Mysteries in Daily Life

A KEEPER

2012-01-26T19:22:00.000-08:00

For Sky Watch

For Weekend Reflections

Yesterday the calender was marked as the 40th anniversary.

Forty years ago we started in Berlin, our neighbor country.

Now we live across the ocean in subtropical California.

Many moons and even more sunsets have passed

most of them in fair weather

we tossed it to the wind that "everyone" we knew (except for one adult)
said 40 years ago

we didn't fit, and it wouldn't last!

nevertheless, we fulfilled many of our big dreams
and even more of the little ones,

and our boat proved to be a keeper!

I couldn't ask for anything more.

***

EVERY DAYS' JOYS

2012-01-22T00:29:00.000-08:00

For Scenic Sunday For Mellow Yellow Monday

For RubyTuesday2

For Our World

For Midweek Blues
For ABC Wednesday - Basket
For Alphabe - J -

Even in Californian "winter" this one is budding with expectation

just started opening up by my window. Any flower gives me JOY.

Am kind of a basket freak
Never can have enough of the texture, these colors

and patterns of woven baskets

I found at the Farmers Market.

Just looking at all the details of this tree trunk, gives me JOY,

because I can see another painting coming...probably in pastel.

We saw a row of these, walking in Beijing.

Hope there are things that give you JOY...

***

WINTER FUN

2012-01-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

For Mellow Yellow Monday For Ruby Tuesday2 For Our World For Midweek Blues

For ABC - Anton (Pieck)
For Alphabe - Ice

For Sky Watch Friday

For Weekend Reflections

This I titled Winter Fun, painted by Anton Pieck, a Dutch painter born in the early 1900.
One could compare him to the Dutch Norman Rockwell.

When I was a little girl I actually had the old-fashioned ice skates,

like you see in this painting, where the wood ends with a curl by the toe.

Never was good on the ICE, so I never bought the "new" ones.

Also because I hated the cold! And still do.

The one in the yellow tux with the high hat,

looks dramatic, don't you think?

The Dutch flag are horizontal red-white-blue stripes,

so I'm claiming that one for Ruby Tuesday
The blues and greens are more obvious.

Meanwhile in California it's looking like this, probably more snow

on the mountains

as well as on the meadows,

because this was taken in summer time

***

HANDMADE IN HOLLAND - WITH LOVE

2012-01-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

Mellow Yellow Monday. Our World RubyTuesday2 Midweek Blues Watery Wednesday

Random Hearts Alphabe H -

Sky Watch Friday

weekend Reflections

Scenic Sunday

Part of my world is in the Netherlands, part is here in the US

Still have friends and relatives in the European world

I have the advantage of taking the good of both worlds!

This is heaven for artists. The request I made to my friends
was to bring us there...to Heerhugowaard,
close to Alkmaar (known for the cheese market)

Supplies for every possible branch of art,
we could have spent hours here,
but our hubbies were with us

Stones go by weight, per kilo or pound

I got me a piece of 7 lb., otherwise my friend would take it!

Soapstone is not readily available in the US,

except for the building industry and very expensive!

So we braved customs and put it in our backpack:) to the US

In her living room stands one of her lovely soapstone creations,
with a hint of pink brought out when the stone is waxed.
Her choice was to leave some rough edges.

Right in front of her house, like many, there may be a dyke, a canal,
or a body of water. So one can see boats
in the midst of a residential neighborhood.
Now I live in the US, I kind of miss that feature.

In her gift package to me when I left, was this lace heart

which is the lining for a heart shaped glass dish

Handmade in Holland - with love!

***

WATER VIEW WITH POLLARD WILLOW

2012-01-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

For Midweek Blues For Our World For NF Memes For Watery Wednesday

For Alphabe - G - Gray For Sky Watch For Weekend Reflections

For scenic Sunday

In The Netherlands, where I lived before, they call a dyke with the piece of land
that it surrounds - which has been won out of the sea - a "polder."
Since 3/4 of Holland is under sea level,

there are numerous "polders." Most definitions in English

for the word "polder" I find inadequate

maybe because it is a Dutch invention.

The short little tree with the reflection is a pollard willow.

Fond memories of my childhood are that I used to climb in there, after school,

and pretend that it was my little house. Pollard willows are most often found

close to the water side.

The longer I live in California, the more apparent the difference in skies

become to me. In the Netherlands there is
usually a light blue or gray sky, but am happy: not today:) (for Alphabe)

and a filtered light, whereas the sky is often a stark blue in California

and the light so much brighter. But then, in Holland, the sun seems

extra bright after a rainy day.

