zaterdag 31 december 2011

Happy New Year

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o' auld lang syne.


And for auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne,


Auld lang syne



© KH

woensdag 28 december 2011

Salamander

Last summer in France while walking in a castle garden I saw this salamander and lots of his brothers and sisters!



© KH

dinsdag 27 december 2011

Last Christmas

Last year with Christmas there was a lot of snow. We had a white Christmas. Now we have had a grey, wet one. O well, maybe next year:

The birds like this weather better I think:



© KH

maandag 26 december 2011

Scottish Santa

My love for Scotland can be found in my home as well as in my Christmas tree. With lots of Scottish Christmas ornaments, tartan and ofcourse bagpipes and Scottish Santas.



This one is a music box:



© KH

zaterdag 24 december 2011

Merry Christmas

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through. 
~ Author unknown
Have a very merry Christmas and a wonderfull, Inspiring, healthy and great 2012



©KH

vrijdag 23 december 2011

Statue St Catherine Church

This statue stands against the St Catherine's Church in Eindhoven. I love to watch and photograph holy statues. They make me feel humble in some way I guess. Maybe my Catholic upbringing. 



© KH

donderdag 22 december 2011

Thursday Challenge, Light

"LIGHT" (Candle, Street, Business, Fireplace, Glitter, Sparkle,...)

In the dark days before Christmas you can use some extra lights, for example, candle lights. Cosy too. 

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and lots of warmth with the ones you love. 


© KH

For more Thursday Challenges look HERE

woensdag 21 december 2011

Winter Solstice

In the bleak midwinter  
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, 
Water like a stone; 
Snow had fallen, 
snow on snow, 
Snow on snow, 
In the bleak midwinter, 
Long ago.
       ~ Christina Rossetti

December 21e last year.
What a difference with this year. Now, rainy days and it seems we're getting a wet Christmas.



© KH

dinsdag 20 december 2011

Chateau Saché

The more one judges, the less one loves.   
~ Honoré de Balzac 

Castle where Honoré de Balzac (French novelist and playwriter) has lived.



© KH

maandag 19 december 2011

Clouded Silver

In all seasons but winter my common ivy is the habitat for lots of moths. Especially for the clouded silver or in Dutch 'witte schaduwspanner'. Love the English name by the way! Moths have such a negative ring to their name. Most people think they only eat their (wollen) clothes. 
But they are such beautiful (night) butterflies actually. 


© KH

zondag 18 december 2011

Winter with snow

With all that rain lately, one is going to miss the snow in winter. So here's a picture of last year's snow: 




© KH

zaterdag 17 december 2011

donderdag 15 december 2011

Thursday Challenge, Shoes

Today's challenge: "SHOES" (Boots, Sandals, Dress Shoes, Wooden Shoes, Stiletto heals, Horse Shoes,...)
My photo is from my rain boots. The weather here is so bad, rain, heavy winds, more rain, and I have to go to work every day on my bicycle, so I need them every day.
I'm afraid we are going to have a 'wet' Christmas next week instead of a 'white' one.




Other Thursday challengers you can find HERE

© KH

woensdag 14 december 2011

Longing for winter

You have to be happy in Summer, don't you? 
I don't tan or have the legs for shorts, 
Can't afford to get away. So I close my eyes
And have winter thoughts.

In winter it's harder to get out of bed, so cold
Harder to walk uphill, on ice, in the dark.
Welcome to my world.
The duck pond is always frozen in my park.

I hope I can hang on tighter than the leaves.
Give Summer my old shoulder, and feel.
I can try again, 
My mind as clear as a snow covered field. 


Paul Yates 




Winter 2007 Sunset over River Maas

dinsdag 13 december 2011

Angel Statue

Statue beloning to a Railway Monument at the Valkhof Square Nijmegen: In 1865, the railway between Nijmegen and Kleve, Germany was established. In honor of this event this monument in 1884 in Renaissance style, was erected in theValkhof (square). It is one of the oldest statues Nijmegen has. The pedestal is an angel, representing the winged Victoria - god of victory - which throws a laurel wreath. The statue of zinc is a copy of one in the 30s of the 19th century marble sculpture made by C.D. Rauch. The limestone base is manufactured by J.J. Weve. Previously, the base also had a thermometer, a barometer and a clock. 
After World War II, the monument moved several meters.

On the base are the words: Unity makes strength



© KH

maandag 12 december 2011

Geese in flooded meadow

I took this picture of the geese in a flooded meadow last winter when the river Meuse (Maas) flooded into the meadows. 




© KH

zaterdag 10 december 2011

Caterpillar

“A caterpillar who seeks to know himself would never become a butterfly” 
~ Andre Gide

 

© KH

vrijdag 9 december 2011

Itchy

If it itches, you scratch (Als het jeukt moet je krabben)
This Scottish sheep must have thought so anyway... 




© KH

donderdag 8 december 2011

Thursday Challenge, Communication

"COMMUNICATION" (Talking, Sign Language, Telephone, Technology,...)

These geese must communicate very good together in order to get wherever they are going. You hear geese 'talking' to each other when they fly over. They communicate during their flight. 



© KH

Other Challenges can be found Here

woensdag 7 december 2011

Mother Nature's Christmas Ornaments

If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere. 
~ Vincent van Gogh

 

© KH

dinsdag 6 december 2011

maandag 5 december 2011

Sunrise

Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them. 
~ William Arthur Ward 
Beautiful sunrise this morning!



© KH

zaterdag 3 december 2011

Dark clouds

A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition. 
~William Arthur Ward



© KH

vrijdag 2 december 2011

donderdag 1 december 2011

woensdag 30 november 2011

Ardnarmurchan

"Up the airy mountain
Down the rushy glen
We daren’t go a-hunting
For fear of little men."
 
- William Allingham, The Fairies, 1850

 

© KH

maandag 28 november 2011

Frostbite

Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf. 
- Albert Schweitzer


© KH

zondag 27 november 2011

A rose

But he that dares not grasp the thorn 
Should never crave the rose. 
Anne Bronte

 

© KH

zaterdag 26 november 2011

Orléans Cathedrale Sainte Croix

I never weary of great churches. It is my favorite kind of mountain scenery. Mankind was never so happily inspired as when it made a cathedral.
- Robert Louis Stevenson

 

© KH

donderdag 24 november 2011

Thursday Challenge, Soft

This weeks Challenge: "SOFT" (Pillow, Blanket, Feather, Animals, Clothes,...) 
I chose this photo of a bumblebee in a yellow flower in my garden last summer. 
I like bumblebees. They are very soft. I had one as a 'pet' when I was a child. He fell in the dogs water bowl and I fished him out of there. Put him on a dry place, fed him sirop or so I thought. (I was 9, I didn't know bumblebees didn't eat sirop) But a few days later he seemed stronger and flew away. I could pet him so I try to do that with every bumblebee in my garden. They are very soft indeed! 
Personaly I love this picture. Makes me think of my pet bumblebee! :-) 



Other Thursday challenges can be found here

© KH

woensdag 23 november 2011

maandag 21 november 2011

zaterdag 19 november 2011

The Jacobite Steamtrain

In dreams, we enter a world that's entirely our own. 
 Albus Dumbledore

 



© KH

vrijdag 18 november 2011

Geese

Watching birds has become part of my daily meditation affirming my connection to the earth body. 
Carol P. Christ
 



© KH

donderdag 17 november 2011

Thursday Challenge, Books

I consider myself a real bookworm. Imagine my surprise that while I was reading this fellow came creeping by.
No not a bookworm but still.. :-)



© KH

More Thursday challenges here