About: Blah..Blah..Blah!

*Jeannie's last post gave me much substance to reflect on.

Why are we all blogging!!

That's a question I asked myself before I came on blogger.

Why do people blog?

I couldn't understand that someone could have to tell so much...and now... I am doing it myself. What is the purpose off this all? Maybe you also can wonder yourself : why do writers write books, what is their purpose? To tell a story, to share their thoughts with you, to give you their view on the world! Why is there spoken language: to bring over knowledge and that knowledge became the base of written language, and why do we read? I think everyone has a different reason for it. Some do it as entertainment, to learn or to be informed about everything that's going on in the world.

Of course I am not a writer and this is my first blog and it's also the first time in my life that I have written so much! (Except my love letters.)

Why I myself like to blog!

To learn from your experiences and to let you know mine. I think we can always learn from each other. To exchange thoughts and also maybe sometimes to release steam.

To read your story's and to tell you mine. Sometimes it will be “small talk” but it can better be “small talk” than calumny I think.

I have just started this blog and of course “now” I still have fun in it .

I hope that I will have enough inspiration to go on for some time and that I still enjoy blogging when we are a year further. I also hope that you will still be here then and that you still like to read it!

Maybe It will lose the luster that I have now and then I know that it's better to stop because you always must do things with pleasure, you must have fun in it.

I will do my best not to become boring!

Blog...blog..blog!

This was really bla ... bla ... bla!:) :)

PS: Goodbye Jeannie!

This was a beautiful written farewell!

Have much pleasure in reading!

* Unfortunately Jeannie's blog does no longer exists.

A Wish Fulfilled!

Three months ago we made a wish and now that wish became reality!

It seemed almost an impossible wish at that time, but today we are celebrating Pipke's 14^th birthday.

Often we feared to lose her but every time she pulled through. At the moment she's not recuperated entirely, but the main thing is that she's still among us.

She's now a real “old lady” like you can see on this picture taken on January the 26^th 2009.

She can't walk so well and she wants to swim no longer when it's cold. She's also not eager to go to and in her small pond because she has a problem to get out of it and sometimes we must help her. She has lost the force in her muscles to do that herself. She also has lost many feathers and she's no longer waterproof. She's always outdoors and most of the day she sleeps in her little dog's nest beside our back door and when the weather isn't good (and also at night) we turn on the warmth lamp.

When we are working in the garden she still ”helps” us although no longer so much as before! She still likes to fight with my husband and can be sometimes very cheerful. She enjoys to walk in the garden lying in my arms, she's still my little cuddlier.
We enjoy every minute we are together with her!

I think I mustn't tell you “what” my next wish will be!!!!

We are so happy that we “can” celebrate your birthday Pipke!!

These three pictures were taken this morning!

PS:This is something I still like to tell you because it touched me so!

Yesterday evening there came a beautiful Dutch song on TV. One little sentence is still hanging around in my head because it's in fact on the one hand a little cruel to say it, but on the other hand so very true.

These are the words:

Sometimes It's better to lose something beautiful, better to lose it... than to have never had it!

My dear sweet Pipke!

Sense, Sensitivity and Insensitivity

Maybe you will not believe this, but on Friday May the 15^th, only a few days after Jen found the two ducklings, we have rescued again two little birds.

We both really do have something special with birds in “need”!

What has this to do with “sense and sensitivity” you shall say, well then: read my story.

What happened: that early Friday morning we were woken by the loud noise of chainsaws!

You must know, just behind our garden there's located a large enclosed meadow, a pasture. There's a stable with a few horses. On the other side of that meadow there is also a stable with all kinds of hens and a pond with ducks and gees: a real beautiful countryside scene!

To the left of our garden, just behind our fence, stands a very large Laurel tree of almost 5m high and 8m wide with the branches hanging over our fence and hedge. A really beautiful tree, a hiding and nesting place for many birds.

The owner of the ground with the laurel tree had decided to shorten down the tree till 2m. We made him aware on the fact that maybe it was now not the “correct” time to do that because there were many birds making their nests in the tree!

Oh, he found that this was not his problem!

Of course: he is the owner of that ground and he can do on his property what he wants, it was not on us to say something about it and we could not prohibit him to do that. We only were worried for all that young life in the nests on that tree, but we had to do some errands and so we had go.

When we came back after a few hours we asked him if he had seen nests and yes - his son who was helping him answered : he had found nests - but, he had thrown them away between the chopped off branches and stumps without looking in it and: they had chopped ... and chopped blithely further!

We could not understand that someone could be so cruel and with no feelings at all.

Perhaps - and I can admit it - “I” have sometimes a little too much feelings and maybe I'm a little too sensitive but, what would the world be with “less” feelings than there is already now: a hell for every living creature!!

