Our Assistant Gardener

It's now more than ten days ago that I've promised you to show these beautiful moments, well here they come.

Sorry that it took so long, but at the moment I'm also working on Pipke's full life story and it takes much more time than I could estimate.

It's not that I had planned to write something down in a hurry, but after I've read the story of: Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien, I discovered that the part of her full life story that I had written so far was not good enough.

Stacey wrote her story much more detailed. What I had written was in fact rather a superficial story.

Thus: I started again, (for the second time) I adjusted what I had already written, and also supplemented it, and now the story “grows”, it becomes almost a book.

I have to do much research to find the exact dates that the events took place because I want it to be correct.

I am also trying to gather as much pictures and film images to supplement the story and it's a real joy to do that.

In fact, we have so many images to “substantiate” her story that it becomes almost like you are looking at a movie, a non fiction movie.

This is a truth story, and the images will show – that I am fantasizing not one element in her story.

I promise you: adventure in the wild world – labor – laughter – tense and tender moments – explosions – love – sensitivity – joy – tragedy and even escape from hell, all ingredients for a “good” book or/and movie.

I am not going to reveal more but be sure, I haven't told you everything, there are still many surprises. (That's for those who've already read my short story on Jen's blog.)

Obvious, there still lacks “the most important" element! To make a book or a movie successful you need also a “good” writer.

The writer is already busy, trying to become better – if she will become “good” – only the future will tell!

If that will not be the case then: at least she has tried it!:)

Meanwhile, imagine – it's a warm sunny day – you're enjoying the sun – and you are sitting in an easy chair in my garden with your feet up high – while my gardener and his assistant do the job!

Doesn't this sound great?:)

Enjoy the images, images of the time that she was still young, joyful and full of energy.

Wasn't she a good assistant gardener and pest controller?

Of course, this is only a small part of the film.She helped my hubby to mow the whole lawn.

Now I am going to write and enjoy myself, and while I am writing down her story I relive the beautiful times.

It seems almost if she is still here!

PS::) I was naughty and only joking in my earlier post! :):)

Of course: it isn't Summer here right now – and it wasn't also 26°C.

Only on these film pictures it was Summer, warm and sunny.

The reality is:

1. It's here late Fall now, and yes - it was raining very heavy and we had really very gusty weather!

2. We only had some problems with the film pictures!

For the U.S readers: Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Till soon :)

Mowing the Lawn: Canceled

Unfortunate but due to heavy rain showers and gusty weather, we had to cancel the appointment with our assistant gardener.

Mowing the lawn with rainy weather isn't possible.

The weather forecasts for the next few days are: sunny periods, alternated with rain and temperatures around 26° Celsius

(that's 78,8° Fahrenheit).

Our assistant promised to call us when he's available.

We hope that the weather will soon be better!

Keep an eye on it!

Important Message

My assistant gardener has made an appointment.

Tomorrow he will help my hubby to mow the lawn.

I hope you will all be present to control if he does his job well.

See you tomorrow!

RESPECT in a Funny Manner

I want to invite you to listen to this Dutch song so you can hear how Dutch sounds.

Probably you won't understand this but I will, or at least I shall try -- to translate the most important sentences for you.

I chose this particular song not only, because the lyrics and the melody are so funny, but also because the text is so meaning full. I find the refrain very sensitive.

Before you click on the link I advise you to read the lyrics (see under in this post) first so you will know what it's all about.

The title of the song is: REPECT the singer-songwriter is Pieter Embrechts (a Belgian). The name of his group is: (don't laugh)

The Embryo's.

I know this song already several years, but now it has a special meaning for me and it will keep up with me for the rest of my days.

Why, maybe you can guess it, it has to do with Pipke.

They played this song on the car radio (on September 8, 2009) while we drove with Pipke for one of the last times to the vet. It was the very last beautiful warm and sunshiny day of September. That day my hubby refreshed the water of her pond for the last time and together we cherished the last sunbeams!

In fact it's difficult to understand poetry in an other language, and of course it doesn't rhyme at all in English, but in Dutch it sounds not only  beautiful and oh so simple but also funny!

Everything is said in “these* few sentences”. If you are not interested in the Dutch text then just listen to the song.

Here follows the translation, I hope that you can follow.

START

sommige mensen houden van lasagna

some people like lasagna

andere mensen dan weer niet

then other people don't

sommige mensen drinken graag champagne

some people like to drink champagne

andere mensen ne Fristi

other people prefere Fristi (a fruit and milk drink)

sommige mensen poetsen hun tanden

some people brush their teeth

sommige mensen dan weer niet

then other people don't

sommige mensen eten met hun handen

some people eat with their hands

andere mensen dan weer niet

then other people don't

sommige mannen zijn zwaar geschapen

some men are build heavy (have big testis:):)

andere schapen hebben weinig wol

other sheep don't have much wool

sommige mensen gebruiken geen WC papier

some people don't use toilet paper :)

voor sommige mensen speelt dat gene rol

for some people it doesn't matter

sommige dames dragen een hoofddoek

some ladies wear a kerchief

andere madammen dan weer niet

then other ladies don't

sommige mannen dragen nooit een onderbroek

some men never wear underpants :)

het gaat dus niet altijd om wat ge ziet

it doesn't goes always about what you see

****

zoveel mensen, zoveel wensen en zo veel verschillen

*so many people …. so many wishes and so

many differences

zoveel mensen die vanbinnen toch hetzelfde willen

*so many people …. and they all want deep

inside the same

REFRAIN

warme dagen in de zon *warm days in the sun,

dat het eeuwig duren mag *that it may last eternal

en als ik u tegenkom *and when I encounter you

doe ik u een goede dag *then I greet you

This was only the first strophe and the refrain of the song, and although it becomes even funnier, I will make it short (to avoid that it will become boring), so l give you only the translation of the third (and most important) strophe.

have I, what I know found out myself

have I, what I say discovered myself

or do I repeat what everyone foretells me

and do I have respect for someone else

The essential point of the song is that: in fact we are all so different … but finally, we all want the same, that beautiful things could last for always, we all want to be happy.

Happiness has all to do with respect, be respectful for nature and all that lives, respect is a way to happiness.

Be happy!

**Warm days in the sun.... that it had might to continue to last for always!

Unfortunately …

I hope that you enjoyed the song, that it could make you laugh, and also that it incited you to reflect on it.

PS: I also hope that my conjugations are correct, especially the last sentences were very tricky for me.(:

**In Dutch it is: warme dagen in de zon.... dat het voor altijd had mogen blijven duren.

Maybe you can use the translator for the Dutch text, tell me later if you could make something out of it.

Till next time: probably I'll show you then my “two gardeners” in full action.

Our Little Sunshine

We have called this film scene: “Dejeuner sur l'herbe” after the painting of E. Manet because we were also sitting on the green and it was such a beautiful sunshiny day. This was in the Summer of 1999 and then she was four years old.

Can you hear her talking to me?

That's not the sound of an “ordinary” duck. People who have pet ducks probably can hear the difference, she developed her own language.

Maybe this needs some explanation for the “new visitors” of my blog.

I found Pipke in an abandoned nest at the moment that she hatched.

She imprinted me as her kind. We tried to introduce her to her family but without success. She never wanted the companion of other ducks, we were her family. Of course, it was not an ideal situation, but we were always there for her.

If I hadn't rescued her in this first moment of her life -- she would never have lived -- now she “has lived” and she was a very lucky duck!

Enjoy the sunshine!

Thanks for your visit!