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: