readerwil’s blog

Posts in April

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:00:24 -0700

Monday, 20 April 2009

that's My World, Walking Home...

Walking home from church I pass these lovely houses.And those trees in full bloom

The last three shots are of the same tree. Click to enlarge.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World

Sunday, 19 April 2009

Today's Flowers, Kaleidoscope.

This kaleidoscope is dedicated to Luiz Santilly Jr, whose birthday it was on 17th April! Happy birthday Luiz and thanks for creating this meme!

To enlarge click on slide!

TODAY'S FLOWERS was created
by LUIZ SANTILLI JR
Now it's managed by SANTILLI and DENISE BC Thank you, Luiz and Denise!To see more flowers click on the logo in the side bar

Saturday, 18 April 2009

CC Three Australian birds.

This time no Dutch critters! I don't know the name of the first bird, which we saw near a waterfall. The two others were confused and flew into my daughter's house in Australia.. One is a yellow-bellied sunbird, and the blue one is a Forest Kingfisher. The photos were taken by my Dutch daughter

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn. Thank you so much Misty Dawn.We all enjoy seeing and talking about animals. All creatures great and small give us much pleasure.If you want to see more Camera Critters click on the logo in the side bar

Thursday, 16 April 2009

Sky Watch

Exactly ten years ago my husband and I shared our last spring. That's why I thought the following poem so true.

It was a night of early spring,
The winter-sleep was scarcely broken;
Around us shadows of the wind
Listened for what was never spoken.

Though half a score of years are gone,
Spring comes as sharply now as then-
But if we had it all to do
It would be done the same again.

It was a spring that never came;
But we have lived enough to know
That what we never have, remains;
It is the things we have, that go.
Sara Teasdale

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Louise
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see the other skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

Tuesday, 14 April 2009

ABC Wednesday "M" for Maihaugen, Lillehammer, Norway

To enlarge click on slide

MAIHAUGEN MUSEUM, LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY
Maihaugen is an open air museum comprising 200 buildings set in beautiful countryside, with a range of exhibitions and several welcoming restaurants. A fascinating and enjoyable day out for the whole family.
Maihaugen presents a rural society through churches, homes, farm yards and tools from the Gudbrandsdalen valley which extends north from Lillehammer. Traditional farming methods and handicrafts are also on show.

The Open air museum tells the story of people in the Gudbrandsdalen Valley the last 300 years, of life between the wars in the inland town of Lillehammer and of homes and domestic environments in the 20th century.

Turf roofs in Norway are a tradition and you will see them everywhere. On those roofs there are 7 layers of turf. The first layer was laid on a base of birch bark, with the grass side up, the second is upside down, this continues till the last one, with the grass side up. It's a cheap way of insulation, but you have to keep the grass short by cutting it by hand or, so I was told, by putting a goat on your roof, and take care that no trees are growing on your roof.

Historians believe the first grass roof house was built some time around 900 BC. The grass roof design really came into its own in Iceland and Scandinavia where natural grasses were often used on structures.
More about grass or turf roofs Here

ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with "M".

Monday, 13 April 2009

that's My World, Sewer System Renewed.

It started half February!

The last two photos were from 19th of March 2009.

But what is happening all the time? Well the whole sewer system had to be renewed and the small football and play field for the children had to be drained properly. Not only that, but the gas mains had to be checked as well! All in all a messy street was the result of all those activities. And the field is not ready yet. I don't know how they will create new grass on it.Well we shall see!

That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World

Sunday, 12 April 2009

Today's Flowers.

Camellias in my back yard. Click to enlarge!

Narcissus from my front yard. Click to enlarge.

Narcissus or Narkissos (Greek: Νάρκισσος) in Greek mythology was a hero from the territory of Thespiae in Boeotia who was renowned for his beauty. In the various stories he is exceptionally cruel, in that he disdains those who love him. As divine punishment he falls in love with a reflection in a pool, not realizing it was his own, and somehow dies out of frustration.

TODAY'S FLOWERS was created
by LUIZ SANTILLI JR
Now it's managed by SANTILLI and DENISE BC Thank you, Luiz and Denise!To see more flowers click on the logo in the side bar

Saturday, 11 April 2009

A Happy Easter .

These drawings are from "The Country Diary of an Edwardian lady" by Edith Holden.

A VERY HAPPY EASTER TO ALL BLOGGERS!

Friday, 10 April 2009

From St Matthew Passion by J.S.Bach

This is the soprano aria:

" BLute nur, du liebes Hertz.
Ach,ein Kind das du erzogen
das an deiner Brust gesogen
droht den Pfleger zu ermorden,
denn es ist zur Schlange geworden."

Thursday, 9 April 2009

Good Friday, He was one of us....

He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn't consider him to be worth anything.

Good Friday is for me the day I listen to St.Matthew Passion by J.S.Bach. I have done this since I was sixteen. When I listen to this great and brilliant piece of music, I want to be by myself and I shall not answer the phone.