In this case I think it's better you have a little too much of it!

In the late afternoon they stopped working (not all the shrubs had been cut down) because there was a heavy rainstorm.

What they had left behind was: a real ravages!

Gone was the beautiful laurel tree - gone was the bird paradise - the place where once so many birds had their nests and hiding places!

We thought, it must almost be impossible that a little birdie could survive this.

But - probably you can guess it. Nevertheless we went to search because - maybe!

At first sight ... we couldn't find a young bird, it was very quiet between the branches.

After an hour my husband went back. He stood there listening for a while when he suddenly heard a little birdie chirping under and between the pruned branches.

How could it survive this “unscathed”!

The whole day those brute men had been cutting this three. The branches and stumps had fallen down there where the young bird was sitting.

It was really a miracle that it had survived this!

It seemed to be a Thrush young.

We took it and fed it a few earthworms.

When it was recovered a little, we called the bird sanctuary and they advised us to bring it to them because its habitat was totally destroyed. There, they asked us if we had not seen an other young because mostly there are a few young in one nest.

So, when we came back home from the bird sanctuary my husband went back to the laurel tree but he couldn't find an other young.

But after a while - I had to go back!

I had the feeling that there still must be an other one. This time - I searched behind the horse stable. There stood a tubeless car tire against the side. The tire was filled with water because it had poured rain an hour before.

When I came closer I saw that something moved inside the tire! A young birdie lay there in the water. It tried to jump up but because off the curve off the tire it could not get out off it. I took it and it began to chirp very fiercely. Immediately the parents came flown over. It were Blackbirds ! You could see that they were worried about their young, they circled around above my head. The little one was so cold and wet! What must I do with it!

Tomorrow, the men would come back to cut the rest of the tree and if I left it there then the parents could not come close to it, and it would be again in danger. Thus - I decided to take it with me.

First I blew it dry with the hairdryer and I also gave it a few earthworms.

When it was recuperated a little I called the bird sanctuary again. They advised us to bring this one also because it was all soaked and cold, it would not survive this!

So - there we went again!

They both had so much luck!

The first could have been crushed under the falling trees or stepped on by those brute men, and if I had not found the second one it had drowned in the tire.

It really gave me a good feeling that I had rescued them - although I was still worried for all the other birds who lost their young and their shelter!

Probably there must have been more young birds and it's a pity we could not save more but, we did all we could!

That evening it was very quiet in the garden. So now and then we could see birds flying over their destroyed habitat in search for their young, or to find their hiding places. They circled around and around but thereafter they disappeared!

It's good that we have several trees and a high hedge in our own garden so they always can find new hiding and nest places and I hope they all come back very soon.

But oh - we do miss the beautiful scene of that laurel tree - the pleasant racket and singing of the birds - their flying up and down that tree!

I hope that the laurel tree will start to grow again very soon and also that the two little “lucky ones” will survive it!

Fly birdies - fly - high up in the sky!

UPDATE: see comment on this post!

Will You be My Running Mate?

Yes, will you be my running mate?

Then .....let's run together!

Warming up!

First stretch. Then swing your arms and legs and jump a few times up and down!

Rotate your hips to the right and to the left.

Everything loose?

Are you ready now?

Then...let's start!

No, nooo..... “you” must not run!!

Do you have 3,25 minutes? Then.... take an easy chair, sit down and see “me” running!

Like I've told you before: I run every other day. The circuit that I run now is 6 km and it's a very beautiful parcours.

(Around the age of 45 I ran 20 km and until a few years ago I still ran 9 km .)

I've often thought, I must take pictures of it because I'm no more off the youngest and there will come one day that I can run no longer. That will be very heavy for me because I love running, it's my long life! So ...if I take pictures of my circuit then I still have the beautiful memories on photograph.

I thought also: why shouldn't I share these memories with you. So ....early in the morning I took my camera and went running. I took pictures of the views in order that they appeared between my run, so you can follow my circuit and you also can see what my eyes saw!

I started to run from my home to end there also, so the first and last pictures you see are views of the other side off my house.

There are many pictures, some less interesting than others but for me they are all equally important.

Of course, for you that shall not be the case but this will give you a “good image” of my neighborhood and the Belgian countryside.

As a preview and also to make you curious: here are my three favorites!

Also this I encounter on my running circuit.

On you to decide if you like to see more!

Attention:

Because the original slideshow made and published here in 2009 was no longer available I made a new version of it and published it on May 25, 2025 on Youtube.

- Click on this link, to watch the new version. 

And ... how was the run? Did you enjoy it?

I hope you liked the view!

Now...do you understand “why” I love to run........it's not only the running at it self but also to be whole alone in nature and being immersed in it. To hear the birds singing... the rustling of the trees....to hear only nature sounds!