So many water ways in Holland and often rain or fog,

so it was very easy to find reflections on our 2 week trip last Fall.

***

TURKEY - WHAT TO DO?

2012-01-02T00:25:00.000-08:00

For MellowYellowMonday

For Ruby Tuesday

What to do with left over turkey,
except for turkey sandwiches, or turkey soup?

Turkey goes in sandwich bags in the freezer. Also the liguid is frozen in little tupperware dishes.

Mama Barnes as everyone called her, was my backyard neighbor during my undergraduate college days. She had no children of her own, but oh, she adopted many youg adults as her kids. Even though she was at least 30 years older but she had enough energy for 10 of me!

She taught me this turkey casserole with leftover turkey.

First make the filling
1.        Saute 1 onion, chopped, until they look transparent
Add    chopped green bell pepper, chopped -for a few minutes,
Add     3-4 stalks of celery, sliced
Add     can of cream of mushroom soup and approx. 1 cup of turkey liquid*
Add     3-4 Tablespoons Salsa
Add    2 small sandwich bags of leftover turkey
Mix ingredients till completely warmed through. Should have the consistency of a thick chunky pasta sauce.

In 8 x 11 baking dish, LAYER (from bottom up)
white or yellow corn chips, dip in Salsa
turkey mix
corn chips with salsa
Top with grated Jack cheese

Preheat over to 350 degr.F

bake covered for at least 30 min. Uncover and bake till bubbly.

Notes
*    the amount of turkey liquid depends on how much leftover turkey you use
*    I dot the corn chips with salsa, instead of dipping them in the salsa. I use the Medium kind
*    if you don't want it spicy, use the lightest kind:)
*    This recipe is for 3 people, enough as a main dish with a salad.
      When you cook for more, repeat the layers, as long as you end with the corn chips

ENJOY

***

WARMING UP TO THE NEW YEAR

2011-12-27T23:22:00.000-08:00

For Midweek Blues For Watery Wednesday For Alphabe
For Sky Watch
For Weekend Reflection

Saw these cotton clouds on our way home from our Christmas celebrations,

and had the feeling that the NEW Chapter of 2012 had already begun.

A new path of water is winding itself through untouched snow

with tiny relflections in the water

Reflections on beveled glass table

Would not think of going into a new year without these two items:

My life would turn into chaos without an appointment book.

In the past the stern black "professional" kind.

Now I'm semi- retired, a quirky, friendlier cover on the left,

with all the features inside I need,

like lots of pages in the back for addresses and notes.

A handmade journal on the right made by women from Nepal,
posted a while ago at my other blog..

Very important for my work in helping people, as well as in art

to keep track of my thought processes,

so I won't get blind sided by my failures, my victories, my joys.

Let's make 2012 a year that rocks!

***

THE MERRIEST FEAST OF THE YEAR

2011-12-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

For Mellow Yellow Monday For Ruby Tuesday For Alphabe

To me Christmas ia a blend of serious and happy celebrations,
A mingling of spices and fragrances
of giving and receiving
but most of all being together with the ones you love.
Please, don't be alone on Christmas!

One of my favorite decorations (for the window) are three
wooden marionettes.

What is your favorite Christmas ornament?

Poinsettia

pointing to reach a star

where redemption

was so humbly born

lively colored leaves

fade in the background

graciously making room

for shiny scattered gifts

in this towering tree

With eyes of dreams I gaze

which one, which one?

stretching to reach mine

sparkling reflections

with promises of a life time.

Merry Christmas to All

BREAKING WAVES

2011-12-20T16:27:00.000-08:00

For Watery Wednesday, Midweek Blues.
Sky Watch

Merry Christmas to the hosts!

No photo editing:)

Oops, sorry, no sky to be seen here -discovered it AFTER I linked to Sky Watch. May be I can "dream" of a stark blue sky to go with these waves:)

Just a shot of the California Coast before things are seriously getting frantic, because of Christmas! Not really, because I don't have to do any cooking - just helping out.
My daughter, her hubby, and relatives are good chefs.

The most I'll be working on is playing with the kids

and on my knitting project....

a simple family get together for Christmas.

Anyways, have a great week, bloggie friends!

***

BRIDGE IN SACRAMENTO

2011-12-12T01:19:00.000-08:00

You like to see more pics in yellow, red,blue, skies and reflections? Click on -

For Mellow Yellow Monday For Ruby Tuesday For Watery Wednesday For Midweek Blues (Wed F- for Alphabe For Sky Watch Friday For Weekend Reflection

For Scenic Sunday
Thanks to all the hosts!

