that's My World, & ABC Wednesday G for Gnomes

My books are part of My World.This post deals with two of my favourite books about gnomes.
All over the world gnomes have found a home among humans. They have lived here for ages. We didn't know about them until one of them told about their way of life and their long history. We shall call him David. Now David thought that it was about time to tell the world about their existence. So he went to the Dutch author Wil Huygen and his friend the Dutch illustrator Rien Poortvliet, to whom he told about his life. Like all gnomes he is 15 cms tall and he weighs 300 grammes. He can grow as old as 400 years. The most important feature is his pointed hat. Gnome children get their pointed hats at an early age and will never take them off: not in bed, not even in the bathtub, only when it has to be enlarged.
A couple marries when they are about a hundred years old. They get two children: biovular twins. At the age of twelve they are toilet-trained. Gnomes sleep during the daytime in their comfortable houses under trees or under the roofs of farmhouses. As soon as it gets dark they get up and start work. The gnome is known for his knowledge about herbs and the wildlife in the woods or the fields. He helps sick animals and even sick people. He has learnt all kind of skills: carpenting, forging all kind of metal objects, glassblowing... you name it! He builds his own house with the help of relatives and neighbours. Well see for yourself...


That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World


ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt and a team of experienced bloggers, thank you all so much.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with G.

Sky Watch The Heavens are telling

I like the images of this video but I prefer the music of the video below.



The Heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of his work displays the firmament.

Today that is coming speaks it the day,
The night that is gone to following night.
The Heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of his work displays the firmament.

In all the lands resounds the word,
Never unperceived, ever understood.
The Heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of his work displays the firmament.





This sounds as it was meant.

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Louise
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see some real skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

Today's Flowers,Friesland

 
 
 

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.
- Emma Goldman
( in this case begonias!)

TODAY'S FLOWERS was created
by LUIZ SANTILLI JR
Now it's managed by SANTILLI and DENISE BC Thank you, Luiz and Denise!To see more flowers click on the logo in the side bar.

ABC Wednesday E for English Excerpts

What shall I now complain about?? Please click to enlarge.

These are apparently genuine excerpts from English letters to local councils. We all know that English is a complicated language and not alone for non-English speakers. I think that we do not need to feel embarrassed if we read these letters of native speakers.

Council complaints ( which one is your favourite?)
===============
1.This is to let you know there is a smell coming from the man next door.

2.I am writing on behalf of my sink, which is running away from the wall

3.I request your permission to remove my drawers in the kitchen.

4.Our lavatory seat is broken in half and is now in three pieces

5.Can you please tell me when our repairs are going to be done, as my wife is about to become an expectant mother.

6.The toilet is blocked and we cannot bath the children until it is cleared

7.The person next door has a large erection in his back garden, which is unsightly and dangerous.

8.Will you please send someone to mend our broken path. Yesterday my wife tripped and fell on it and now she is pregnant.

9.Our kitchen floor is very damp, we have two children and would like a third, so will you please send someone to do something about it?

10.This is to let you know that our lavatory seat is broken and we cannot get BBC2.

11.I am very annoyed to find that you have branded my son illiterate. This is a dirty lie, as I married a week before he was born.

12.In accordance with your instructions, I have given birth to twins in the enclosed envelope.

13.I want money as quick as I can get it. I have been in bed with the doctor for two weeks and he doesn't do me any good.
If things don't improve, I will have to send for another doctor.

14.I am glad that my husband, who is missing, is dead.

15.Unless I get my husband's money pretty soon, I will be forced to live an immortal life!!

ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt and a team of experienced bloggers.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with E.

that's My World Gorinchem, Castle Loevestein

Click on slide for more details.

On Sunday the 7th June, 2009, we wanted to show our relatives from South Africa the city of Gorinchem and Loevestein Castle.

Wikipedia says: "It is assumed that Gorinchem was founded circa the year 1000 by fishermen and farmers on the raised land near the mouth of the river Linge at the Merwede. "Goriks Heem" is first mentioned in a document from 1224.

