birthdaygirl

The Flowers

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>> de lage oorsprong

For a small amount of money you can pick your own flowers from Garden "De Lage Oorspong".

ancient road

This narrow road, named Italian road, was build in 1848 as a shortcut from castle Doorwerth on the Veluwe to the railwaystation in Wolfheze, a nearby village. The road is picturesque and leads through the beautiful woods. Nice for walking or cycling.

make over

With or without her approval, I decided my mom's livingspace needed a humble make over. So I moved some furniture, rearranged some rugs and created space and nice views. To soften up the shock, I made her a summerbouquet with big white Dahlia's, little lilac flowers(flox) and some leaves from her own wisteria. The trick worked. She's home again, and yes in shock about the changes I made but willing to give it a few days of trying and getting used to.

>> funshopping

MOUSERUG

Napoleon

In the year before his death, Martin Bril wrote a book about his fascination for Napoleon, the little French emperor. (kleine keizer). It is about his search and findings and is written with humour and a "down to earth" approach.

While walking through the streets of Arnhem I stumbled upon these cute teacups with the portrait of Napoleon on the bottom. Serendipity !

The Veluwe

I will make the government happy and take a vacation in my own country. I'm off to The Veluwe, a beautiful, very green, part of the Netherlands. Plenty of nature over there. Be back in a week.

secret terrace gardens in Amsterdam

To escape from the hectic city there are several hidden hideways in the centre of Amsterdam. Amsterdam newspaper HET PAROOL revealed the secret spots. I put the names and adresses on the other blog BESCHUIT MET AARDBEIEN.

funshopping

What's cooking? Reestraat 16

KITCH KITCHEN Rozengracht Really cute children's umbrella's

gustavian furniture

desperate romantic

Perhaps not desperate, but certainly romantic, am I. The BBC wil start new drama series named "Desperate Romantics" .

Guess who is going to watch it.

BBC Two's exciting new six-part drama, Desperate Romantics, set in the throbbing heart of 19th-century industrial London, follows the adventures of three men who created what would become one of Britain's most important art movements: the self-styled "Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood".

please sit down

Found this picture on the site of the Norwegian ELLE (thank you Pia). Love the impressive, festive lamp thing on the ceiling .

quatorze juillet

Two years ago on the 14th of july,

I started this blog.

rosegarden

rose

shades of blue and pink

My blooming "frontdoorgarden"

summernight

After another hot summersday in Amsterdam I was invited to have a glass of wine and a salad on my friend's houseboat on the river Amstel. I brought some mediterrean dips and a couscoussalad to share. We had a lovely warm evening on deck so we could watch all the little boats go by.

brocante

pretty niche in the Westerstraat

DE WELDAAD

Last year I bought a wonderful five-armed candelabrum with leaves and roses of china at a litte shop called "De Weldaad" at the corner of Reestraat in Amsterdam. The little shop has a big sister now. On the 22nd of June was the opening of a big store on "De Noordermarkt". A greek blue cupboard calls you inside. Everywhere are lushes bouquets.Both adresses are at five minutes bicycle distance of my little house. I'm blessed.

homesick in Amsterdam

Halil Gür, an Amsterdam citizen from Turkish origin wrote :
"If you are far away from home you long for your language, the landscape, the sea, mountains, certain smells. I live in a world of consumption where welth has made people poor. You seldom see genuine, happy and radiant people here. When I feel homesick I reach out to people. I give flowers to my neighbour. What you give away, you can never loose".

>>Michael

Have you seen my Childhood?

I'm searching for that wonder in my youth

Like fantastical stories to share

But the dreams I would dare, watch me fly...

Michael is in the air. The news of his death is sinking in. My daughter and I both grew up with his music. In my youth I listened to The Jackson 5, my daughter's first Michael song was "Black or White". Tonight we watched our favourite videoclips and the 90 minutes interview with Oprah in 1993. A nice way to remember him and have a good cry while listening to "Ben"and "Childhood". Goodbye Michael.

14

This week my beautiful niece, Theuntje, turned fourteen. Going through the turbulent stage of puberty it's not the easiest time of her life. Hope she will remember these years with a smile when she's older.

michael

1958 - 2009

paris

Wish I was in Paris. I would find myself a nice terrace in the morningsun for a cafe au lait. This humble wish made me search for the typical french bistro chairs. finally found the site of Poitou. And there they were. Love them. Perhaps something for an Amsterdam dining table?

Amsterdam - St Petersburg

богатство

"From June 20th 2009, 10 a.m., a major new European cultural destination, the greatly expanded Hermitage Amsterdam, will welcome visitors to its elegantly restored 17th-century building in the historic heart of Amsterdam. The new museum will inaugurate its spacious new home with the exhibition At the Russian Court, a dazzling display of more than 1,800 treasures from the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg."

Yesterday I had the honour to be invited to a preview of the opening exhibition of the Hermitage Amsterdam. My friend Conny, who lives opposite the new museum, on her ship, witnessed all the steps of development during two years. The whole event makes me happy. A nice change in Amsterdam cultureland is that this museum is finished in time and within budget. . The historic building is restored beautifully. Outside as well as inside. And yes, the exhibition is dazzling. Glitter and glamour of the Russian Court. Wonderful !

sundaymorning citywalk

A walk along the Herengracht brought us to the Amstelveld were we had coffee. Further we went. Along the Amstel where the preparations for the grand opening of the Hermitage, later this week, were going on. In between, close encounters with crazy animals and adorable minigardens.

FW>>roses&peonies

roses, cherries & peonies

Slowly sliding into the season of roses and cherries. Today, on the first saturday of June, an explosion of peonies on the market, roses and the first cherries of the season. Yesterday, in the Hortus, I found a glorious Italian soap with the natural sent of roses and peonies.

dream away