This is only one of the two pillars of this bridge in Sacramento.

Not bad, taken from a moving car:)

Later I found another pic with the two pillars of the bridge.
Sorry, slightly skewed view.

Even though living in Southern California, nature may suddenly surprise us,
and traffic comes to a screeching halt (because many Californians
don't know how to deal with fog, lol)

foggy for Alphabe

The weather is more seasonal, in mid-California, 7 hours North ,
so we were glad to have a sunset at the end of this day!

***

SNOW WALK

2011-12-06T23:43:00.000-08:00

For Watery Wednesday For Midweek Blues Elated - for Alphabe For Skywatch For Weekend Reflection

For Scenic Sunday Thanks to all the hosts!

December brings an anticipation like no other month in the year.

Dreaming about snowy details

Blue skies on my snow walk
a river at the foot of these mountains

To toylike villages nestled in the mountains

and lighted Christmas windows

I am elated!

~*~

WOOD CUTS

2011-12-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

For Mellow Yellow Monday
For Ruby Tuesday

Lost all my pics taken in one year 'cause not only my computer, abut also my backup drive crashed this last summer. Excuse for new pics of my Christmas woodcut party that our friend John D. puts on every year.

He's a graphic artist. Most of the people who come, are not! He's the most patient and helpful man who listens what you want to make
and gets everyone through the process of making a Christmas card.

First: a design on tracing paper. Then I transfer the design onto the woodcut by "coloring" my design heavily with the graphite of my pencil.
Second: I put the design facing the wood - or upside down - and color heavily now on top of the paper, this is supposed to transfer the design onto the wood

Let's just say that it gloriously bummed, because the graphite was not put on thick enough!
That means I'll have to start over again. Miss Impatience draws her design directly on the woodcut.

This is only part of one of the two rooms where people are making their card. The fun part is that there is plenty of food and drinks. Friends or family may come with them to play music, or have interesting conversations.

Since most have some artistic genes in them, some may bring some unusual things, like rice milk (have forgotten the actual name and country it came from).

You can see I'm supplying myself with food:) - because wood cutting requires much concentration (if you like to keep your fingers in the process!)
I'm holding the wood block with a work glove, because these professional grade tools are very SHARP!

Here I'm fine tuning my design.
For that hubby puts paint with a paint roller over my design, so I can see where I need to cut deeper int the "wood"
(if it would be real wood,this would take weeks - so the upper layer of this block is of a soft rubbery substance) .

This post is not finished, because the card isn't there yet.

Our host will print around 25 cards for each participant

on a hand press from around 1904

(this press was the motivating factor

to start this open House at the beginning of each Dec.)

so everyone could make handmade Christmas cards.
Whenever I receive them, I'll post my handmade card!

Are you getting the pre-Christmas jitters yet?

***

RUNAWAY TURKEYS

2011-11-27T19:45:00.000-08:00

For MellowYellowMonday For Monday Doorways For Ruby Tuesday
For Watery Wednesday
D - for Alphabe
For Sky Watch
For Weekend Reflection
For Scenic Sunday

Spending Thanksgiving in Sacramento, in the morning it rained!

But before it started pouring, quess what!

Turkeys wandering around the neighborhood ON Thanksgiving day!

Heard from the people we visited that it's a common sight, and even peacocks!

(This is not at the country side. but in one of the suburbs of Sacramento!)

But the next day the sun began to shine, so we went out

And had a wonderful sky till sunset!

FALL LANDSCAPES

2011-11-20T20:52:00.000-08:00

For MellowYellowMonday
For Ruby Tuesday
For Midweek Blues
For Watery Wednesday

Fall can be nostalgic as well as temperamental. The first few days
of our Holland trip a few weeks ago, we had (some of the 23 days per year) sun!

I was mesmerized by the sea of yellow in the street of our Amsterdammer friends.

the clouds

If one meets a stranger in the US one likes to be friendly to, one could ask.

"How are you dong?"

In the Netherlands one would say in that case,
"Isn't the weather nice (or bad)?"
that's how important the Dutch weather is - a point of contact!

Soon the weather turned again to the usual cloudy and rainy weather.
(not a dirty lens, but rain drops on our car window)

These willows may probably like the ones Vincent van Gogh sketched and painted

Sketch is from the book "Van Gogh's Letters" published by

Black Dog & van Leventhal Publ.), p. 123)

No matter what weather, Hydrangeas do well!
Here, in this small front yard, the blue gate stands invitingly open.