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Earth Hour.

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:47:39 -0700

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Saying Goodbye . Oh Dear...

This time I haven't got a post for ABC. This is an oldie! I am very busy springcleaning! At the same time I want to dedicate this to all parents who have children living abroad.

My Australian daughter sent this to me, for this happens all the time when we take leave of each other at the airport.

I recently thought of you when I read this, I hope all is going well, that you are doing well, and things are going your
way.

Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough".

The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?".

Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?".

"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.

"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?".

She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone". She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. "When we said, 'I wish you enough', we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them".

Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away.

Monday, March 30, 2009

that's My World, A Spring Walk in a Dutch polder.

To enlarge click first on "View All Images" then on " Original View".

Saturday, 21st March, the first day of spring, we made this walk and I'd like to share it with you! It's again in the polder, so typical of the low country. A polder is a piece of reclaimed land surrounded by dykes and the canals between the fields are there to collect the water, which then will be pumped into the river by either windmills or an electric mill.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Spring Flowers. Today's Flowers

To enlarge click first in "View All Images", then " Original View."

TODAY'S FLOWERS was created
by LUIZ SANTILLI JR
Now it's managed by SANTILLI and DENISE BC Thank you, Luiz and Denise!To see more flowers click on the logo in the side bar.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

A tribute to Rinkly Rimes!!

For you Brenda!

EARTH HOUR. written by Brenda Bryant

You can visit Rinkly Rimes Here

Earth Hour came and Earth Hour went.
As for us our time was spent
Lounging in the candle glow
Listening to the radio
At least we did our little bit
When our candles were all lit.
Let's hope all the huddling masses
Cut back on the greenhouse gases!

Brenda Bryant, at the above address, writes one poem after the other. And all of them witty and very to the point. I think it's always a treat to visit her blog! I borrowed this little gem from her to show that she is dedicated to Earth Hour. Thanks Brenda!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Sky Watch, Environment and global warming,

If you enlarge the first photo you can see two polar bears in a very difficult situation. These photos were not taken by me of course.
Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations. VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour. Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Louise
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see the other skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

"J" for Japanese Concentration Camps on Java.

To enlarge click first on "View All Images", then on "Original View".

I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures. I had to take photos from the book about the Japanese concentration camps by Dr.D.van Velden.
Some of the photos were taken by Lady Mountbatten in September,1945, when she was visiting the concentration camps, and interviewing the then ex-p.o.w.'s after the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Yesterday I told something of my motherland, today about the country, where I lived from the age of 10 months till I was almost 12 years old.We lived in the Dutch East Indies, as it was then called, which is now Indonesia. We lived on the Isle of Java. The first eight years were happy ones for my parents, my sisters and me. Then came the war. My father, who was a chief engineer on board of a Dutch merchant ship, had to leave us in January 1942. We were not to see him for four years.As we had no army or important war fleet, we surrendered almost immediately.On March, 8th, 1942 the Japs marched in our streets, singing strange war songs.It was good we didn't realise what they had in store for us. Soon we noticed that things were changing. We couldn't go to school any more.My mum was 35 years old, I was eight, my sisters were four and two. In Malang, where we lived, all Dutch people had to registrate with the purpose to be interned in concentration camps. We left Malang to avoid registrations and went to the mountains and a few months later to Surabaya, where after a while we could no longer escape imprisonment. In the meantime we had lost most of our possessions, but my mum never complained. The remaining things were some books and clothes. I destroyed all my books when the final call came. I was nine. We had to go to Semarang, where we stayed from February 1943 till September 1945. All that time my mum, who was suffering from beriberi and only weighed 35kilos, had kept us alive. We left the camp and went to Surabaya, waiting for news of my father. Now a new danger arose. The Indonesians wanted to intern us again. Java was no longer save for Dutch people, so with the help of the British we escaped to Singapore in October 1945. We had nothing left, but were happy to be alive. My mum made dresses of the army towels we got. In December we went on board of a Dutch ship "De Nieuw Amsterdam" We were free!! At last! My father had also survived the war, but was severely traumatized. He had been at sea all through the war. We saw him in January 1946 in Rotterdam, where we all stayed with loving relatives, who took care of us.

My mum at the age of 29, I was 2 years old. Indonesia.

My mum at the age of 33 with her youngest child, born in 1939.

This time I'll answer any comment on my blog!

ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with "J".

Monday, March 23, 2009

That's My World: The Netherlands

The Dutch flag

The Netherlans are divided in 12 provinces.

1 History
Dutch Republic 1581–1795 founded by the Prince of Orange, William the Silent, ancestor of the House of Orange.Before that time we were part of the Spanish Kingdom.

Under French influence 1795–1815. We were part of the French Empire under Napoleon. When Napoleon was defeated we became independent again as a kingdom.

Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1815-till today. We had first three kings, then three ruling Queens. Queen Beatrix is our queen at this moment.

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in Northwestern Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. The capital is Amsterdam and the seat of government is The Hague.

The Netherlands is often called Holland, which is formally incorrect as North and South Holland are merely two of its twelve provinces. The word Dutch is used to refer to the people, the language, and anything appertaining to the
Netherlands.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Today's Flowers

TODAY'S FLOWERS was created
by LUIZ SANTILLI JR
Now it's managed by SANTILLI and DENISE BC Thank you, Luiz and Denise!To see more flowers click on the logo in the side bar.

When these branches were cut from the bush, the forsythia itself was not yet in bloom . The forsythia grows every year bigger and bigger, but it needs to be pruned and only the new branches should be taken off. It blooms on the old branches.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

CC : Cat a Mania

" A cat doesn't want all the world to love her-only those she has chosen to love."(Helen Thomson)

When we were in Australia last year, we took photos of all my daughter's animals. Among them this more than 12 years old cat. She loves to drink from the tap in the bathroom. The last two photos were taken by my Dutch daughter.

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn. Thank you so much Misty Dawn.We all enjoy seeing and talking about animals. All creatures great and small give us much pleasure.If you want to see more Camera Critters click on the logo in the side bar.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sky Watch Earth Hour

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand.

Supphellebreen, a branch of Jostedalsbreen in Norway ( breen = the glacier)

Glaciers in Norway are getting smaller and smaller. It has been proven that of the thirty glaciers, that had been examined, twenty four had considerably been diminished due to global warning. This is also the case in New Zealand.

I copied this from Pam.
In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from.

Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations. VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour. Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Louise
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see the other skies please click on the logo in the side bar

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readerwil - maandag 9 februari 2009 18:30:32

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:30:49 -0800

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Camera Critters, Botanical Gardens, Cairns, Australia.

Little Black Cormorant
Magpie- Goose

Click on photos to see more details.

I might be mistaken of course, but I thought these geese were Magpie-geese and the other smaller birds were Little Black Cormorants. Magpie-geese are unmistakable birds with their black and white plumage and yellowish legs. The feet are only partially webbed, although the Magpie-goose will feed on vegetable matter in the water as well as on land. Males are larger than females. Unlike true geese, the moult is gradual, and there is no flightless period. The voice is a loud honking.
The Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris, is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It is common in smaller rivers and lakes throughout most areas of Australia and northern New Zealand. It is around sixty centimetres long, and is all black with blue-green eyes.

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn. Thank you so much Misty Dawn.We all enjoy seeing and talking about animals. All creatures great and small give us much pleasure.If you want to see more Camera Critters click on the logo in the side bar.

What a Wonderful World...

I got this from Patty Lincoln! I hope you don't mind Pat showing it here!! Louis Armstrong sings " What a Wonderful World" It's about the friendship between a deer and a little cat.

Watch this: Click on What a wonderful World

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Sky Watch: Botanical Gardens, Cairns, Australia

1. A plane of Qantas high in the sky.
2, 3, 4, Lakes in the Botanical Gardens

REFLECTIONS

Click on photos to enlarge them.

On my last day in Australia in 2007, my daughter, her children and I stayed at The Lakes Cairns Resort & Spa. We had a lovely walk in the Botanical Gardens, which was close to the holiday resort. We saw beautiful plants and flowers, but also geese and other water birds.

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Louise
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see the other skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

ABC Wednesday C for Cooktown, Queensland, Australia

Cooktown is the place where my daughter lives. I live in Holland.

Click on photos to enlarge to see more details.

1.Musical Boat, which contains musical instruments
2.Market on Saturdays

3.Milbi Wall= Wall of tales ( see my post of 14th October 2008 )
4.Cook's Landing ( here we often had a cup of coffee and a meal)

Cooktown is situated in the north-east of Australia in Queensland
The site of modern Cooktown was the meeting place of two vastly different cultures when, in June 1770, the local Aboriginal Guugu Yimithirr tribe cautiously watched the crippled sailing vessel – His Majesty's Bark Endeavour – limp up the coast of their territory seeking a safe harbour after sustaining serious damage to its wooden hull from running aground on Endeavour Reef south of Cooktown. The Guugu Yimithirr saw Endeavour beached in the calm waters near the mouth of their river, which they called "Wahalumbaal". James Cook wrote: “. . . it was happy for us that a place of refuge was at hand; for we soon found that the ship would not work, and it is remarkable that in the whole course of our voyage we had seen no place that our present circumstances could have afforded us the same relief".

The British crew spent seven weeks on the site of the present day Cooktown, repairing their ship, replenishing food and water supplies, and caring for their sick. While the wealthy scientist, Joseph Banks, and Swedish naturalist Daniel Solander, who accompanied Cook on the expedition, were collecting, preserving and documenting many new species of plants, the young artist Sydney Parkinson was illustrating them. He was the first English artist to portray Aboriginal people from direct observation.

After some weeks, Banks met and spoke with the local people, recording about 50 Guugu Yimithirr words, including the name of the intriguing animal the natives called gangurru (which he transcribed as “Kangaru”). The kangaroo was first seen by European settlers on Grassy Hill during this trip.

Cook named the river the “Endeavour”, after his ship, and, as they sailed north, he hoisted the flag known as the 'Queen Anne Jack' and claimed possession of the whole eastern coast of Australia for Britain. He named Cape York Peninsula after the then HRH the Duke of York ("The Grand Old Duke of York").

ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt. It has been an enormous success. See more lovely and interesting words.Click on the logo in the sidebar.

Monday, February 2, 2009

that's My World: Bronkhorst

Bronkhorst lies in the middle of our country in the Province of Gelderland.

Click on photo to enlarge.

To enlarge click first on "View All Images" Then when the black screen appears click on "Original View"

This town of Bronkhorst is the smallest town in the Netherlands. It was granted franchise in 1482. The chapel is from 1344.
The first farmers settled as early as 600-700 AD. Now the town is known for its Dickens museum, where you can buy all books by Charles Dickens and all kind of small toys from 200 years ago.There is an exhibition of modern art in the church. There are beautiful little shops where you can buy jewelry and handicraft materials. The whole place is one great museum, for such houses are not built any more.
From 16th December till Christmas the play of Christmas Carol is played and you can find Scrooge walking around in his nightcap and nightshirt. You might be so fortunate to have a close encounter with one of the ghosts. If you look closer you can see Scrooge himself looking out of one of the top windows of a house.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Today's Flowers,

I got these daffodils a week ago and saw the first flower two days ago, and yesterday there were already four of them.It's wonderful to have now a little bit of spring in my house.

TODAY'S FLOWERS was created
by LUIZ SANTILLI JR
Now it's managed by SANTILLI and DENISE BC Thank you, Luiz and Denise!To see more flowers click on the logo in the side bar.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

CC The Hungry Swan

To enlarge click first on "View All Images" then on "Original View"

On my way to my work at the Eastern European Outreach I saw this pond with all kind of waterbirds. One of the swans came to me, thinking I came to feed him. I only came to take his photo, which was difficult enough, for he kept turning his head. He was beautiful though.

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn. Thank you so much Misty Dawn.We all enjoy seeing and talking about animals. All creatures great and small give us much pleasure.If you want to see more Camera Critters click on the logo in the side bar.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Sky Watch Friday

This is exactly what I saw last week Saturday.

Loosen your hands,
Let go and say good-bye.
Let the stars and songs go.
Let the faces and years go.
Loosen your hands and say good-bye.

Carl Sanburg

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Louise
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see the other skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

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Australian Day

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:37:13 -0800

Australian Day, a cause for celebration?

1. Willie Gordon is co-owner & operator of the Guurrbi Tours, and avery great guide.
see also what Judy has to write about him.

2. Eric Deermal and my daughter. He is an elder, a very wise man.

3. My daughter and RMcI the artist
4. My two half Aboriginal grandchildren

Today is Australian Day, a lot of people are celebrating. I wonder if many Aboriginals are as happy as the white people.
As you all know my daughter's first husband is an Aborigene, and she has two children by him. She still sees her MIL and all the other Aboriginal relatives. She has just finished a book about the life of RMcI, who is an Aboriginal painter.
Of course we talked a lot about the fact that both Aboriginals and European settlers were traumatized. I leave it to you to have your thoughts about these problems. I can only say that I am glad that Kevin Rudd was so brave to offer his excuses. Another thing is, that at the opening of the Olympic Games of 2000, a song was sung, the lyrics of which say exactly what all Australians must feel. It always brings tears in my eyes.

Lyrics I Am Australian
VARIOUS
(Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton)
I came from the dream time, from the dusty red soil plains,
I am the ancient heart - the keeper of the flame,
I stood upon the rocky shore, I watched the tall ships come,
For forty thousand years I'd been the first Australian.
We are one but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come,
we share a dream,
And sing with one voice,
I am, you are, we are Australian.
I came upon the prison ship bound down by iron chains
I cleared the land, endured the lash and waited for the rains.
I'm a settler, I'm a farmer's wife on a dry and barren run
A convict then a free man, I became Australian.
I'm the daughter of a digger who sought the mother lode
The girl became a woman on the long and dusty road
I'm a child of the depression, I saw the good times come
I'm a bushy, I'm a battler, I am Australian.
We are one but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come,
we share a dream,
And sing with one voice,
I am, you are, we are Australian.
I'm a teller of stories, I'm a singer of songs
I am Albert Namatjira, and I paint the ghostly gums
I am Clancy on his horse, I'm Ned Kelly on the run
I'm the one who waltzed Matilda, I am Australian.
I'm the hot wind from the desert, I'm the black soil of the plains
I'm the mountains and the valleys, I'm the drought and flooding rains
I am the rock, I am the sky, the rivers when they run
The spirit of this great land, I am Australian.
We are one but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come,
we share a dream,
And sing with one voice,
I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE AUSTRALIAN.!!!

