gmacgmac

Updating and managing my blogs

2007-08-21T03:25:00.000+02:00

In the past months I have been adding some more new blogs to the ones already in existence. I have been posting about Arnhem (the city I live in), Wuhan (China, which I visited in May), my garden (dedicated to the many photo's of flowers I have and the garden I started at work) and I've continued to post more of the photo's I took last year in Canada. With the anniversary of Clément's death in less than a months time, I really want to finish that blog and I will. Hopefully I can finish the Quebec chapter (and St. Anne de Beaupré, Stoneham/Tewkesbury and Les Chutes de Montmorency) before september 11. After that Montreal and Toronto will be shown.

I know all this sounds very much like a housekeeper or the conciërge making an announcement and it is to a degree, but moreso it's an emotional statement. I have been feeling better, I would saythat I am in fact really well and rather busy at the moment, but there are days I still struggle with the loss of my beloved.

I'm also still trying to figure out how to post a list of links in the sidebar that will help keep you updated. I'm getting there but slowly. Bear with me!?

GmacGmac2

2007-02-05T23:05:00.000+01:00

My second blog can be visited here http://gmacgmac2.blogspot.com/

2007-01-29T15:49:00.000+01:00

I haven't posted in a while but with some luck I will be starting again soon. I'll be posting the remainder of the pics I took in Canada last year and some more recent pics I took here at home and in Englad. So watch this space carefully, as I'll be opening two new accounts for that purpose.

Voor Susan

2006-12-16T19:09:00.000+01:00

Lang zal leven....

For those no longer among us and for those I love

2006-11-18T22:59:00.000+01:00

Some love, some light, some hope

Final echoe: Caraquet

2006-11-12T23:00:00.000+01:00

Let me say it again: Caraquet

2006-11-12T22:58:00.000+01:00

All I have to say is one word: Caraquet

2006-11-12T22:53:00.000+01:00

Miramichi

2006-11-12T22:49:00.000+01:00

The bridge at Miramichi.

I am in love with the wrought iron bridges of North America

Kouchibouguac Park I

2006-11-12T22:46:00.000+01:00

Just before I ran out of batteries I managed to catch this little fellow on camera.

First signs of autumn in the land of the maple leaf

2006-11-12T22:43:00.000+01:00

Next time I am in Canada I want to see it on fire with all the colours of autumn.

Once more back to Hopewell Rocks II

2006-10-15T20:19:00.000+02:00

Once more back to Hopewell Rocks I

2006-10-15T20:15:00.000+02:00

Toadstools

2006-10-15T20:06:00.000+02:00

Along the trails at Fundy National Park a myriad of

toadstools are growing in wet, moist conditions.

Ever decomposing forest.

Fundy National Park III

2006-10-15T20:00:00.000+02:00

At one point in time Point Wolfe was a busy harbour for the timber trade.

This is what it would have looked like at the time.

You can still see remnants of it on the beach. Nowadays it has been abandoned and

left to Mother nature. The salmon have started to swin upstream again.

The beach at low tide at Point Wolfe

Fundy National Park II

2006-10-08T18:59:00.000+02:00

Dickerson Falls/Chute Dickerson.

Look closely and you might see the water spirits.

Fundy National Park I

2006-10-08T18:48:00.000+02:00

While waiting for the tide to ebb we took the opportunity to visit Fundy National Park.

The bay and salt marshes at Alma.

High tide at Hopewell Rocks

2006-10-08T18:33:00.000+02:00

Hopewell Rocks.We had to go twice to see the wonders of these rocks. At high tide when the base of the rocks is covered by the tides and again and low tide which was round 5. Even though the park is closed then you can walk down among them. The difference between the tides is about 46 feet, which make it some of the highest tides in the world.They have different names for them, these are known as the flowerpots.

Does this mean what I think it means? ;)

2006-10-08T18:31:00.000+02:00

Sunset above the Wal-Mart

2006-10-08T18:23:00.000+02:00

Moncton-Dieppe

Farewell Nova Scotia, hello New Brunswick

2006-10-07T14:43:00.000+02:00

Goodbye Digby.

Hello St. John

Falling Rock

2006-10-07T14:31:00.000+02:00

I'm so glad we stopped to see this.

Salut et a bientôt!

2006-10-07T14:17:00.000+02:00

Dedicated to those at home in Québec...

2006-10-07T14:00:00.000+02:00

His name is Scream and watching him feed, come up for air, jump out of the water, dive and stay under was so exciting to see. I wish I had better pictures to show you how great this experience was...

Brier Island fishing wharf

2006-10-07T13:54:00.000+02:00

Close-ups on Brier Island

2006-10-07T13:46:00.000+02:00

Focussing on drops of rain on a spider's web. In a different light these would have looked like diamonds.

The rocks near the lighthouse were littered with the corpses of crabs, discarded and abandoned, where seagulls had their feast.