But I should be thankful my eyes which are used to Californian sun at least got to see a sunset!

happy thanksgiving

***

WATER SIDES IN HOLLAND

2011-11-13T19:46:00.000-08:00

For Mellow Yellow Monday For Ruby TuesdayvFor Midweek Blues For Watery Wednesday
Claimed out of the Sea - for Alphabe For Sky Watch For Weekend Reflection
For Scenic Sunday

I always wondered what it would be like to live on a boat. Had the impression that many more take that option in Europe than in the United States. But I may be wrong!

Many farms are on the water side

After a few days thinking about it, I renamed this post into "Water sides" (formerly "I always wondered"), because there's much variety in the water sides of this little country that was more than half claimed out of the North Sea (and land is below sea level. That's why we have dykes to protect us from drowning).

Sluice gates in Amsterdam

At many places sluice gates or flood gates are used to level out the water when boats and ships pass (hope that I'm explaining this correctly, but I hope you know what I mean:) )

~*~

Fraelemaborg in Groningen, Holland

2011-11-06T16:28:00.000-08:00

For Mellow Yellow Monday For Ruby Tuesday For Midweek Blues For Watery Wednesday
"Bridge" for Alphabe For Sky Watch For Weekend Reflection
For Scenic Sunday

My brother was the tour guide to this unknown treasure, called Fraelemaborg. It has much of a castle with a moat around it, but no.

An entrance arch to the estate

A " borg" is an estate to protect the harvest from robbers. This started in the middle ages, and is one of the two in the Netherlands.. Fraelemaborg is close to Groningen, the capital in the NE province of Holland (in Slochteren).

Driveway to the bridge

Fraelemaborg was already was built before 1300 A.D. as a brick house with thick walls. By 1670 the Borgheer De Sandra Veldman expanded the house with two side wings, so that the house had now a U-form.

A map of the grounds and the coat of arms

Hubby took a pic at the front left window, so you see part of the inside -

am stealing it for Sky Watch and Weekend Reflection:)

A moat was also built around it. In the 19th century, the forest behind it was landscaped and marked by romantic English features

. In 1972 a Groninger foundation took over the borg from the family Thomassen to make it a museum. On the left in front the former farm now serves as a coffee house and on the right (not pictured) a coach house with a gallery.

Hope you enjoyed this short tour!

~*~

BLUE SKY IN AMSTERDAM

2011-11-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

For Sky Watch

For Weekend Reflections

For Scenic Sunday

They said we were lucky because the sun was shining when we were in Amsterdam
a week ago.So we had a blue sky.

Lucky, because Holland has a mere 20-23 sunny days per year.

This windmill stands in Amsterdam at the Amstel, a river
(you probably have hear of Amstel beer?).

Probably because I now see Holland with American eyes, it struck me that water was everywhere I turned. No wonder in previous centuries
it was known as the Low Lands by the sea!
This water is around the estate of Frealemaborg,
in the N.E. of the country, built before 1300 A.D..

A FALL INTO THE SEA (rev)

2011-10-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

For Midweek Blues
For Watery Wednesday

With a wordplay on Fall as in the season, and fall as in the movement of falling.

This painting represents the movement of a mountain falling into the sea, where John

wrote this revelations, banned to the island of Patmos

(a small island in the Mediterranean Sea, close to Greece).

If my jetlag is not too bad, I'll land in blogland tomorrow, bloggie friends:)

With so much water we saw on our trip to Holland, it's easier to think

of the consequences if a mountain would fall into the sea.

One thing is that it would raise

the water level around the rock and dry land with houses

would be flooded immediately.
In that case, keeping my fingers crossed and sending up prayers
that there would be minimal losses.

***

MUSICAL CHAIRS

2011-10-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

~*~

One of my many fetishes are chairs. Unusual chairs that is.

Maybe not the prettiest, but these chairs hanging on the tree
look comfortable and swing,
with a light breeze flowing through your hair,
and a couple of pillows, I would go for these....

shot by hubby for his photo class

I wouldn't be able to concentrate

having this bright color of the club chair
all around my book

obviously this teen is okay with it:)

~*~

VIEW OF COLORADO SPRINGS (while in Holland)

2011-10-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

***

Beautiful landscapes in Colorado Springs, when I accompanied hubby

for a week of work there.

A gorgeous living room with large windows on three sides
and I could see Pike's Peak. (not in this pic)

Unfortunately a beautiful house with an enviable view was not enough

to save the marriage of the home owner.

Every day I worked on my plein air watercolors

pretending I was clueless to what was already obvious to me.

You see "the triangle" in this view?

They only work on paper or canvas, if you know what I mean.

