More rain More mud More fun

For my husband's b-day I've surprised him with a 4 hour adventure drive.

I was the navigator and the paparazzi ;-)

In his Birthday card I wrote: "The adventure starts in your own country",

which is of course The Netherlands ;-) it is just to get him into the right gear

for the adventure in my country: South Africa ;-)

Maybe then when I did a quiz it is not a supprise that I turn out to drive a 4x4

next time is my turn hubby!

You Should Drive a Toyota FJ Cruiser

A true adventurer, you're always up for trying the latest new thing. And you need a car that will take you anywhere, because there are no roads where you're going!

What 2007 Car Should You Drive?

I am an African

I'd like to share some video clips/trailers with you

that gives me goose bumps...no ostrich bumps.

They're all about South Africa:

1. Thabo Mbeki - Proud to be an African

2. South Africa - Alive with possibility

3. Our magnificant national anthem - with words

4. South Africa - Afrikaans homesick

5. Welcome to wild South Africa (Tourists beware)

6. Mango Groove - (music from my teenage years)

No ugly ducklings only beautiful swans

This morning I drove the scenic route to a friend. I saw the storks have arrived and are busy Spring cleaning their nest. Then I passed the beautiful green grass that I, as a South African, appreciate so much. It looked delicious and the swans down the road thought so too. I love seeing them as in South Africa it is a bird I associate with Europe and fairy tales.

The swans near the road didn't appreciate me taking photos of them so gathered their skirts and turned their backs on me.

What a pity, as they were really close to the road but behind a wired fence so I wasn't able to get closer for a better picture.

The sky has turned grey again as I'm typing this I'm relieved I have evidence that the sun did shine this morning!

Fjords and Friesians

The name of the blog suggests a Monday in a cold Scandinavian country. Everything but true!

Yesss! I've really enjoyed my Monday;
The sun was shining the WHOLE day

I was asked on Sunday if I'd like to come back on Monday to the school with the Safari theme. Of course I'd like to come back and speak about Africa! So on Monday morning I drove to Bennekom(15kms from here) to tell about life in Africa (for 45min). It is so easy to talk about something you love.

Then I took the scenic route and took pictures of the Fjords. One was very shy and walked away when he saw my camera and returned to his spot when I walked back to the car. Luckily for me the other horse ignored me flat. Here is a photo to show your their beautiful markings:

Golden delicious ;-)

Ok then I got into my car and drove to the next pair of horses I wanted to capture for eternity. The beautiful Friesian horses. Compared to the Fjords they're swans. Huge, very elegant and proud.

I had to step on it to get in time to the school to have some lunch with the girls. After walking with them back to school I went to buy some groceries. On my return I passed a nature reserve and as I had 30minutes to spare I just couldn't drove past. So I took my camera and went in search of the Galloways, deer and the Konik horses for a nice sunny picture. The horses and the deer were in a rest area where people aren't allowed. I stuck to the trail but could see them enjoying the sun. I did have some luck, a couple of Galloways were resting in the shade near me and then I saw it! Calves! A baby near me, almost didn't see it because it was resting against its mom and they're all black and hairy so it looked like one animal. And then on the grassy plain I saw 3 more with their moms. What a nice surprise:The front one is a bull, you can see that by the shape of his head. When he stood up it was confirmed ;-)

May day ended with spending some time with the girls in the back yard. Cleaning up the traces of winter. Ok Chanah and I did the cleaning and Danae sat on a chair making comments...

Horses and high water

Yesterday was a grrreat day as....the sun was shining.

Today is back to the usual grey sweater weather. We've had a lot of rain and the Blauwe Kamer nature reserve is flooded as well.

In the reserve there are Galloways and Koniks to keep the grass short so that the indigenous plants may prosper. With all this water they had to walk through the water to higher grounds.

The Blauwe Kamer is tucked in neatly between the Rhine river and Utrecht's mountain ridge (hihih).

I took some photo's of the konik horses, which I have been wanting to do for a looong time now.

They are a primitive ponies who can fend for themselves in the European climate. Originally they're from Poland. They are beautiful with their golden coats. I was really lucky to catch the sun on them.

The girls were running after a blue balloon that ended up in the reserve. It had cards attached to it saying it was a balloon contest from a school in The Hague to see who's balloon will end up furthest away. Well it was verrry funny to see the balloon coming our way and then end up 3 meters away from us. The ponies were all forgotten by the girls ;-)

As I've painted a Highlander I would also like to paint a koniks and a Galloway as they are all a familiar sight in the nature reserves in The Netherlands.

It was Wilfred's birthday and we did something very Dutch:

ate pancakes in a windmill:

No Contradiction

Chanah
- God is gracious

She reminds me of the soft breeze playing with strands of hair
carrying whispers
leaving footprints of fragrance
gentle and refreshing
free

Touched
and at awe I am
aware of how significant the unseen is

And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;
And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice.

