A Spring like, warm wind, 12C yesterday! A Fall chilly day today! What a way to end 2012! Wishing you, family and dear friends, a Hapy New year as you ring in the new year where ever you are! May 2013 bring you joy, memories to cherish, special times, and don't forget to Live, Laugh and love! Take care, see you in 2013!

 Today is the start of the "Between Christmas and

 New Year's Eve" Work week at Buitenzorg!

 It's a warm 27th of December this year!

 The to do list is as long as this tree is tall! LOL

 You're quite welcome to come and lend a hand!

 It's great to be outdoors after all that Christmasness!
That's not a word, but you know what I mean!

 Everything is taken care of, even when it gets dark!

See you at Buitenzorg?

Tea Time!

We'll have do do it again sometime!

Hey, it's 5 pm and a bit lighter outside! and
"I don't want to live in a world without Pinguins!"

Merry Christmas!

Good morning! Hope you can enjoy a relaxing Christmas day with friends and family! It's time to turn on the oven! Potter about in the kitchen! I'll be baking Scones, Brownies, Mini Quiches and Blue Stilton Puffs for this afternoon's High Tea! Don't know if there will be leftovers for Wednesday? But I can always bake a few more! Michael Bubles'Christmas Special begins at 8:45 am on Ned 1! It was a fun 25 day advent calendar to do! Hope you enjoyed the trees! Take care, Joanne

Good Morning! One more day! Tomorrow's Christmas! Did December pass faster for you that you thought it would? Not too late to go shopping! Pick up the last ingredients for high tea! It's Monday!
Winter can start now! "Cool Runnings" with John Candy and the Jamacian Bobsled team that makes it to the Winter Olympics in Calgary, was on tv last night! Now there's a "feel good" and "pick me up"  movie to start the week off right!  "You've got to climb above it", "Peace be the journey",  "Respect" and "Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme..." I'll watch it again! You should to! Where ever you are, I hope you can enjoy your day!

 Good morning! Slept well?

I've been listening to the windy rain all morning!

Days are getting longer!

  Yesterday evening, NPB Soest,
 hosted their Christmas Social!     

I was invited to join in on this festive occasion!

I work there, in the garden, with volunteers once a month! 

There was food... 

 ..and song! A Childrens Choir joined us and sang two sets of 5 songs! Their last number, "This little light of mine" was so, it was so, sent a shiver down my spine. Sang it on the way home. It added atmosphere to the misty, Christmas lights, "rain-legs" bike ride!

 And at home, the lap quilt has been finished!

The bias tape edging is on!

Hope your Sunday can be warm and cozy too!

 Saturday! Christmas Vacation days!

Wishing you a stressless shopping weekend!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlZ8DXRnM-0

 Christmas music and quilting!

Composted the front garden!That's it for gardening this year!

 That treadle Singer is still available at the Kringloop!

Grocery list, music, festive decor, friends, family....

these are the creative indoor days!

Good morning! Now here's a story I'd like to share!

I moved to The Netherlands in April, 2000. School started soon after to try to learn the language. By the time Christmas songs were being played on the radio, I had a fairly good understanding of the language but not quite an understanding of their humour. This song, "Flappie"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNXYTbEzmVQ is about a small boy and his pet rabbit. I think you'll understand the story. No, didn't find it funny then! Still don't!

 Every action has a reaction!

It's a great morning to get the garden ready for Spring!

Hope you can enjoy a beautiful winters day!

 That's the temperature for today too!

I could have used that Ice-Fishing shack last night! Hot, cold, hot, cold...Nothing like a day outside to clear that up!

A time to share with friends and family!

Hosta Teacher's Pride

Thanks for the Christmas Hosta wishes!

Good morning! To see these Christmas trees you have to look up! Yesterday the shops in Baarn were open. I went for a wander around to find a few Christmas trees for the Advent Canendar! 8 days! Hope you can enjoy the days until Christmas!

Look at this Christmas tree that I found yesterday, when it was sunny and almost 10C! But being Winter, there were periods of rain! Do you see the mugs full of Hot Chocolate with whipping cream? Has to be Hot Chocolate! Can't be hot spiced wine! Scones, did you say? Yes, it's a scone kind of day! Wishing you a relaxed Sunday!

10 days! That's 2 shopping weekends until Christmas! Hope you can get out and enjoy today! Warming up to 10C! Sunny and dry! Great day to look for Christmas trees!

Hope you had a creative day!

  Here, the dining table is now a sewing table!

 Started adding a few buttons....

 ...to DITG!

 My fingers have to get used to this! Ouch!

 Over at Buitenzorg this afternoon, while it was still dry...

....improvements were being made from

  the Amsterdamsestraatweg to the Owl's Nest!

 This guy could drive!

 And these guys worked hard!

And after a hard days work it ws time to

turn on the lights at Buitenzorg!

 

The snow shovel and gaters have been put away!

Windy, 2.5C now. Warming up to 7C today! 9C tomorrow!

 Green container was emptied! It was too frozen last time! 

No snow. No ice. Green grass! Feels a bit like spring!

 Tea time! Glad you could join me! Can I offer you one of those Biscoff Spread(Speculoospasta) squares, fresh from the oven? Don't mind if I do! The front and back of DITG are sewn together! Stitched in the Ditch by electric machine!
And a bit of great news! The Garden Tour Company, De Tuinreisclub, will be updating there website and sending out their 2013 garden tour dates! Great to hear Wim and Henny!

 Finishing date has been added to DITG!

There is still quite a lot to do!

 I think a nice piece of oak stained trim is needed!

Just to let you know, there is  a Singer Treadle(trap) Sewing machine at the Kringloop in Baarn! Good condition with a wooden cover! 25 euros! Very tempting indeed! A girl can never have too many Singers! Or could she? LOL

 "Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree..."

Local artist in Chilliwack wins prize for her art!

http://www.theprogress.com/lifestyles/183059871.html