Brier Island II

2006-10-07T13:36:00.000+02:00

I have stumbled alone in the dark for some time. In many ways Canada has been about travelling from one lighthouse to the next. Sometimes in the physical sense, at other times in a metaphorical way, moving from one beacon of light to the next...

Brier Island

2006-10-07T13:31:00.000+02:00

Fog, drizzle and cloudy skies create silence in a grey atmosphere.

Pyrotechnial display, Digby

2006-10-02T17:32:00.000+02:00

I love looking at fireworks and this is the first time I have taken pictures of them. Thanks to the motor riders who organised the event to end their festival.

more Digby

2006-10-02T17:26:00.000+02:00

Another church, the Grace United Church of Digby.

The delights of Digby

2006-10-02T17:17:00.000+02:00

1. we met some really funny Harley Davidson riders

2. another beautiful little seaside town

3. great seafood

4. the fireworks display to end the motorcyclists weekend festival

5. great place to stay with some great attractions near by

New Germany

2006-10-02T17:09:00.000+02:00

A lovely spot for a picnic just beside a bridge.

Time to have some fun with the cam as the swallowtail butterflies were so

hard to tak a picture of. At least these sneakers stayed where they were!

New Germany, home of the Critterburg-r

2006-10-02T17:02:00.000+02:00

One of the things I loved about Canada was all the names of places I'd been to here in Europe are there as well. I got a kick out of going to New Germany. The idea of driving through Germany tickled my imagination. And for those of you wondering what New Germany is all about, well, it's the home of the (in)famous Critterburger! However a google search leads me to suspect that Critterburg-rs are actually made out of roadkill. Am I glad we didn't try!

St. John's Anglican Church of Canada

2006-10-01T21:56:00.000+02:00

St. John's Anglican Church of Canada, Lunenburg. This has to be one of the most beautiful little churches I have ever see. Founded in 1753, it is the second oldest Protestant church in Canada and is an example of Carpenter Gothic architecture. In 2001 it burnt down completely and has been rebuilt since. One of the main attractions inside is the ceiling above the chancel. Midnight blue with golden stars. Stars painted in the exact spot in the night sky as they would have been more then 2000 years ago above Lunenburg. That amazes me, now how did they know that?

More Lunenburg

2006-10-01T21:47:00.000+02:00

Along Lunenburg's main street the telephone and electricity posts

are decorated with with signs in the shape of fish and other treasures

of the sea. At one time Lunenburgs main industry was fishing

Lunenburg

2006-10-01T21:42:00.000+02:00

Picture postcard sweetness, describing the delights of Lunenburg

is like telling you which candy to take from the box. Suffice to say

that Lunenburg is on the Unesco World Heritage List and proud of it.

Mahone Bay

2006-10-01T21:27:00.000+02:00

A brief stop on the way to Lunenburg, Mahone Bay with

it's three wooden churches, Anglican, Lutheran and United.

2006-09-30T23:49:00.000+02:00

The lighthouse and granite rocks it stands on. The lighthouse is open for business

as a post office during the summer months.

Peggy's Cove

2006-09-29T16:55:00.000+02:00

This delightful little village is especially known for the lighthouse which is the only lighthouse-post office in the world

On the way to Peggy's Cove

2006-09-29T16:51:00.000+02:00

Halifax Citadel

2006-09-29T16:17:00.000+02:00

Every day at 12 noon the canon is fired in accustom with tradition.

Halifax

2006-09-29T16:06:00.000+02:00

The Citadel

Canada, day 2, Halifax

2006-09-27T19:46:00.000+02:00

Old town Clock

Canada, day 1

2006-09-24T16:58:00.000+02:00

Halifax

Ghent III

2006-08-13T18:52:00.000+02:00

Ghent II

2006-08-13T17:59:00.000+02:00

Ghent I...

2006-08-13T03:15:00.000+02:00

World Living Statues

2006-08-10T00:01:00.000+02:00

The World Living Statues Event is scheduled for the end of this month.

Actually this isn't a living statue but a statue made by Alighiero e Boetti.

Title: Selfportret, 1993

Watou, View from inside a Black Box

2006-08-01T23:55:00.000+02:00

He Loved the Colour Purple

2006-07-28T15:17:00.000+02:00

A tribute to Clément on his birthday last weekend.

His niece Laurie sent me two beautiful pictures.

Flowers in his favourite colour and a spot in the shade...

Do two halves make a whole?

2006-07-27T00:24:00.000+02:00

Watou II

2006-07-25T22:58:00.000+02:00

Reflections on black

Watou....

2006-07-25T01:55:00.000+02:00

A Year of Tears

2006-07-23T23:25:00.000+02:00

After a year of tears I find I still have them in me...

Voor Marion....

