The Glimmer Globe and Umbrella Canopy at Sandhill Nursery Home and Garden Centre in Huntsville, Ontario.
A great and wonderful spot to spend a beautiful afternoon with wonderful friends.
Bubbles, Plants, and Paraplu’s
Tragically Chip
This empty bowl and crispy cone once filled with a blend of maple whisky ice cream, dotted with chunks of sweet dark chocolate, and rippled with streams of black cherry, is the end result of a yummy summer treat to celebrate Canada Day.
Invented in the small town of Bobcaygen, this delightful treat evolved from a unique collaboration between The Tragically Hip, one of Canada’s greatest bands, and one of Canada’s favourite ice cream producers, Kawartha Dairy.
“It was in Bobcaygen
I saw the constellations
Revealed themselves one star at a time.”
The Tragically Hip
And the greatest thing about this all Canadian treat is that a portion of the sales are being donated to the Breakfast Club of Canada.
Proud to be Canadian!
Church of St. Antonius Abbot Brink 10
Located in the center of the village square, in the village of St. Antonius, Noord Brabant, this beautiful church featuring a medieval tower is it’s oldest building.
The monumental part of the church and the tower date back to 1477. The tower has an octagonal spire and is an example of Medieval village Gothic architecture.
This beautiful, medieval, wooden cross pulls our eyes past the art depicted of the stained glass windows.
The cross dates back to around 1480 and is the work of the famous Late Medieval sculptor Master Arnt.
The beautiful stained glass windows of the church were designed by the artistic priest-poet Jonas van Delft who served as pastor of St. Antonius from 1927 to 1957. They were completed before World War 2, and stored for safe keeping during that time.
This oak pulpit, dating back to 1694, features the writers of the Holy Gospels. Their symbols are depicted as: Matthew with the angel; Mark with the lion; Luke with the ox; and John with the eagle.
The wooden statue of St. Antonius is from 1850. The artist is J.F. Beuijssen from Boxmeer.
The Madonna, holding baby Jesus in her arms, are adorned with silver crowns. The artist was the renowned Boxmeer silversmith Rabanus Raad. Dated 1749.
The four white crosses are for four British soldiers who died in St. Antonius during the liberation of the Netherlands at the end of World War 2. The unit that they were a part of is the same unit that our son-in-laws father served in.
The wear and tear on this beautiful piece depicting Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem does not at all interfer with the message being conveyed.
Touring this amazing square with it’s beautiful church was an emotional and moving time for me.
Sharing this time with my cousin Toos and her family, as they toured myself and my family through the village where our family has it’s roots was, I think, my favourite day in the Netherlands.
Keukenhof Gardens
In the Netherlands, not to far from Amsterdam, lays the most beautiful spring garden in the world.
Keukenhof is home to more than 7 million flowering tulips, daffodils, and other bulb flowers.
Keukenhof, the worlds largest flower garden offers a unique scent and colour experience and an endless explosion of colour.
A beautiful garden located in a country which in itself is a beautiful garden
I love the Netherlands!
Following the Footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh
Traveling the narrow streets of Noord Brabant, through the towns of St. Antonius, Oploo, Lierop and Nuenen, we can feel the brushstrokes of Vincent van Gogh’s paintbrush as he captures and transposes the images of the countryside onto his canvases.
Tracing the steps of one of the great master, walking the same streets, the same roads, prehaps under some of the same trees felt so unreal, like anything and everything is possible.
It was an honor and a privilege.
Let Me Be Frank
Frank’s tunes playing on the air.
His 78s hanging on the walls.
The proprietors are probably humming along.
Hotdogs, with names like
The Enforcer
The Goodfella
The High Roller
With toppings of roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sauerkraut, crumbled bacon, arugula, etc, etc, etc.
Such a fun little spot for a comfort meal of your favourite hotdog.
Snowman Melting
Snowman melting.
Sunbeams pelting.
Ice welding.
Winds belting.
Nothing helping.
The sun was bright.
The mood was light
The snow was white.
Try as he might.
He put up a good fight.
Well into the night.
When the world was frozen,
this snowman was chosen.
He was built with emotion.
And cared for with devotion.
Windswept Wednesday
On a wistful Wednesday weekday,
whilst wandering through the woods
we came upon windswept weeds and willows
weeping, whispering in the wind.
Wandering wishy-washy
as the wind wildly whispers,
waves of white wavering
as the walloping,westerly winds blow.
And a whimsical, whiskered wabbit
waited, wobbling, and wisely watched
the wristwatch, writing, well-versed,
wishing the whole wide world well.
Whimsically, whispering words of wisdom
as the westerly winds fell.
Wine coloured glasses
Slices white bread.
The Yellow House
The Yellow House
Have you ever wondered
who lived in this house?
Once upon a time,
a long time ago.
When the paint was fresh,
and the structure sound.
Before the walls
of faded yellow,
had all but fallen down.
Who were they?
What would they say
if they stopped by
to see it today.
About those who
deserted their home so fine.
Was it keeping up with the Jones'
that ruled their minds?
Oh fallen house
the stories you could tell,
Squeak the mice
who live there still,
amongst the rafts, and
traveling along the broken window sill.
Behind the banks of fallen snow,
Behind the trees that in front now grow.
Remains of the yellow house
From which this poem flows.
Frozen Beaches
Words of William Shakespeare
Blow, blow,thou winter wind,
Thou are not so unkind
As man's ingraditude:
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho: unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning,most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh-ho, the holly!
This life most jolly.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
That dost not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remembered not,
Heigh-ho: sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly
Groovy Tales of a Well Adult 