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!