1 Kings.19

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy:

They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

- French novelist (1871 - 1922)

Danae
- God is my judge

She reminds me of the hot dry days in Africa
dark clouds gathering
then you hear the rumbling
and you smell the coming rain
big droplets falling
and then
the magnificent thunder
lighting cracking open the heavens
and you feel alive again
Impressed
by this incredible display

In my distress [when seemingly closed in] I called upon the Lord and cried to my God; He heard my voice out of His temple (heavenly dwelling place), and my cry came before Him, into His [very] ears.
Then the earth quaked and rocked, the foundations also of the mountains trembled; they moved and were shaken because He was indignant and angry.
There went up smoke from His nostrils; and lightning out of His mouth devoured; coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.
And He rode upon a cherub [a storm] and flew [swiftly]; yes, He sped on with the wings of the wind.
He made darkness His secret hiding place; as His pavilion (His canopy) round about Him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Out of the brightness before Him there broke forth through His thick clouds hailstones and coals of fire.
The Lord also thundered from the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice, amid hailstones and coals of fire.
And He sent out His arrows and scattered them; and He flashed forth lightnings and put them to rout.
Then the beds of the sea appeared and the foundations of the world were laid bare at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
He reached from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me..

Psalm 18

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in Africa,

- Africa by Toto

Tuesday's child

Is full of grace...

I had to decide what I was going to paint on my 40x50x2cm white canvas.

I've agreed with me, myself and I to paint a Waterbuck.

They are beautiful.

This is the left eye

I've painted with
oil paint and brush

The Waterbuck is an antelope found in Central to Southern Africa. Their height: 100-130cm at the shoulder and they are heavy: weighing 160-240kgs. Their jackets are reddish brown and turns darker as they age. They have white markings near their eyes, under their throats and a white circle round their tails. (For those of you being able to understand Dutch; we call them in Afrikaans: kringatte.) They are found near water but not in water as their name suggests. Their meat have an unpleasant taste so they will only fall to prey if the lions are verrrry hungry and there is no "vicdonalds" (as my youngest calls it), around. The girls don't have horns so it is up to their perfume and size to stay out of harm's way.

I did actually...

On Monday evening my hands and feet suprised me buy going upstairs and find my crocheting and bead stuff.

I've started AND finished a necklace that a friend "ordered".

It is crocheted with black yarn and wooden beads. Approx. 140cm long and then I've joined the ends.

It was fun to make and very relaxing!

Ok I'll throw in some paintings from last week

I've painted a lion for a children's room
20x20cm
I've used gold, copper and silver to make him a bit flashy
I wanted the girls to paint something for their room.

I drew the pictures and they've painted it.

Next time they can do everything themselves.

It is a pity the Photo's I took aren't that good but it will give you and idea.

Danae(4) painted this one:

Curious fish with crabby crayfish

40x30cm

Acryl paint

I used gold and silver liners used for a finishing touch

Chanah (6) painted this one:

Singing Sea horse

40x30cm

I also used silver and gold liners for finishing touch

As if in a dungeon

I wanted to paint some children's paintings but that plan was thwarted:

I've had a weekend full of being sick. I'm sick of being sick hahah will that cancel each other out?
I'm not half dead on the couch but zombi-ing through the house coughing and aching.

When my husband had a bad period before he had his tonsils removed, he said he probably would've died if he'd lived in WWII...
I think I wouldn't even have made it to WWII. It seems my body thinks it is sentenced in a cold wet dungeon with a chilly wind instead of a nice warm house with enough food and laughter here in Western Europe.

The only thing that I've made was my bed ;-)

PS. Oh man...I just read the quote of the day:

"The man who throws a bomb is an artist, because he prefers a great moment to everything. G.k. Chesterton"

I think it looks a wee bit like pro extremist to me in the light of the current political arena ;-)

Today is a good day to start again

I'm over my mourning period... I suffered the loss of my previous blog. It was a rosemary of hobby blogs and then a hacker came in with a battle axe and shred our blogs to pieces.
I was devastated, I've searched between the debris for some recognizable piece of evidence of one of my blog entries...nothing survived. Nothing. I didn't make clones so I have no evidence of what I've done last year. Nothing.
I will start again.
Roll up my sleeves and put some cream on my hands and type again.

This blog is for sharing what I've done as a creative person.

We are all born creative.
We all do something with our creativity.
It is a pity that most of us buried our creativity and claimed not to have known it at all.
Maybe when you read the blog, you think "I can do that too", well probably you can!
So why not try it and ride the waves of creativity.
There is only one condition: don't be afraid to find what is inside of you.


Hope to see you soon
bye-bye
Monique