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Winter in Holland, Waterfalls in Australia.

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:49:39 -0800

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Sky Watch Friday From Dawn to Dusk

Between dawn and dusk we live our lives...

To enlarge the photos, click on them...

The day started with a glorious sunrise at 8:30 AM. Later in the day, at 12:45 we had a lovely blue sky, the sun was shining and it was freezing! In the afternoon, when my family went skating after 4 o'clock, the sky took this pretty peachy shade and later, we had again a spectacular view of the setting sun.

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Louise
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Flood in Cairns, Queensland

Cairns is our place of arrival in Australia and the place from where we leave again. I stayed here quite often in motels or holiday parcs. These floods often happen , but I wouldn't like this and my greatest fear is that we will ever be flooded in the Netherlands. And that wouldn't be the first time!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

ABC Wednesday Z for Zillie Falls

This summer, when I was visiting my second daughter in Queensland Australia, where she has lived now for 14 years, we visited some waterfalls in the Tablelands. One of them is the Zillie Falls.These falls are not spectacular like those in other parts of the world, but... they are beautiful. Well see for yourself. The two first photos belong to the Zillie Falls in Queensland, Australia.

The third photo represents the Millaa Millaa Falls and the bottom one is the Ellinjaa Falls. There is a lovely viewing platform at the base ...
More information and photos is here waterfalls Australia

Thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who has hosted this ABC game for the third round to the letter Z for ABC Wednesday. For more ABC posts click on ABC picture in my side bar.

Monday, January 12, 2009

that's My World, Winter Wonderland

To enlarge slide click first on "View all Images"then click on "Original View"

The second photo from the top is the ice rink, it's an inundated field, which will be frozen over in case of frost. In summer it's dry and used for games and sports.

In all these photos you can see canals frozen over. We have a lot of water you see. Next to the canal is either a motorway or a cycle path.I have photos of the same canals in spring and then they look quite different, I can assure you that. I took the photos at noen, so there were no skaters yet, but when school is over the children will be on the ice for it's strong enough.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Today's Flowers,

Click to enlarge.

Believe me all these plants are real! I am afraid there is not a single flower in my icy garden.

TODAY'S FLOWERS was created
by LUIZ SANTILLI JR
Now it's managed by SANTILLI and DENISE BC Thank you, Luiz and Denise!To see more flowers click on the logo in the side bar

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Camera Critters, Waterbirds.

Click to enlarge!

You will notice that this lake is half covered with ice and half open. It is partly open for the birds. There are swans, mallards, geese and coots. In the distance you can see skaters. This is a lake near Rotterdam.

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn. Thank you so much Misty Dawn.We all enjoy seeing and talking about animals. All creatures great and small give us much pleasure.If you want to see more Camera Critters click on the logo in the side bar

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Lizart Island Queensland Australia and Milbi Wall

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:00:32 -0700

Sunday, October 19, 2008

ABC Wednesday, N for Nature's Powerhouse

There was an exhibition of the silk painter Waratah Nicholls, when I was in the Nature's Powerhouse

Surrounded by the Botanic Gardens of Cooktown lies the Nature's Powerhouse. A place where you can get information about the plants and trees that the gardens house. The building has a permanent exhibition of paintings. There's also an exhibition of snakes, which is very interesting. We can buy souvenirs, t-shirts, books and informative games for children. On the verandah we can have coffee, tea, other drinks and a wonderful lunch. This is also the place where we meet friends. Here my daughter and I met one of the elders of the Guugu Yimithirr tribe.

click to enlarge!

Thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt, who has hosted this ABC game for the third round to the letter N for ABC Wednesday. For more ABC posts click on ABC picture in my side bar.Join us in this wonderful meme! BTW this is the bookshop.

Rotterdam, the Netherlands in "that's My World"

To enlarge: click on" view all images" and then "on original view".

Rotterdam is the town where I was born 75 years ago, so it's normal that I start my tour in My World there.
Rotterdam is the second important city in the Netherlands, it had also been the first seaport in the world for a long time and still belongs to the main ports in Europe. In 1340 it got the franchise of a town and in 1360 it got a town wall. Before this time it was but a small fishing village. Rotterdam became more and more important, that's the reason why it was heavily bombed on May,14th 1940.Eighthundred people were killed and 800,000 were homeless. The towncentre was in ruins. After the war the citizens of Rotterdam worked hard to rebuild the town. Now there are some remarkable examples of modern architecture among the older buildings which were left unharmed. On our walk we took some photos of those buildings.

