Gargoyle

Here we have gargoyle Mats on the cabinet.
You can see gargoyle Nim here.

Cat Whispering

Yesterday I've been cat whispering. Mobli starts drooling as soon as I caress him.
Strangely enough the best thing is to stroke him when he is looking the other way!?
And then suddenly I was allowed to touch him when he was laying besides me...
with his back towards me :)

  but I have to be careful... this is Mobli!

Fields of Blue

I've been thinking of my best friend's sister... being surrounded by Fields of Blue

Painting

I've been painting the wooden shutters yesterday.

Originally the shutters were painted with beige and creme stripes.

The colour we've now chosen is a greenish grey.

We'll see if it works out...
Thanks to Katrin from Taking Notes for the inspiration!

Yummy

My mother gave me a delicious tart and 4 meatballs to take home for the kenderman.

Do you think he will mind if I eat this for him? Nahhhhh

Le Canapé

Nim on her cardboard Bavaria sofa Le Canapé designed by cat-on.
Our cats love the scratching furniture. Too bad this isn't a sponsored post :)

Green

Our hornbeam hedge is becoming green again :)

White

When we arrived here in 2006 there was a plum tree in our back yard. In wintertime this area flooded regularly. It was more like a bog garden. The tree itself was a poor looking specimen but the early blossom was to die for. So we held on to this tree for a couple more years but finally we had to cut
it down.

February 2009 we've planted 7 Pyrus chanticleer espaliers on higher ground, parallel to our drive.

We wanted to improve the view from our kitchen window on the 3-layer apartment block next-door.

First the kenderman dug a deep narrow trench all the way to the back of the garden. For that he needed
a power shovel. He really enjoyed using that digger :) He placed a drainage pipe, added a layer of recycled shells and stones and filled up with the original ground and lots of compost.

After 6 years I would say the trees are "coping" but not thriving. A professional told us the trees are infected with a fungus called Venturia inaequalis. But lets try and focus on the bright side.... 

the blossom is gorgeous!

Ice

Five years ago we visited Iceland and we loved it!

The kenderman initiated this journey because he knew I dreamt about Iceland for 20 years.

My Iceland fascination started after watching a clip from the The Sugarcubes.

During our short stay on Iceland there was an increasing seismic activity.

Just a few days after we flew back to the Netherlands Reykjavík airport was closed down.

And I could only think: "if only we had been so lucky to get trapped at Iceland!"

The vulcano eruptions of 2010 must have had a huge impact on the local people
although they're used to such a harsh environment.

We both fell in love with the magical Iceland and we will definitely go back some day.

Fire

Conehead

Can you find the conehead? :))

Hairy Beauty

We've been working in the garden today.

Moving to Malibu

some nights i think of it,

moving to malibu, just as i stretch,

like a cat stretches, to my full length,

as though i am easing into cold waters.

i imagine the blue of the sea;

the bright green leaves of the geranium

on the patio, the bright pink blooms,

the yellow sun and white sand,

in the distance, white triangles,

from the deck, wind chimes.

i will be as content and as happy

as balboa. i will have breakfast

at my wicker table and in my wicker chair,

with the cats watching. i will taste

salt on my lips after coffee.

my door will be open, when you come,

you will carry a loaf of bread,

a bunch of flowers, the sunset

is brilliant; we might as well be anywhere.

mary k. stillwell via the writer's almanac

Supervisor

 My supervisor in the garden... Mobli

 While I was taking pictures he came really close.

.

Seems like A Good Idea to me but we have to get rid of some cat fleas today :/
So we'll be busy cleaning, vacuuming, spraying (natural stuff) and laundering.

Happy Easter!

our own Easter bunny...

Anniversary

The kenderman and I have been together for 22 years now.

Twelve years ago our closest family and best friends joined us

and we finally got married in this remote little beach house.
Today it's also my mother's birthday! Happy birthday mum!!!
We will be raising our glasses tonight :)

Friend or Foe

Nim's Eyes

Bull's Eye

We bought an old bakelite camera called Bull's Eye.

It's a Kodak Brownie six-20 Bull's Eye to be precise.

I really like the design and the custom label.

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