when I see it all around me. Many memories on the skating rink opposite my parents house pop up like submarines, the whole family had such wonderful times on it. It was and still is a natural skating rink being maintained on a part of the wastelands of the river Rhine. There was always the excitement, first of the moment they would open up the locks and let in the wastewater of the Rhine. Then hoping and praying the temperature would go down and waiting to see the officials testing the ice.  Once the music came across and the gates were being opened we all became ‘high’ on our ice fever.

Today, as the sun was setting like a red balloon, I walked along the river with our puppy. The ice had soft shades of pink, blue and grey. Snow everywhere, also on the river. In the open parts water birds herding together, the sight and the sound of the wings of six swans taking off from the water was magnificent. I tried to take a picture of a little red robin that came close, but the puppy started to chase him. Clever guy, this red robin, he played hide and seek, not afraid or intimidated at all.

At one particular place along the river my eyes caught the sight of these icicles, like îles flottantes. The water level had gone down, but the little frozen round icicles remained attached to the reed, just on top of the water level. The pictures do not justice to what it looked like. A couple saw me taking pictures; together we stopped a while and were stunned by its phenomenon and beauty.

Click on the pictures and enjoy a better view, A fragment of one of the pictures almost looks like a Japanese painting. Jan Creemer has opened an exhibition just now on his sea paintings; maybe I should make ice paintings? Not that I can compete ...

 

 

 

Roses in the winter

King Winter has arrived!
Our roses never seem to give up florishinig, but in the end they have to bend for the icy cold.

This Pemberton rose is one of them,  I think it is 'Cornelia'. Two other 'sisters' in the border, so delicate, 'Felicia' and 'Penelope'.

 

 

Rosa 'Peau Douce' is a large strong yellow rose. It was the last one of the season and ended up in a floral setting on the garden table, now covered with snow. The frost topping is so magnificant.

 

 

 

My indoor activities are clearing out shelves, cupboards, etc. It is like a ritual, wanting to start a new uncluttered year. But why is it that I cannot part with the teacups with rose prints on them? Maybe I should organize a give away on here. If I am courageous enough to part with them you will read it!

 

 

 



 

 



Resolutions and wishful thinking

 

The abundant silk flower arrangements in huge silver buckets in the restaurant where we dined out on Boxing Day somehow set off my colour scheme for the coming days. Maybe it was because of the tulips and the blossoms? Wishing winter would not last long and longing for spring? Once the last brown leaves had fallen from the trees it became so dark. The festive lights all around made up for it, but I looked forward to Christmas and the light that it brings, the daylight increasing rapidly as from then.

 

The Rijksmuseum published a nice post on their Facebook page: 'did you stuff yourself over Christmas (and what with)'. The Rijksmuseum's website is a feast as such. I found the post highly amusing, creative, but confronting also. You can see  the picture by clicking on 'post'. Personally I do not like the verb 'stuffing yourself', although I have been told by native English speakers it is not a negative word. With all these festive moments, and a chef doing his utmost to offer us a wonderful dinner, you go home with a sigh: tomorrow I shall have to diet. Resolution number 1 (and for many others I believe on the top list) for the New Year. A waist as on show in the picture below will be out of the question, I am afraid, I am not 20 anymore.

 

 

This dress was designed by Jan Taminiau (Dutch designer) especially for the exhibition in the Centraal Museum in Urecht, Blue Jeans.
A highly interesting exhibition, well set up, informative, surprising, creative, what other superlatives can I give to it?! If around Utrecht do go and be surprised.

How about this Christmas tree in the Museum Restaurant, inspired by the exhibition and made up of blue jeans clothing, decorations peeping out of pockets and out of rolled up sleeves?!

How can you keep your mind on a diet when you pass a cheese shop like this on your way to the Museum?The nearby café offered a cheese plate with goodies from this shop, so I kept it at that and resisted going into the shop. I will be back though, for both the Museum and the wonderful delicatessenshops in the Twijnstraat. The Centraal Museum is a fascinating one, offering both medieval and contemporary art with always surprising and inviting exhibitions.

 

 

The floral shop nearby had done away with most Christmas attributes, bulbs in all shapes and sizes on show. Helleborus also with beautiful blooms. Difficult to resist of course. The small daffodils with their trumpets are such sunny messengers of Spring. In a pink pot they brightened our breakfast table this morning.

 

The pictures below are taken around here: a bucket with left over Christmas green, the first blooming hyacinth which has to be potted up in an arrangement for indoors. Snow poppies have been showing their noses since half December in the garden. Silk tulips in a blue and white Regout vase are on display all year around the house, they get moved around though and sometimes mixed with fresh flowers.



  

 

 

It has been so long ago that I was actively blogging that my first discovery today is the new way of adding pictures. A creative challenge! Now finding the time to do this all, maybe resolution number 2, creating time for writing and photography?!

 

Resolution number 3 is to try to work at least one hour a day in the garden, as from today. Mud pools, wind and rain disencouraged me, I chickened out. Now that I have written this down and shared with you I shall have to stick to all those resolutions! No chickening out!

 

I wish you a Creative New Year!