Why do I even write about this?

The wedding vows "to have and to hold" is one of the most precious things in life!

I'll be gone for a while. Miss all of you!

but I prepared 3 posts. Love to read all your comments

when I get back

(hopefully with lots of pics) !

***

ONE YELLOW IN THE CROWD

2011-10-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

*****
For MellowYellow Monday

Rain is okay (suddenly:) ) as long as I don't have to put my winter coat on!

And I will have to...tomorrow.

In a few days you'll know why.

*****

DISCOVERIES

2011-10-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

For Mellow Yellow Monday

For Ruby Tuesday For Midweek Blues

For Sky Watch

For Weekend Reflection

A night reflection in the city of Nanchang, a city of 3-4 million (12 hrs. W. of Shanghai
by train), where my son taught English in the past. Thanks to my jetlag,

I began shooting pics out of this window of his apartment,

because everyone else was asleep, and I was too tired

to concentrate on reading or knitting:)

Showing mainland China through the eyes of the more well to do college graduates
who have a job -they may have a job making breakfast in a hotel.No typos here!
The needy of the US are still better fed than the poor there.

No provision for special needs children in the educational system -

they are not educated but hidden. There are very few children's hospitals.

Am not trying to make you feel sorry for them, but this is life here.

Foreigners, even without a college degree have the better jobs,
like teaching, and are paid better (doing the same job as a Chinese person).

Hubby and son are at the little marine blue breakfast stand downstairs
to buy breakfast: yoghurt and sweet bread with a meat filling - delicious!

Pre-Olympic times. Amazed that even people whose house was the size of one room
and had only communal bathrooms for a whole street block

(no, they are not the needy!), try to have some kind of greenery.

Here you see a bean stalk climbing to the roof.

(These meter boxes are on the side walk of a busy road!)

It's not that these conditions don't exist in the US,
but because the very large middle class here,
there is more chance for people to fulfill their dreams.

***

ALPHABE - Z

2011-10-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

~*~

Alphabe Thursday

Z is for Zoe, the youngest of four, but a force to reckon with!

Her sister kept calling her that, when she was not even born yet,
so whenever that time arrived, Zoe became her name.

And so appropriate, because Zoe means "life." And she is a
hand full of it, as you can see in the pastel
I did of her when she was a toddler!

Am glad that her mom is a good disciplinarian, so I know Zoe
will turn out all "zoet"

which is the Dutch word for "sweet."

***

LITTLE FALL LEAF and OTHER LITTLE THINGS

2011-10-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

For Mellow Yellow Monday

Ruby Tuesday Midweek Blues
Alphabe Thursday
Sky Watch and Weekend Reflection

A thank you to all the hosts!

I'm enjoying this little red leaf, because leaves just started yellowing in my neighborhood. No other leaves turning red yet! Underneath some pinkish flowers from a bush that hubby found in the yard of one of the houses he was working in. All put together on yellow art paper, that I keep in stock for sudden inspiration, or little kiddies coming over. Voila, the ingredients for this little, what could be called "an art installation," which is a 3D art work .

For some reason I keep posting my paintings at Art Notes and Artistique, but this little painting fits in the context of the little leaf. Last year I painted a watercolor at the same site 9yosemite, at Happy Isles), but felt I had not captured all this beautiful scene had. So, this is the Knotty Tree revisited in oil, with a little of the blue sky, and the gushing water around it.Enjoy!

Am adding on little clouds, which would fit with the rainy weather right now (you know rain is a big thing in California:) ) for Sky Watch and Weekend Reflection (sun's reflection on the clouds).

Have a great week, mes amis!

~*~

EVERY DAY MOMENTS IN AN ARTiST''S LIFE

2011-09-26T00:23:00.000-07:00

Please Scroll down all the way for the memes -thank you!
For Mellow Yellow Monday, For Ruby Tuesday For Midweek Blues and Watery Wednesday For Sky Watch , For Weekend Reflection For Scenic Sunday

Still eat the rusk I used to eat in the Netherlands, but not with these sprinkles.

Cause these sprinkles say, "It's a girl!" and when you visit parents and baby,

you would get this rusk with your tea or coffee!

When it's a boy, the sprinkles are blue and white.

Which brush for this painting?
Hard to see, but the brush I'm holding in my left hand is RED

gazing at the post cards
of our family's travels this year

Taking a break by the pier

Subtle pillar reflections (for weekend reflections),

more visible when you embiggen the pic:)

Who took a bite of the 7 layer dip while I was gone?

Usually my "day" is done after midnight.

***