november

*

*

one is happy

as a result

of one's own efforts ,

once one knows

the neccessary ingredients

of 

happyness

simple tastes 

a certain degree of courage

self-denial to a point

love of work

and above all

a clear conscience

happiness

is no vague dream 

of that I now am certain .

George Sand

*

November 2 was my birthday

and I turned 

66

so I am now driving my very own

ROUTE 66.

I cannot help it but it feels very MERRY .

in dutch the word is 

VROLIJK .

For many many years I have had the pleasure

of looking forward to my birthdays

as a mother ( with my children)

and as a teacher ( at school )

Both bringing so much more to having a birthday.

I do love the time towards the day .

The little secrets 

the rejoicing 

and at THE DAY 

I love the surprises 

the things I did not expect .

Once when I was a kindergartenteacher

my birthday would be on a saterday 

no schoolday

the 2 class-mothers 

organised that all the parents and their children

send me real old-fashioned MAIL.

so that saterday when the mailman came along 

he was really busy putting all the mail

in my mailbox

and I was beyond HAPPY .

Not only for the mail 

but the idea

all those people 

at home 

picking up /making

something specially for me 

taking time to put it in the mail 

WOW

so much has changed

I now live on my own

and I am retired

How was this birthday going to be ?

well very well 

because 

finally I have been able to do all the preparations

myself again

after many years with bad hips

and now TWO new ones 

and recovering

I did all myself and that was

BY FAR 

not as usual as it is for the most of you .

I enjoyed each and everything TO THE MAX 

I was happily washing the curtains and hanging them again

I polished the copper at my frontdoor

I even went to one of my favorite stores 

the HEMA 

to buy new decorations

and 

you know

with all the things I was SO AWARE 

of how greatful I was 

being able to do those things again 

by myself .

I decorated myself and I was HAPPY.

why I choose to put the colorful cup 

at te top ?

I wish I could have coffee/tea

with you too

because meeting in person

hear a voice

see expressions

is so much more than meeting overhere .

Happy november to all of you 

Francis

Autumn treasures

*

*

Come little leaves

said the wind one day

come to the meadows

with me and play :

put on your dresses 

of red and gold ,

for summer is past

and the days grow cold.

George Cooper

*

and another  autumn arrived.

It's been a while since I was here.

It's never because I do not want 

to write a new blog .

Maybe it is because I like

it most to write about processes.

about development , progress ,

and that's not always simple.

For example .....  interior-design

 and gardening are

subjects I love to READ about .

but I am not an expert to write about it .

I do love to tell and share about 

how I search in  life .

This autumn I realise how I have grown 

I still think about it as my new life.

The life being retired from work 

( kindergartenteacher at a Waldorf school )

the life living on my own since 

my four children grew up and left the house

I can say now , afterwards 

It's been a lot !

maybe that's the reason why there was so much

that needed attention , afterwards .

and

the greatest  gift has been that 

there was TIME ..... lots of time .

In my previous blog I told about 

the things I have been doing 

to keep creative , busy .

While my hands were making colorful beauty

my head could organise a lot and

 was able to let go .....

Meanwhile I have also been very busy as

a grandmother .

My new and wonderful activity....

My one and only grandchild keeps me busy.

In being a grandmother all seems to come

together .

my experience as a mother and a teacher .

on a whole new level .

much more in harmony .

It shows me who I am and have always been .

I always thought I did what I did

because I had to .

I had to do my best , as a mother and as a teacher.

But I did not realize 

how much I did it my way .

That's really a bit sad ....afterwards 

but that's how it was .

So..... in this part I had a lot to make up for .

Going through my house

and ordening all I kept ......

was very therapeutic .

Another thing that happened and

is very important now is :

Blogging , Facebook Pinterest Instagram

New digital ways to connect .

It is a wonderful way to get to know yourself 

in new ways .

I am still very much a BOOKperson.

Love to buy a book that helps me ....

guides me to learn and understand more.

My latest gain has a very original 

layout and I found out 

I love that too

it's called 

OP DE TWEESPRONG van MOETEN en WILLEN

by Ella Luna

THE CROSSROADS of SHOULD and MUST .

hope you are all in good places 

wishing you well

Francis

Song of my heart

*

dip into

your own soul.

find your own truth.

what calls to your heart ?

what moves your spirit ?

make your life dance

to the song of your own essence .

*

I guess I am a process person

and I like to try to find words for the process

called ...... writing .

I spend a lot of time thinking and searching 

I spend a lot of time re-living the past 

For a good purpose ....

 To learn and understand 

and go on .

That is a good thing , for me .

I learn a lot , 

about myself 

about how I survived

about the choices I made 

(Had to make )

and I am doing this 

ordening my house, my things

re-reading my notebooks , letters , postcards 

and notes .

Just thinking is not my thing

I have to be creative with my hands   

and than there is ordening in my head .

A while ago I saw a heart-garland 

on pinterest.

and I started by making one myself .

Being creative and using

beautiful materials and bright colors

always makes me happy 

And than I made another-one and 

anotherone and I started to hang them 

in my house .

I used golden yarn and very little 

glass beads because 

I am fascinated by the moving and the glittering 

of the garlands .

making things always makes me happy

and I always get inspired and find new ideas.

other ways , other things to use ......

I am not a shopping-girl and 

I always look in my own house 

because there is more than enough here.

so 

when the little beads were used,

I used beads from bracelets and chains .

and I started to use little cuttings of 

the beautiful colorful felt pieces that were

leftovers after cutting the hearts .

and so I devaloped my own unique 

heartgarlands .

it's always about 

being busy , making things.......

that make ME happy .

You can imagen that there comes a point 

when there are too many garlands ......

and than I decided to send them by mail

to friends ......

just a little thank-you for being my friend .

they are easy to send by mail .

if , by the way , you are reading this,

and you like to have one 

let me know !

and than I got a present from a friend

who lives in France ......

glimmeringglitteringthings

I started to use in my garlands too !

and than my daugther ,

who always brings me the wonderful , colorful felt 

asked if she could try to sell the garlands

she likes to be creative too

in her own time

( She works at Waldorfschools

with dyslexic children )

once a year they have fairs at Waldorf schools

and she has her own stall !

she bought a larger size of

matchboxes when she was in France

(we do not have those in Holland )

and we now use the empty boxes for

the heartgarlands .

of course after giving the boxes a make-over .

and 

people realy buy them !

for themselves

or as presents .....

When my granddaugther

is with me 

she loves to help

and play 

With all my hearts

I wish you all well

*

to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow - audrey hepburn

*

*

to plant 

a garden

is

to BELIEVE 

in tomorrow.

Audrey Hpburn .

*

in my previous blogpost

it was all about

my RED wall

in my bedroom.

and even more about how

it works for me.

to imagen something ......

I am pretty GOOD in thinking in 

IMPOSSIBILITIES .

(long story )

but my life has changed

for the best and now

my head has to work along too.

Making a moodboard

is something that can help !

Pinterest is a wonderful place

to collect images.

My garden has become a strange place

for me .

I seem to be un-able

to make it the garden I wish , again.

as I seem un-able

to find purpose in my life as it is now.

and than I decided

to start AGAIN 

making my garden a garden .

as I started wishing for 

the RED wall

not so long ago

and that worked out very well.

SPRING

is the perfect season 

and sunshine a good

companion .

and my  granddaugther

the best help ever .

not only do I hope for a garden

I  do hope to find more 

COMPLETION too.

everything comes to you

in the right moment

be patient

be grateful

*

it's working ........THE PLAN

*

*

H A P P Y

Oh I am so over the moon HAPPY

My plan is working .

On Saterday my son and daugther-in-law

called me and asked 

if I would like to join them

They were on their way to the 

construction-market

to look for wallpaper

for Eva's room

and they knew I was looking for

R E D wallpaint 

so

would I like to go TOGETHER ?

yes yes yes

of course!

