The balance of 2012

Making up the balance at the end of year is fun by making a collage of the pictures one took over the year. Ups and downs, friends lost, festive moments, three weddings, babies born, nice trips made, wonderful flowers in the garden, our gorgeous puppy, boating, sailing, art classes, good bye job, hello new job, etc. etc. At least I followed my passions!
This has been my third year of blogging and somehow the amount of posts has gone down, other things taking and needing my attention. Maybe better in 2013?!
Thank you dear (new) followers for your warm comments, and thank you unknown readers whom I see in my statistics, from all over the world.
It has been great fun to visit so many many creative and informative blogs, thanks your sharing!

Happy New Year to all of you!

 

Jacoba

 



Angels calling

 

It is an inevitable phenomenon, the urge to visit the places where we have spent our earliest Christmas celebrations. Maybe in search of the warmth of it we once knew? Breathe in the air, the atmosphere?

This time we decided to leave the car back home and hopped on the Intercity train Amsterdam-Maastricht. Frenzy on the platforms, relaxation once on the train. It is fun to travel by train, no worries about speeding cars all around you on the motor ways. You can sit back and enjoy whatever that meets the eye and hears the ear.  Young fellow passengers for instance, who had installed themselves as if the final destination of the train was not Maastricht, but some faraway place. I must admit, once on a train I get that feeling too, let’s travel on. Some had taken their shoes off, sleeping, plenty of food and drinks on the shelf next to them, books and magazines to read. A boisterous crowd of students exchanged happily their present experiences. A simple minded man endeared us all by insisting on a place near the window, by his worries of getting off at the next station and his warm Christmas wishes for the ticket controller.

Sitting at the top level of the train the view on the passing scenery brought surprises. Massive rail road extensions around Utrecht station, hare hunters lined up in the field, the rivers flooding into waste lands, one farm almost drowning at a peninsula near the river Waal. The high water level is early this winter season. In Germany there is a special word for it, Weihnachtstauwetter, melting mountain water over Christmas because of warm humid sea air coming in from the West(Illustration: Dutch Landscape, by Hendrik Jan Visser).

In ‘s Hertogenbosch we hopped off the train and on the city bus towards the Jheronymus Bosch Art Center. My husband’s face changed in an ear to ear smile on the recognition of the festive decorations, the hustle and bustle, the memories he holds on the city. We almost fell out of our seats trying to catch a glimpse of the decorated home of a relative as we passed it. It poured with rain once we got off, what a day to choose for a sentimental journey! And how about being so stupid to leave your umbrella and wax hat at home?! However, a warm cappuccino and salmon cucumber club sandwich in the nice museum restaurant encouraged us to continue. A tiered cake on display in the restaurant, by a local baker representing the Christmas story In the Jeroen Bosch style, immediately drew our attention. A piece of art as such.

The day before I had been going through the art work of Laetitia de Haas, forever one of my very favourites. Her art is so quiet and meaningful, no people, just nature, flowers, trees, birds. So different and contrarily, full of creatures are the paintings of Jeroen (Jheronymus) Bosch, obsessed as he was about heaven and hell, the seven sins: Superbia  (pride), Avaritia (greed), Luxuria (impurity), Invidia (jealousy), Gula (indulgence), Ira (fury), Acedia (laziness).

After the video introduction we took the glass lift to start the tour at the very top of the St Jacob's church, in which the Jheronymus Bosch Art Centre is situated.

 

It was freezing cold in the church and the tower. The top floor of the tower is sheltered with glass windows inside, not making it easy to take pictures. I must admit, inquisitive and curious as I am, I did try a door handle, but no way of opening the door and peering over the sides. On a clear and bright day the view must be magnificent. We had a good view at St Jan’s Cathedral, which appears in his painting ‘The Epiphany’ as a cathedral under construction.

 

For hours on end you can study and view his paintings.  His work is so fascinating, so creative, every inch a discovery. ‘The Epiphany’ shows Maria and Jezus in the local landscape, a typical Brabant farm house. Too much to take in during one visit. We must return. The museum shop could hardly be resisted,  off I went with a new book and Christmas cards.

Jeroen Bosch is of course an endless source of inspiration to other artists and creations. Beautiful tapestries with details are on show in the Center.

Little did I know that when I took a picture of the tapestry on the transformation from our earthly life to heaven that on Christmas Eve one of my quilting friends would be taken away suddenly by the angels. Imagine, she was tired, decided to put her head down for a moment, went to bed, and then left this earth ….. She was a creative, warm, engaged person, always dressed in black, but her quilts so colourful. I will treasure  the moments we shared during Christmas and Easter floral workshops, her interest in everyone’s life, her little quilt gifts and the seeds she gave me for our garden. The plants that she gave me will be named after her from now on.

