Went to the Christmas Market in Keulen, Germany today!

 How did they get the scaffolding up there?

There was a lot to see!

 First stop, the real Bunzlau Polish Pottery!

 Then warmed up inside a huge department store!

 Fun!

 What's this? Smells great!

 Lunch! I've seen how it's made!

 Lots of lights! Great Market stalls!

Thanks for an "gezellig" day out Saskia!

Now we can sing "Let it snow,let it snow, let it snow!"

Another beautiful start to this Autumn day!

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head? And you can't remember the whole song even when you sing  it out loud?  LOL!  Good thing I work out in the garden when that happens! Maybe you know the tune to this one instead? (written last year) 

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

It's the most wonderful time of the year

When the grass has stopped growing

And slugs have stopped eating the Hosta's you love

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

 

It's the hap-hapiest season of all

When the leaves all have fallen and geese come a calling

To ring in the Fall

It's the hap-happiest season of all

 

There'll be trees that need pruning

and borders replanting

While catalogues come in the mail

There'll be scary ghost stories

And tales of the glories of

Harvests of long, long ago

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year

There'll be much apple eating

And bulbs will be planted

When Winer draws near

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

The three rows have been sewn together!

And the Bobbin Fairy was there! LOL

 Great seeing you today! It was a great afternoon!Hope you're feeling good! You know what's really good? Pancake flour from the Windhond Windmill in Soest! Stopped by earlier this afternoon! They have a great selection of flours and other baking ingredients! Oh, I forgot the locally produced honey! Will have to go again! Maybe when it's snowing! That might happen sooner than we think!

Earlier, as in early this morning, I started sewing the DITG blocks into rows! That old sewing machine's doing good!

 After the first cleaning, all the parts are back together!

Now, I just have to figure out which needle is needed!

Just for indoor use!

They can be painted, decorated, Mad Hatter Tea Partied!

Great to see you here today! How was your weekend?

 Rain, sun and and a lot of  wind yesterday!

 Let's check out BZ this afternoon! No leaves here!

 And no leaves on this tree either!

 Here too, above the Hosta Border! No leaves!

 One woodpecker was busy by Varenveld though!

 Time to tidy up this Hosta Border!

 Get it ready for Winter!

Today I added a layer of potting soil by each Hosta!  

Then round about February 14th, I'll bring the Slug pellets!

 A second round of mushrooms are growing!

 What an Autumn! 10C in the sun this afternoon!

 H. Winter Snow, See you bright and green next year!

 H. T. Rex, Bigger and better next year!?

 Tonights project!

Let's see if I can get this one working! Hope you can enjoy the evening!  If you're in for creative ideas, check out page 8 of the Xenos folder! There's one open in Soest now! Might have to pick up a few of those!  I'm talking about the teapots and teacups that are cut in half! Dont have to do that myself this winter! http://folder.xenos.nl/publications/aebbc93f3de34d7642882c97f220d57d/#/8/ 

Translating can be so fun!

Laat een plekje

vrij in u tuin

zodat de veeën feeën

kunnen dansen!

 Good morning! What a blustery day! After cleaning and oiling the sewing machine it's sounding pretty good! This morning was the second lesson! How to thread the machine!

It works! Thanks to her youtube videos!

http://www.lizzielenard-vintagesewing.blogspot.co.uk/

Hello! Let's set the scene! Misty, rainy Autumn weather outside. Inside Great Big Sea XX on Spotify. A campfire on screen and then it's back to school with "How to Clean a Vintage Sewing Machine" on Youtube! Hope you're having a warm an cozy evening where you are! Found a great recipe on line for Starbucks Chai Tea Latte Copycat! Milk, water, black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves and ginger! This looks like a great hot chocolate and coffee replacement! Would make the house smell fantastic! I'll let you know!

The Holidays are coming! LOL

While you're having tea, you might just want to give these cookies at  www.red-brolly.com a try!

 Take a look at this bookcase!

 Hand made for the Scoutshop! 

By one of the talented volunteers at Buitenzorg!

Did you get out yesterday? It was like the London Fog rolled in! Then today! Warm Winter sunshine, 10C and wind from the South! Let's give that new "Pepernoten" recipe a go! Melt 60 gr. butter with 160 ml. "Schenkstroop". Let cool. Then add to a bowl filled with 260 gr. Flour, 1 tsp. baking soda and 2 tsp. "Koek/speculaas/Pepernoten" spice mix. Mix. Knead into a ball. Cool in fridge 30 min.

 Go find the small cookie cutters!

Oven: 180C. Roll out 8mm thick. Cut out

Good thing I didn't double the recipe!

One recipe made 2 baking sheets full!

Bake about 8 - 10 minutes.
Read the paper! It's about the message behind the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJLqyuxm96k

Let cool! Go outside! Hope you had a great day!

Hello! Great to see you on this fine Fall day!

Pancakes? Not tonight. It's about "Schenkstroop"!

Sinterklaas is in town! And! There are a lot of "Lekker" traditions to go with it! "Pepernoten" is one of them! I found a great explanation and recipe at http://www.red-brolly.com You have to scroll down a bit to get to the Nov. 15th date to read the story and recipe! It's a great site! Great patters to try! Another Dutch recipe for "Pepernoten" calls for "Schenkstroop"! Didn't know what it was at first. Then I learned that it's that pourable stuff for pancakes! Oh! "Pannenkoekenstroop"! That I have in house, known about for years! Round about Wednesday I might be giving the red brolly recipe a try! But, I'll be substituting "Schenkstroop" for the Golden Syrup! I"ll let you know how they turned out!
I can already guess that the kitchen will be smelling great! 

 A sunny crisp start to the day! First to Soest!

 Then to Buitenzorg! Guesss who was there! LOL

 Started on the new garden project! Moved a few Hostas!

 Measured and moved a few stones! Thanks!

The Mill stone will be reused, that's for sure!

 And the plastic pond is gone! Thanks!

 Must have been about 2 feet deep! LOL

 A few ferns need planting then the designing can begin!

 Fun! But not at this time, in this garden!

 Something like this...

...and a bit like this!

Why would I copy a plan? Pattern? Or recipe? LOL

Tomorrow should be fun in the mud!