Rotterdam had the tallest building in Europe until 1923. The “Het Witte Huis” (The White House) was built in 1898 in American style, designed by architect W. Molenbroek. This 43-meter high building was built at a time when tall buildings like this were not a common sight; that’s why its architecture looks like an oversized house. “Het Witte Huis” stands out in the Rotterdam landscape. It is one of the few buildings that survived the bombardment in May 1940.

One of the major attractions in the Rotterdam architecture are the Cubic Houses, built in 1984 by Piet Blom. These are 39 cube-shaped dwellings which are still inhabited. If you’re curious to know how one can live in a house like this, you can visit one of them! Near the cubic houses there is the Rotterdam library, which also stands out for its pyramid-like shape: eight diminishing floors with yellow tubes around the building.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Tom - a Team of experienced bloggers. Thank you so much! For more stories of other countries in our world click on the "that's My World"logo in the sidebar

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Camera Critters, Goanna, Queensland, Australia.

I had never seen a goanna before, so when at last I saw this one, I was excited.I was visiting a friend of my daughter's and we were having coffee, when suddenly this big guy appeared.."Be careful"they said to me, and with a reason! If you had seen its claws....You would also have been on the alert.

Being predatory lizards, goannas are often quite large, or at least bulky, with sharp teeth and claws. The largest is the Perentie (Varanus giganteus), which can grow over 2m in length.
The one I saw was not that large but its tail was very long. I must apologize for the poor quality of my photos, but I had to take them fast.
Not all goannas are gargantuan. Pygmy goannas may be smaller than a man's arm. The smallest of these, the short-tailed monitor (Varanus brevicuda) reaches only 20 cm in length. They survive on smaller prey such as insects and mice, and my daughter lost a turkey chick, which got out of its cage while a goanna was lurking for the poor little thing.
Goannas combine predatory and scavenging behaviour. A goanna will prey upon any animal it can catch that is small enough to eat whole. Goannas have been blamed for the death of sheep by farmers, though most likely erroneously, as goannas are also eaters of carrion and are attracted to rotting meat.
Most goannas are dark in coloration, whites, greys, browns, blacks and greens featuring prominently. Many desert dwelling species also feature yellow-red tones. Camouflage ranges from bands and stripes to splotches, speckles and circles, and can change as the creature matures; juveniles sometimes being brighter than adults.
Like most lizards, goannas lay eggs. Most lay eggs in a nest or burrow, but some species lay their eggs inside termite mounds. This offers protection and incubation, additionally the termites may provide a meal for the young as they hatch. Unlike other species of lizards, goannas do not have the ability to regrow limbs or tails.
For more exciting Camera Critters, click on the logo in the sidebar. Thank you so much Misty Dawn!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Another Dutch Sunset....

I asked
who was the goldsmith who created the golden sun,
who gave space to the stars,
who planted the moon in the field of the night?
I asked
who gave light to my eyes, colour to the gras,
music to the birds?

Tom, Sandy, IMAC , Klaus, Ivar, Wren & Fishing Guy
Thank you so much for this great meme. For other wonderful skies all over the world click on logo.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

M for Milbi Wall in Cooktown, Queensland, Australia.

To acknowledge the significance of the first known European contact with the Aboriginal people of the area, Cook Shire Council decided, as a reconciliation project, to have a Memorial to tell from an Aboriginal point of view.( see also the story of " Mary Watson and the Dingaal People" below)

Cook Shire Council invited local Aboriginal people to tell their story in ceramic tiles and build a Story (Milbi) Wall right at the spot where, in 1770, Captain James Cook and his crew first set foot.

Milbi is the Guugu Yimithirr (local Aboriginal language) word for story.

The Milbi Wall was developed by a group of local Aboriginal artists and storytellers, with assistance from a well-known potter and the Gungarde Aboriginal Corporation. The 12 metre long wall is divided in three parts and it shows the history of Cooktown.
The first part is the Dreamtime, the time that the indigenous people of Australia were the only inhabitants of this continent.
The second part is the time they came in touch with first convicts and later the Chinese gold diggers. This was a very bad time for the Aborigines. It traces the history of Aboriginal people from the early settlement times and the gold-rush days, until the Second World War.
Part 3 depicts the important 1967 referendum when the Australian people overwhelmingly recognised the right of Aboriginal people to equality with all other Australians and it shows the advances Aboriginal people have made as well as recognising the problems they have faced

The wall is made in the shape of a snake: the Rainbow Snake, the creator spirit.
The tiles are made by the inhabitants of Cooktown under the supervision of Roy McIver, a wellknown artist of the Guugu Yimithirr tribe. He is an uncle of my daughter's ex husband. She sees him quite often. I always meet him and his wife when I am in Cooktown.
Thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt, who has hosted this ABC game for the third round to the letter M for ABC Wednesday. For more ABC posts click on ABC picture in my side bar.Join us in this wonderful meme!

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Friday, October 10, 2008

M for Mary Watson and the Dingaal people...

Click to enlarge.