On we went to the Sint Jan as we call it, to hear Christmas carols being sung, to light a candle in the Maria Chapel. So much goes through your mind when you sit there in meditation. In silence we watched others and wondered what would be going through theirs? Memories on loved ones, on previous Christmas celebrations, praying for recovery of dear friends like in our case?

 

On the Parade next to the cathedral it was Christmas party time: a skating rink, a Christmas tree full of wishes that would be broadcasted on TV, wood fires, winter delicacies. But who is looking down at all of this from the cathedral?

 

A very modern angel, dressed in today’s fashion with a cross bag and a mobile phone! You can phone the angel. Of course it is a pre-recorded voice, but if you do so it is very moving. It would not be a modern angel if there would not be money involved in this: the call costs 0,80 cents per minute, the revenues go to the restoration of the cathedral.
 

We were soaked to the bone in the mean time; my hair looked as if I had put my head upside down in a pond. Plenty of warm cosy cafés around the Parade to shelter though and always the end of our day trip. Inviting personnel with a warm Brabant accent organized a nice table for us, serving dark Trappist beer and Dutch cheese. One of my neighbours always says (from Brabant herself): 'it is warmer when you go South'. It is true, it is warm in Brabant. It is more hospitable, people are easier the way they live, Burgundian. There is a true difference between ‘above’ (Calvinistic) and ‘below’ (Roman Catholic) the rivers.

Deciding we would soon return to the City of ‘s Hertogenbosch we climbed on the train in the dark. We chatted with a young musician, a member of the Utrecht Student Concert, on her way to a concert in Amsterdam. She considered Sjostakovitsj on the program heavy going for Christmas. We, on our turn, shared how a week ago we enjoyed the concert ‘Noël de France’, chamber music by French composers in the Town Hall of the Naarden Fortress.

Celebrations, celebrations, there is no Greater Feast to celebrate than Christmas, in whatever manner. Merry Christmas to you all!
When you have a moment do call the angel. At first the angel explains a few things, you can make choices, you can pray together: (+31) (0)900-7468526

 

Seafaring in the blood

One more time, the statesyacht 'de Utrecht'. Who knows you will be jumping on board one day?

On my question in my previous post the society that runs 'de Utrecht' has very kindly explained to me how 'de Utrecht' is being steered. They have shared some wonderful pictures and information with me which I am allowed to publish on here.

The yacht is being steered by a helm, which you can see just opposite the top cabin. There is something special though, the rudder is extra big to be able to manoeuvre it in inward waterways, holding cables so that the rudder does not move out too far. But my oh my, there is this all modern equipped panel hidden in the woodpanel. Very smart! And a smart captain, too. Some guys end up on these once in a lifetime jobs, I envy him. Would not you fancy to steer such a wonderful yacht? Maybe I should queue up and wait in line to success him?! Ha ha, that is a joke, I am not that courageous.

On this picture you can see by the red line how the pushing of the helm to the left and right is transported to the rudder, just going underneath the top cabin.
Do have a look at the link to the book that appeared in English, The Statenyacht de Utrecht. When you scroll down it shows some very nice pictures of how it all started. You see for instance how that funny, cute and yet frightening lion at the front started.
Of course the book was originally in Dutch, click here to see it.

And here she is in full sail, really magnificent.

Seafaring is in my blood. You cannot deny what is in the genes. It explains my jumping up and down on the bridge when I saw 'de Utrecht' appear on the horizon. On my mother's side there were a lot of seafarers. As far as we can look back my great great grandfather owned his own trading ship. My grandmother surrounded herself with pieces of art representing the environment where she grew up (West Brabant). A few of those were handed down to me. Anything nautical is so inspiring to artists.

Here they are.
A large Villeroy and Boch ceramic plate (more than a 100 years old), a drawing of flat bottoms and a wood carving.

When you look closely at this picture you will be just amazed as I am on the steady hand that carved this.

A wonderful sunshiny day ahead, I will be sailing. But no more 'de Utrecht' surprising me in these waters. She is off to Hellevoetsluis and will be on show in the harbour as part of the festivities going on there. She will be sailing on the Haringvliet. Maybe you could jump on board and experience it all? Don't forget to have a look here - http://www.statenjacht.nl

'Old wood'

'Oh yes, old wood .....'
A cool remark by young guys on the statesyacht 'de Utrecht' appearing in the distance, its bow turning around the corner.
Old wood it is for sure. 300m3 of 200 years old beech wood were used to build the ship. Grown in Denmark from Dutch acorns.

We have a few spectacular flat bottom ships floating around, but this one so appeals to me that I made sure I was at a high bridge early not to miss it and to take a few more pictures. In my enthousiasm informing everyone (stopping to have a look at the river) something very special would be passing by soon.