Somewhere between 1247 and 1267, Gorinchem became property of the Lords of Arkel. At the end of the 13th century earthen mounts reinforced with palisades were built around the settlement to protect it from domination by the neighboring counties of Holland and Gelre. Half a century later real city walls were built complete with 7 gates and 23 watchtowers. Otto van Arkel granted it city rights on November 11, 1322"

Slot Loevestein (1621)

Castle Loevestein is a medieval castle built by the knight Dirc Loef van Horne (hence "Loef's stein" ((stone)) house) in 1368. It was built in a strategic location in the middle of the Netherlands, where the Maas and Waal rivers come together (just west of current day villages Poederoijen and Brakel, in the municipality of Zaltbommel, in Gelderland). At first it was a simple square brick building, used to charge toll from trading vessels using the rivers. In the 16th century it was expanded to a larger fortress surrounded by earthen fortifications, two moats, an arsenal, and housing for a commander and soldiers. It changed hands twice between the Northern Dutch and the Spanish, the warring parties of the day. The castle soon became a prison for political prisoners. One famous inmate was the eminent lawyer, poet and politician Hugo de Groot (Hugo Grotius) often presented as the "father of modern international law", who was serving a life sentence since 1619, due to a conflict with the Prince of Orange. In 1621 Hugo de Groot managed to pull off a daring escape in a book chest. He subsequently became the Swedish Embassador to France for 10 years.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World

Camera Critters Friesland

 
 
 
 

To enlarge please click on photos!

Apart from the rooster of my friends there were the many cows we saw . Even on our cycle tour we had to cycle behind a herd of cows, which were taken to other fields. We also saw a herd of Dutch Land Goats which had almost become extinct, had it not been for a group of biologists who succeeded to breed them back.

This group of Canadian geese in the distance, and a cormorant were worth seeing as well.

 

Click to enlarge.

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn. Thank you so much Misty Dawn.We all enjoy seeing and talking about animals. All creatures great and small give us much pleasure.If you want to see more Camera Critters click on the logo in the side bar.

ABC Wednesday D of Jelle Dam and Damshûs

Jelle Dam was born in a sod or turf hut, in 1857.The family was very poor. In 1885 he married and he and his wife got 6 children, three of them died young.
At first Jelle Dam worked as day labourer, lateron he became a carpenter. In 1892 he
set up his own carpenter business. He was very active in the Socialist Party. Jelle was appointed to investigate the housing conditions of the labourers. His report was as plain as day; eventually his advice was taken on and the small dwellings and sod huts were broken down and replaced by bigger stone houses.
Jelle Dam created a better, though not an easy life, for the labourers. They still were poor but the new houses were palaces compared to the sod and straw huts they used to live in.


Sod or turf hut for 13 persons.See also the 13 pair of wooden shoes or clogs. The parents had been married for 35 years!

 
 
 

This house is one of the better houses, thanks to Jelle Dam. It is situated at the Open Air Museum "It Damshûs"( the Dam's house).

 
 
 

Click to enlarge.

If a boat was in such a bad condition that it couldn't be used for transport of peat, the village carpenter built a small house on it.


 
 
 

Click to enlarge.

ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt and a team of experienced bloggers.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with D.

that's My World, Friesland

Last week I was in Friesland, near Drachten, and stayed with Frisian friends. Friesland is one of our 12 provinces and apart from Dutch, the Frisians speak Frisian. We can regard the Frisians as our aboriginals. They are the original inhabitants of our country. Their language dates from the 8th century A.D.The period of the peat workers in Friesland started in the 18th century A.D.They were poor people with often large families. Their houses consisted of one room and a place to cook. They were often forced to spend their wages in the shop and the pub, which were owned by their boss, who also lived in the same building. To get them attending church, they got a cup of pea soup after the service on Sundays.
Peat was used as fuel in houses and factories, even after WWII.
In one of the photos you can see a lawei. That's a basket on a long pole. Is the basket high, it means: Work! Horizontal: lunch! Low: You can go home!



Thank you Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World

Fox Hunt

 

My daughter in Australia sent me this. A good lesson:

REMEMBER WHEN YOU ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE, LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD,
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT & SAY NOTHING..

Today's Flowers. Hostas

 
 
 
 

This year is the first time my hostas managed to grow without being eaten by snails or slugs. It even got flowers. I had put slug- pellets around the plant as soon as it showed some leaves. So that does the trick!