I found the color I would love to buy

from Histor called "cranberry"

They mix that in the store

very exciting ...... for me !

and 

it was a GIFT/PRESENT

from my son and daugther-in-law

S U R P R I S E 

we went home

to my home

 and they stayed for dinner

and my daugther came too

so we had the room filled with JOY .

wednesday-morning

my daugther send me a message

she wanted to come to me

and

PAINT the wall 

if that was allright with me 

Are you serious ?

of course I was allrigth 

she is a wonderful at decorating her own house

and in painting walls 

and she is young !

all I had to do is 

make tea and lunch 

and wait ...... downstairs ........

I heard music and singing 

and allready loved it 

my room would love it too !

I choose a shining wallpaint 

and than THE MOMENT was there

I was allowed to come and see

tears in my eyes SO BEAUTIFUL 

it was beyond my dreams 

I loved it ( still do )

And I love my daugther for his 

SURPRISE 

now the next step

the frames ..........

it's  not done

it's in progress

love my PLAN .............

happy red

*

*

it all started with a wish

my wish 

to have my wall in my bedroom

R E D 

inspired 

by the image above

*

to do something

really DO it 

by myself

from start to finish

for myself 

is what I am not good at ...

for sommeone else , no problem

for myself ..............

the plan 

it started with knowing

I have to  have a plan

with a beginning ....

 a middle and 

an end .

than I visited someone

who suffers from depressions

and I saw how her life was

and all the possibilities she has

but was  not able to use

and I realised

I had to take my own first step 

make my own plan

so

when I got home

I started by finding inspiring

images on my pinterest board

and the one above

is my color-inspiration

than

I saw this

someone 

offered these for sale

on facebook 

all in one sale 

and

I knew 

I had to have them

I immediately had an idea

how to use them

on my red wall 

 my project was born

when I reacted on facebook 

I could have them and

it turned out 

it was only 5 minutes from my house !

I never do something like this 

react on such a thing

and going to get them MYSELF 

so 

for me

it was a HUGE step .

next step is going to the store

and have my own RED colour mixed.

it has to be a warm red 

with a kind of orange touch 

so I am thinking of

 having some orange too

 and decide by myself

 to use that across eachother 

Now you know I am NOT a handyman !

I have this idea

for "my" frames to collect things

I love and put them in the frames 

as .... pictures

but also words or sentences

objects 

well I better show you 

when it's done .

the colours will be 

red*orange*pink*bit yellow

and G O L D .

today I saw for the first time 

work from an Italian artist 

named Arianna Caroli 

it was a You Tube movie

and I LOVED IT .

I do not know how to show it

overhere so I just let you know 

how it is called 

and you can maybe see for yourself 

*

L'Officiel Thailand - Culture 

"Art is Forever"

by Arianne Caroli.

*

work in progress

I am excited 

*

the magic of circles

*

*

let us be grateful

to people who make us HAPPY

they are the charming

gardeners 

who make our SOULS blossom .

Marcel Proust

*

when I was young

I loved to read and

I loved to draw

I loved PAPER and it's magic

when nothing was there and

everything was possible.

being a child there was a  while

when I believed

all was possible

because there were not yet 

experiences of "making mistakes"

when children make drawings

most people will love the drawings and

give complements 

and are grateful .

there is something magical

in the drawings of young children

something with the colors they use

the space they use on the paper

when I was young I had crayons

and that was it .

I always always draw HOUSES

I loved to make houses .

first houses without walls 

where you could see the inside

than closed houses with friendly windows

and always a door with an opening

for the mail !

and later I draw my own blueprints

and floorplans .

always imagening the house .....

when I got older 

very soon we had to learn to adjust 

to draw how the teacher told us to do .

in my time there was NO room for 

creativity in drawing at school .

it was all 

class-teaching and there was no room

for individuals

to servive it was best to fit in

to fit in and be good , better , best .

that's how it was .

I stopped drawing .

when I became a kindergarten teacher 

I loved the drawings all over again 

and than I came into contact with

WALDORF-education 

waldorf-school

and knew this would be my 'home'.

*

I started this post about

people who make you happy .

I guess for me it's been about children

they make me happy 

the children in my classes

my own four children

and 

now 

there is my grandchild ......

and

of course I found

wonderful people on my way

who made and make me happy

charming gardeners 

who make my soul happy.

it's not easy to find the words

to describe where I am in my life

but 

let's say 

I know about the house

and it's time to work the garden

*