In 1881 Robert Watson went to sea to collect beche-de-mer, leaving his wife and their baby and two Chinese servants behind. A group of Dingaal people came to investigate the building, when they saw smoke. Unknowingly the Watsons had intruded upon sacred land, where the Dingaal people were used to bring their young men to be initiated. A ceremony which didn't allow women to be present.One Chinese servant was killed and Mary, her baby and the other servant fled the island in a beche-de- mer boiling tank. Nine days later they died of thirst.
While every Australian knows this tragic story they often leave the rest untold. Many Aboriginal people were slaughtered in later retributions. The ruins of the Watson house are a terrible reminder of these tragic encounters between the original inhabitants of Australia, who have lived here for 50 thousand years and the newcomers.

Thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt, who has hosted this ABC game for the third round to the letter M for ABC Wednesday. For more ABC posts click on ABC picture in my side bar.Join us in this wonderful meme!

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Sky Watch Friday and Camera Critters on Sundays.

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:35:26 -0700

Friday, October 3, 2008

Charley and his mates...

This week my daughter sent me this e-mail. She lives in Queenland and not far from Cooktown.

Crocodiles have been sighted near where Arthur John Booker disappeared on the Endeavour River, just out of Cooktown, yesterday.

The crocodiles were spotted by the Environmental Protection Agency conducting a survey of the area the evening after the 62-year-old man's disappearance.

"We did identify a couple of crocodiles in the area. One immediately downstream from the boat ramp and a larger animal further downstream about 200 metres," says James Newman, EPA Regional Manager for Cape York and Savannah.

Mr Booker had been staying at the Endeavour River Escape. In the morning he went out to check crab pots he had on the banks of the river but did not return.

Mr Booker's wife, Doris as well as other campers began searching for the Vietnam veteran before calling the police around 10 o'clock.

It is currently nesting season for crocodiles.

"Nesting season starts around September and obviously, if there is a female around here, she will be very protective of her nest," says Mr Newman.

Inspector Ian Swan says items belonging to Mr Booker were found on the banks of the river and in the water.

"Late yesterday afternoon we did locate some property," he says. "At the bottom of the river when the tide went we located the male person's watch and a further 100 metres downstream we located a sandal which also has been positively identified as the missing person's."

A video camera was also found near one of Mr Booker's crab pots. The rope on the crab pot had been severed but police say this wasn't done by knife.

Today, a team of 13, including EPA Crocodile Biologist, Scott Sullivan, are investigating where Mr Booker disappeared. One State Emergency Service boat is being used. Work began at 8 am.

Locals had seen crocodiles in the river prior to Mr Booker's disappearance. One crocodile, in particular, is known to live in the river.

"Charlie does live in this waterway," Mr Newman says. "Charlie is a large crocodile. I think he's about 4.8 metres,"

Mr Newman says Charlie was 'tagged' last year by the EPA and is 'considered docile'. The team does have a crocodile trap with them but won't deploy it 'until necessary'.

The EPA gave a briefing before the search began today, urging SES volunteers and police officers to be 'croc-wise'.

"We will be looking in the water today and having a look at the bottom to see if they can't pull anything off the bottom and so we need to make sure that they are safe during the search," Mr Newman says. "So what we are doing is making sure someone is holding their belt at all times when they're leaning over the boat."

click to enlarge.BTW This is not Charley! See also photos in sidebar.

Did you know that the Australian saltwater crocodiles are found in most estuaries of coastal, tropical Australia but can live quite successfully in freshwater streams and billabongs.Their diet consists of native animals and birds, but also cattle, horses, dogs and even men. They pull their prey into the water to drown, where they leave it for some time to decompose before eating.
Some time ago a party of some people were camping on the beach where they had a "barbie". They left some of the food on the beach and a croc was attracted to it. He went, however further and entered one of the tents, where he grabbed one of the men by his leg and tried to pull him out of the tent. Everybody woke up by the screams of the poor man. His mother came to help him, but the croc grabbed her, then another man came with his gun and killed the beast. It was an enormous creature, by the looks of it. I saw the photos!!
Well the croc on the photoslide is a different one of course, but no less ferocious.
A female croc lays about 40 eggs in a prepared mound of grass on a riverbank.

For more exciting Camera Critters, click on the logo in the sidebar. Thank you so much Misty Dawn!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

The skies in Cairns, Australia and in Holland

When we were in Australia, we saw this sky just before nightfall.

This is what I saw last night in my own country Holland!

Tom, Sandy, IMAC & Klaus! Thanks!. For more photos click on logo.

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My Favourite Things on Thursdays

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:43:08 -0700

Favourite places in the world

Denmark, Sjaelland 2002. One of the places where we had a great time. My sister, brother-in-law and our Danish friend, who died this year.

