Sunday, March 11, 2012

Lizards, Checkers and Shutters

We are back ! We had a great time , lots of things done and the weather was surprisingly fine. 
A bit freezing at night but during the day the sun was so nice the lizards ( never seen lizards in real !!!! ) came out to take a sun bath. Came out from where ?! I suppose they live between the sandstone walls.?!

Little Komodo Dragons !

I painted a Checker board on the table, we have a TV with build-in DVD player but no cable yet, so besides watching movies or read in the evening we also like to play games.
Painting it on the table is practical and it looks nice ( according to me:-)
I asked our neighbour for some logs, I didn't know yet what to do with them but I love to use wood. They were the perfect size for stools.
 So I made a comfortable cushion , chequered fabric,a handy string handle ( you can't just pick them up, they are very heavy) et Voila !
They have become our Checker-stools :-)
 Pinky likes to watch us play and keeping an eye on the Salami and beer ;-)
We both didn't play Checkers for years so there is a mistake in this picture . . . . 
I thought playing Checkers is like riding a bike, you will never forget how to do it. Well, after an hour we suddenly remembered !

Am I a "checker" addict ? 
YES ! 
I bought chequered fabric for the curtains as well, I couldn't remember the measurements and took a gamble. They are a bit short. . . .but I will sew a nice border onto it the next time we are there.
 Aaaaw don't that look cute?


Erik went treasure hunting in the little attached "old-men-house" and TADAA : treasure !
 Look at those shutters !!! A good cleaning and a nice colour of paint and then. . . . . . .
What do you think ? I especially like the hinges ;-)
Pinky watching Erik . . . . . .



With this nice weather we wanted to be outside and we decided to give the house some air. It seems to be sandstone houses need to breathe .
 Well, this house couldn't breathe :  trees, blackberry bushes, brushwoods,ivy, you name it.
 Before. . . . 
After :-)
Oh and a pond appeared ! 

Well, the last day Erik decided to experiment with some plaster, we are not sure if it's the right stuff he put on but it looked nice and when we come back by the end of April, we will find out if it's still on the wall or if it's still white :-)
Pheeew, some week !

Of course we did go for long walks, Pinky isn't the usual "let-me-sleep-in-front-of-the-fireplace- Bully" while we are there.


She was busy all day, sniffing, barking, chasing invisible things, drinking mud from the smelly pond. 

By the end of the day she was dog-tired and so were we.

We visited Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, drank coffee on this beautiful square
I was trying to find a store where they sell wool and felt, there are more shops in Germany where they sell felting necessities then over here in the Netherlands.I promised to look for a wooden felting "mouse" for Katharine but no luck :-(
 
 


Didn't had time to play with my wool but decorating and taking care of the house is so satisfying and my wool is waiting patiently.






18 comments:

  1. Wonderful photos and of course, I am so happy to see Pinky!

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    1. Thank you Helen, I'll think if Pinky ever had a chance to meet you she will adore you :-)

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  2. Как красиво! Дом преображается прямо на глазах!

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  3. Beautiful photos, wonderful story and Pinky is sooo cute. I love her, and I love your house! And oh, what a cute lizard. Xxx

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  4. Первобытная природа и старый дом это сказочно красиво!!! Очень хочется посмотреть как будет преображаться ваш дом, с огромным желанием буду ждать новых фотографий!!! Удачи!!!

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    1. Елена,спасибо! в конце апреля мы снова, мало-помалу, красивая :-)

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  5. Interesting and detailed reportage, Helen...as I had been a little bird in Germany with you:o)

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  6. Oh Helen all of the photos are so wonderful and I felt as if I took a vacation just LOOKING at them! Your home is so charming and quaint. I love it! And to see Erik so busy and Pinky smiling, well it all is such a treat to see! I love your checkerboard and the checkered stools and everything looks like a dream to me. I am so happy for you! :)

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  7. I LOVE THE PHOTOS!!!! Love the shutters on the curtained windows!!! And the Gnome Log stools!!! And look at Pinky....she looks as if she is posing for a Statue in the town square! And even little Dragons guarding your cottage...So Lovely!!!!

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  8. It looks like you have found your Heaven on Earth!

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    1. Hi Vicki ! Yes it is such a beautiful place, my tummy hurts when I think of it now here, back in Holland :-)

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  9. What a beautiful place to have. I love what you are doing to it. I got the pleasure of seeing a couple of your owls yesterday, Felicia had them at the Phoenix Show. I spotted them immediately on her table. They are even more beautiful in person.

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    1. Thank you Joanne ! Janice told me she saw the owls there ! I hope Felicia is taking pictures :-)

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