2006-07-21T23:14:00.000+02:00

Peacocks in the Park

2006-07-18T01:44:00.000+02:00

The best compliment I had was from my mom.

"There I am thinking I gave birth to a son, but instead he has turned into this magnificent bird"

Only pity is she was saying it to the other bird though LOL!

Swallowtail

2006-07-14T23:45:00.000+02:00

Today I saw one of these for the first time in my life.

They're on the endangered species list here in Holland.

It flew into a green house in the gardening centre I was at

in Doetinchem when I was visiting my mom today.

I wish I could have taken a picture of it but it was near the ceiling,

trying to get out again.

The Return of the....

2006-07-12T18:09:00.000+02:00

Peacocks

This weekend we'll be visiting a park near me.

Just for fun

2006-07-11T23:38:00.000+02:00

Toadstools

2006-07-10T23:43:00.000+02:00

Who's afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue?

2006-07-09T21:13:00.000+02:00

Last night

2006-07-07T22:18:00.000+02:00

Last night the skies opened up and the downpour started.

So I went ouside and let myself get absolutely soaking wet, jumping up and down in the puddles of water in the street. After 10 minutes of fun I went back inside and took some pics of the cars speeding by as they drove into a large pool of water across the street

Iris, Messenger of the Gods

2006-07-07T22:06:00.000+02:00

Iris, Messenger of the Gods

For some reason I was surprised by this sculpture.

It's sheer vulgarity caught me off guard but then again it's messages,

political and otherwise are so befitting.

I wonder how people reacted to it when it was first exhibited...

Finally I took the time to see the exhibition of sculptures by Rodin

2006-07-06T21:44:00.000+02:00

Here's a picture of Rodin himself

and here's one of what's probably his most famous sculpture "Le Penseur"

Deze is voor jouw Suus

2006-06-26T03:30:00.000+02:00

more flowers

2006-06-26T00:49:00.000+02:00

I think I'll continue a tradition I've started so here's some more flowers. These are bouquets I made for work.

the ingredients...roses, peonies, grass, hydrangea, snapdragon and alstraloemeria

and I forgot, lillies, even though it seems I'm allergic to them not sure if that's the scent or the pollen

funnily enough the grass had grown overnight

seen from above. I think I'm gonna get this one enlarged

Happy Birthday

2006-06-17T13:36:00.000+02:00

It's my mom's birthday today!
She's gone to Ireland for the month to visit family and friends. And in a few days some of her neighbours from Doetinchem will be coming over. They all plan on going hiking. Have fun mom!

Pride just ain't pink enough

2006-06-16T02:28:00.000+02:00

Pride just ain't pink enough

This year I thought of creating a new look for my balconies. I have two, one in the shade that only gets sun from 7.30 hrs until around 10.30, the other has sun all day into early evening.
The one that has shade most of the day isn't doing too bad. I've added to things that have been growing there for some years now and slowly but surely it's getting there. Winter and early spring gave me a few tulips and helleborus to look at and after pruning the clematises back hard to about 30 centimeters around March I've managed to keep the amount of pests down to a reasonable number. In fact aphids only started appearing a week ago.

Over the past weeks there has been a few other flowers to enjoy as well. Some aquilegium and the lysimaggia (?) has started flowering as well. The wolfsbane has been coming along nicely as well and all the rest has started growing like mad. Only one flower on the clematis so far but they usually bloom on last years growth so next year should give a riot of cream, bright pink and greenish white flowers. I have three. The seeds of the pokeweed I found on a compost heap last year have come up nicely as well even though it's in a pot that's way too small for it. All in all I'm quite pleased.

It's the other balcony I'm not too happy with.
The tulips were a mixed success, some did well. Others started off healthily but died on me later on. Most of the daffodills did the same. Maybe they were growing in containers that were too small. I've taken them out of their pots anyway and let them dry so I can plant them again next year.
I suppose my biggest disappointment were the daffodils called Pink Pride. I bought these after the gay parade in Amsterdam last year. The packet showed bright almost fluorescent coloured pink flowers and I was lookin forward to them. I fact I'd been thinking of having the colour scheme this year revolve around the colour pink.
But no, they were never as pink as advertised on the packaging. Peachy pink maybe with soft yellow centers in a certain light or orangy pink if seen in another light. No way were these the pink I hoped they'd be. Not the pink I hoped would do me proud. Not the pink that would scream out 'We're here, we're queer, get used to us'

You can see what they looked like up top (top picture is the packaging and the main reason I bought them, the middle picture is of the pot of dafs at work, picture below that is at home.) Now is it just me or is there a bit of difference?

So far the balcony at the back of my house isn't as pink as I'd like and as soon as we've moved into a new office at work I can start a garden there and bring some plants from home there as well. And start over here at home. In the meantime the agapanthus and hemerocallis, sedums, lillies, rose and most of the alliums are doing fine.

Life's not all bad eh?