In the mean time I have googled the interior, but something that really puzzles me is how it is steered by. A steerwheel could not be seen on the outside, nor on the pictures of the interior on internet.
On a river walk afterwards I discussed it with a ship builder who was moored off with his (also fantastic) own made steel ship. It could be many ways he explained, for instance by a joy stick. A joy stick! A replica of 1746 steered by a joy stick! Well, modern comforts!
I saw the captain in his white t-shirt (with sails at the back of it) on deck once the yacht was through the bridge - the admiral yacht maybe on 'automatic'?!

Below a few more pictures to share with you.

Statesyacht 'de Utrecht'

In my previous post I told you architecture is one of my passions. Well, yesterday on an architectural site visit I bumped into one of my other passions: the statesyacht 'de Utrecht'. I am just besotted by this yacht.
It sails very quietly and I jumped up all excited seeing it. Of course it goes by quickly. Luckily we came and went from the site by boat, so I could take many pictures.

As from the start of the building of the yacht I was fascinated by it. It is an authentic replica made from drawings from 1746. If it had not been so that I had a full time job at the time I would have applied for an apprenticeship as a woodcarver or whatever to work on this yacht.

There is a lot to tell about the yacht, but in my enthousiasm I rather want to share some of my yesterday's pictures with you.
Also, the weather is too beautiful today to sit inside behind a computer. We will go on a boating trip today. Summer is so short and so far it has been a lousy summer all in all.

Would not you be all surprised seeing this going by your garden along the river?
Is the lion at the front not cute? Is Neptune (I presume it is Neptune) not incredibly bored hanging on the aft side? Don't you like this huge sail in 'oranje blanje bleu', orange white blue. Is it not incredibly Dutch to see this yacht passing by a windmill?
And which is more: is it not an incredible contrast, being moored off opposite Michael Grave's interpretation of a Dutch modern house?

If you want to read more about the yacht, just google 'statenjacht de utrecht' or click here.
Unfortunately it is in Dutch, but the pictures speak for themselves.

We have not sailed on the yacht as yet, as the trips are always fully booked.
It would be wonderful to see the interior as well.
It remains on my 'to do list' and on my 'wish list'!

Enjoy my pictures (and maybe also my enthousiasm?!)

House proud

Architecture is one of my passions. Whether it is ultra modern, or ancient and falling to pieces, it is forever fascinating and inspiring to me.

On our way to a special birthday party, held in a lovely mansion and garden along the river IJssel in Deventer we came across this surprising and amazing facade. A classic style but new: 1986. The text reminded me of a remark of a builder around our house: 'Your house will be here longer than you', which is so true of course.

'Daar staan we dan drie eeuwen ik
en u nog maar voor
een ogenblik

Ik sta geheid
en kan niet gaan
Ik heb geen been
om op te staan

Maar ‘k sta gelukkig
niet alleen
want ook een huis
is niet van steen'

There we stand for three centuries I
and you just for
a short moment

I am secured
and cannot go
I have no leg
to stand on

But fortunately I do not
stand alone
for a house also
is not from stone'

The party was waiting so alas we did not do indepth investigation on the what and how on the house and the facade. In any case it is wonderful craftmanship made at this modern age.

And now, what do you think of the pictures below, made in France.
The splashes made me laugh, what a way to repair holes!

If you click on the pictures you get a better view.

Queen's Day 2012

From a distance the swinging sounds of the upcoming brass band could be heard. Time to withdraw from the forever ongoing work in the gardens and join the fun of the festivities of Queen's Day. Gorgeous to see how a handful of cheer girls and a few more majorettes showed their acts. So many hours of training and so much enthousiasm put into this by all these volunteers. So village like also. The band seems to shrink every year. Internet and computer games seem to win from all these community activities.

Our puppy was a little bit impressed by all the people and the sounds. It meant we arrived two minutes before the local baker's closing time to get these wonderful Queen's Day profiteroles. It is an absolute 'must' and tradition to have orange bakery with our morning coffee. Another tradition is composing an all orange dinner menu. Have a try when you have a special occasion: it is so much fun to do! You could also have a try on an all green spring menu!

It was a glorious sunshiny day. Instead of joining the maddening crowds everywhere we decided to go to the lakes and do our first boat trip of the year. All crews dressed up in orange and some guys having great fun with a beer too many. We greeted everyone with a glass in their hands with a 'Cheers to the Queen!' I put on my t-shirt with the text 'Queen' and where-oh-where did I hide my orange flower lei since last year?! My husband held me back from my enthousiasm to get some of the funny things available in all the shops: orange sunglasses, golden tiara's, wigs, etc. You name it, orange was all around. Just trying a few things on was good for a laugh. Dressed the way we were was cheerful as such.