Every time I encounter different kinds off new and beautiful scenes as for instance: red squirrels...their color can be so intense red and brown ( I think there are only grey squirrels in the USA!) and pheasants in the corn fields! Then I also can hear the cuckoo calling in the distance and the woodpecker knocking on the trees. But.. there are not only the animals but also sometimes very simple objects....small things ....which becomes almost like a “still life”!

I think I'm going to take photographs more often, I enjoyed it very much!

My life can be so beautiful when I can run!

To run can give you a complete different look on life! I can recommend you to do it also!

 

Easter Last Year

It was a very early Easter last year and it was still freezing. Like I told you earlier: I run every other day.

That Easter morning, I was running my normal circuit and after a few km. I came on a small woodland with there beside a ditch. At a given moment I saw almost 25 m. in front of me a small animal jumping on the small road, I saw that there was something wrong with it. When I came closer ...it jumped up and fell into the frozen ditch. It was a black bird. It was wet and entirely soaked and it could fly no more. I saw one of its wings was hanging down and It couldn't get out the ditch. Therefore I stepped into the frozen ditch and picked it up. It was so cold and shivering. I opened my runners jacket and kept it close to my body between my sweater to keep it warm, it remained very still. So I went back home walking with the little one close to me and so now and then I caressed it gently.

When I came back home I took some lukewarm water and gave it a bath and now it became more alive. I took the little one and blew it dry with the hairdryer.

That was the second time in my life I did that. The first time I did it with a soft yellow duckling (Pipke) and now I did it with a black bird. They had both things in common they were both in need.

We discovered it was a Jackdaw ( in Dutch: kauw) a very common bird here in Belgium.

I let it rest for a while in a small plastic ice cream box on a soft lining and then I inspected it.

I saw blood on the wing that was hanging down and it seemed not good at all! I saw the wing was broken and you could see the bone in the open wound. The poor thing, what could I do for it.... what is a bird that can't use its wings and can fly no more!

There is a Dutch proverb that says: *het is een vogel voor de kat! It had little change to survive!

I called a bird relief center and they said we could bring it to them. So we took the car and brought the bird towards the center.

There they examined it also and their conclusion was also “not good”! The veterinarian would treat it if he could save it! If it was not possible to save it, then they would take care for it so that it would not have to suffer. He then would give it a lethal injection.

I gave it a last cuddle.... and we went back home with mixed feelings! It made me sad... I wished we could have done more. Now I know ....we did everything we could do !

Two days later we received an email from the relief center with the message that: the poor little thing had died!

As a sign of gratitude for their efforts we donated an amount to the bird relief center and since then we receive every three months a magazine with news about their work.

It's remarkable how many animals in need are brought in there! All types, large and small and it gives me such a “good feeling” ....to know that there are still so many people who love animals and care for them!

All critters great and small....I love them all!

PS:* litteraly translated that means: it's a bird for the cat!

Conversation at the Breakfast Table

Man to his wife: this morning I have read on the Web that women on the “top” these days seems to behave more and more like men! (With a look on his face that says: that cannot.)

Wife: oh, that's very good!

Man: do you find that!! (very annoyed as if it was an assault towards men)!

Wife: why are you angry when I say that? Are men “that bad” that you see this as a an assault! In fact you as a man, you must see that as a “complement” instead as an assault! If a woman shows her real female kind it's “not good”! Sometimes... you men, can have so much fun telling stupid and belittling jokes about women, and when women show then a little more a male side, then “also that” isn't good! Will it ever be good? I hope that those women will have “balls”!!! They must work much harder than men to get at the top and to stay there.They shall need “ big balls*” .... to survive in the men's world!

Man:.......silence ! (only an ugly look)!

End of the conversation!

PS: *Courage, truculence and decisiveness.

A Needle Work From the Past

To day I went to the attic “especially” to take out this piece, very valuable for me, a souvenir, now almost 50 years old.

A little tablecloth! I worked on it together with my mother in law.

I made a small tablecloth, my mother in law made one twice as large. When I had finished mine, I helped her to finish hers. So we spent much time together and I was always looking forward to the Sunday afternoons when we could sit together and do our needle work.

Many years it decorated my drawing room table.

It's made in “cross stitch”!

I think after so many years you still can say it's a very modern pattern. I still like the colors and I always found them very special.

I had so much pleasure in needle work in those days, it was my favorite hobby.

I also made my own dresses like the one on this picture where I was only 16 years old.

I often think back on those days with mixed feelings because my fiancée (now my husband) was at sea and often away from home for long time. So I had much time to do needle work.

Now these days, I do no longer needle work, only small adjustments (on cloths) so now and then.

It's all in the past!

Time flies fast! Much too fast!