On the island the puppy had to be learnt 'on board' and 'stay on board'. The last one being the most difficult, as he saw the island immediately as his territorium. He caused a lot of amusement to the passing sailors, leaping about and barking at everyone. At one stage he ended up in the water, which at least made him a little bit timid for a while. Shake your body before you get back on board! Where is the towel?

Party time: dinner in the restaurant in the marina. Alas, no orange menu and stupid enough I forgot to suggest it to the chef! We tried festive bubbles with a strawberry taste. South American, expensive, not bad, unusual, but sweet, and once again we said 'Cheers to our adorable Queen'!

Unfinished

My mother's hands were not able to finish the Easter table cloth she started. I have tried to finish it over the last years, but somehow every time it comes out of the bag and gets put back again.
This year she would have become 100 years old if she was still there. I remember saying to her: with all the things you have in mind to see and do even becoming 200 years would not be enough.
Lovely memories are cherished (and continued) on her Easter traditions.

Innocence and The Creation

Picture by Google Maps

When you are a little puppy you are unaware. Unaware of what goes on or what you pass when you are being taken away, going on a very long ride in the dark rainy night towards the surroundings of Amsterdam. Across the Afsluitdijk (Enclosure Dike) that separates the North Sea from what once was the Zuyder Sea. Forever an impressive master piece of the Dutch Delta and Zuyder Sea works. Driving on this dike it gives me the feeling of being connected with the vast world out there, stretching out from the North Sea towards the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea.

As a puppy you are totally aware that something is not OK at all and you start to tremble the moment you leave the farm. Despite the fact that your new boss is holding you tight. Unlike you, being completely over the moon because you are so cute, being the promiss of a wonderful time of endless friendship and togetherness. In the stormy rain you leave behind this beautiful Frisian farm, the breeder, whom’s voice you recognize immediately over the phone a few days later. You leave behind the mixed population of the parrot Coco, the Beagles, the Bassets Artésiens Normands, the Nubian goats, the Ponies, the various breeds of Dachshunds and what is the most difficult thing: your mother, your brother and your sister. Your mother, who was sweet and affectionate, all of a sudden watching this drama from a distance: trust was being betrayed, we were taking her puppy.
You end up in a bench at your new place, that although it is warm still is strange. The sounds are different, there are so many impressions to take in. Softly you start to cry a little bit because you are lonely, but in the end decide to go to sleep. No more nest warmth, no more playmates.
But then, the next day! You are taken out for a first walk and then it happens. I automatically think he will be just as free and independent as the previous dachshunds, but no, this one is insecure and precautious. The moment we leave the door step there is a determined ‘no go’. The world being full of strange movements, roaring sounds, kids going to school, parents frantically taking them there in zooming cars, you hear trucks and traffic, and you say once more: no thank you!, I decide to sit down and will not move one inch! Nothing resembles the world he was brought up in.
A lot of time, effort and patience was needed to sozialize him.
He was unaware that he had ended up on the beautiful other side of the Zuyder Sea.

River chart by Stopendaal - 1719:
'Carte qui fait voir Les Lieux et Maisons depuis Utrecht à Muyden'

Fantastic walks in freedom along the river, meeting plenty of other dogs. Endless party time puppy training and playful encounters made him free, independent and happy. There is no other more fantastic moment in the day then when the leash is being taken and he is being invited to go for a long river walk.

On occasions things happen that make the puppy think: hmmm-hah, what is this?! Along the river all of a sudden three sheep appeared, each having exactly two little lambs. You could never arrange such a setting, it was extraordinary.

As days passed by more sheep arrived and the mother sheep really wanted to get to know our puppy. She came close to the gate to introduce her little lambs.

It is so beautiful to see how the little lambs swing their tails when they drink, how they stretch out in the grass for a sleep in the sun in complete innocence. Such an abundance of the Creation.

Yesterday we went to new surroundings. Eye in eye with three big horses. During the first puppy training lessons at a riding school he looked up in amazement into those huge big eyes above him, but now these were walking around in the meadow and coming towards us, a stream separating us. There are times I wished I had my camera at hand all the time. He hid behind my legs, peeping his nose around my right leg. His very long nose taking in all the scents of nature and the horses. So adorable and so sweet!

In the evening I read a copy of my church chronicle, which cited a column from the Frisian Daily Newspaper, on ‘The Creation’ by Haydn. Good Friday and Easter are the hinge between the old Creation to the new Creation. If Haydn’s music so expresses the glory of God, how magnificent will the music sound when the new Creation has come?!
The splendour of the Creation is all around us, everywhere.
I see and experience it every day.

Just listen to Haydn's Creation (1798): 'The Heavens Are Telling', Nr 13 of part 1, and Nr 15 of part 3 'Singt dem Herren alle Stimmen!'
Beautiful music, it gives me goose pimples when I hear it.
Youtube gives you a wide choice of performances if you do not own the music yourself.

Happy Easter!