Of all my travels in the world there are a few that were particularly pleasant and at some of these places I felt really happy. I start with Denmark. Our Danish friend invited us to a historical village in Sjaelland not far from Holbaek, The weather was excellent for May. We saw all kind of old buildings like a smithy and an old farmhouse, where we had a cup of coffee with my friend's cousin. She was the one who told me early this year that my last Danish friend had died. After my Australian holiday, she and her husband came to see me

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Karunda Scenic Railway (Australia)

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:11:38 -0700

Monday, September 29, 2008

Karunda Scenic Railway.

Being in Cairns during the first weeks of our stay in Australia, we decided to go and see Tjapukai with a show by Aborigenes, about Aborigines and their history. After the show we went by skyrail to Karunda. The famous train, the history of which you can read in this post as well, took us back to Cairns. We passed the Barron Falls and got enough time to shoot our photos

The original Kuranda Scenic Railway is a spectacular journey comprising unsurpassed views of dense rainforest, steep ravines and picturesque waterfalls. This famous railway winds its way on a journey of approximately 1 hour 45 minutes from Cairns to Kuranda, the village in the rainforest.
The Cairns-Kuranda Railway was constructed between 1882 and 1891 and even today is considered an engineering feat of tremendous magnitude. Hundreds of men were employed to build the 15 hand-made tunnels and 37 bridges that stand as a monument to the pioneers of tropical North Queensland who lost their lives while working on the railway.
Rising from sea level to 328m, the journey to Kuranda passes through World Heritage protected tropical rainforest, past spectacular waterfalls and into the awesome Barron Gorge. Upon reaching the village of Kuranda a rich assortment of interesting attractions and unique shopping experiences awaits you.

Thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt, who has hosted this ABC game for the third round to the letter K for ABC Wednesday. For more ABC posts click on ABC picture in my side bar.Join us in this wonderful meme!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Another amazing Australian plant.

This is another Australian plant, we saw, when we were in Queensland. It's the Banksia, named after Sir Joseph Banks, who was Captain Cook's botanist. Archaeological evidence suggests that banksias or Banksia-like plants have existed for over 40 million years. The first humans to discover and make use of Banksia plants were the Australian aborigines who used the nectar from the flowers as part of their diet.

The first Europeans to observe banksias were probably Dutch explorers who made several landfalls along the West Australian coast during the 17th and early 18th centuries. No botanical collections were made, however, until the discovery of the east coast of Australia by Captain James Cook in the Endeavour in April 1770..

In Western Australia the Giant Banksia is found and used to make souvenirs, which are popular with tourists. It stands to reason that we bought several of these souvenirs like coasters, a vase and a pencil container.
click to enlarge

Click to enlarge these photos.
Here you see the flower and the beginning of the cone which will develop into a far bigger one after a while.

Today’s Flowers is hosted by Luiz Santilli Jr. Thank you, Luiz!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Kookaburra, king of the bush is he...

This week I have chosen another Australian animal, I don't live in Australia, but I have recently been there. I live in the Netherlands, but go to Australia every year for a month or a bit longer to see my daughter and her family. Well here's the kookaburra.

1) Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Merry, merry king of the bush is he,
Laugh, Kookaburra, Laugh, Kookaburra,
Gay your life must be.

2) Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Eating all the gumdrops he can see
Stop, Kookaburra, Stop, Kookaburra
Leave some there for me.

3) Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Counting all the monkeys he can see
Stop, Kookaburra, Stop, Kookaburra,
That's no monkey, that's me.

The "Laughing Kookaburra" is known by its name for its "laugh" which it uses to greet its mate after periods of absences. It can be heard at any time of day but most frequently shortly after dawn and especially when the colour drains from the forest after sunset.
One bird starts with a low, hiccupping chuckle, then throws its head back in raucous laughter: often several others join in. If a rival tribe is within earshot and replies, the whole family soon gathers to fill the bush with ringing laughter. Hearing kookaburras in full voice is one of the more extraordinary experiences of the Australian bush, something even locals cannot ignore; some visitors, unless forewarned, may find their call startling
It's very difficult to take photos of the Kookaburra.
When you see him, you don't hear him...

For more exciting Camera Critters, click on the logo in the sidebar. Thank you Misty Dawn!

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Jowalbinna, Rockpaintings

nobody@vox.com(readerwil) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:07:06 -0700

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

J for Jowalbinna, Queensland, Australia.

Click to enlarge the pictures. You can even see a wallaby (small kangaroo) in one of them.

After a long and bumpy ride we arrived in Jowalbinna, a campside, where we rented a cabin and a place for one tent. We climbed the hill you see in the distance. And we had a wonderful view of the campsite when we reached the top of the hill.
To our surprise we found rockpaintings, which made the difficult climb worth while.

Aboriginal mythological paintings may be found all over Australia and represent many different cultures. From time immemorial Aboriginal people have left their marks in caves on rocks and because rock is durable, we can still see today their rock paintings. Although many were made for ceremonial purposes, there are undoubtedly also markings just done for fun, like hand stencils and outlines of boomerangs. Some paintings are very ancient, executed many thousands of years ago. But not all paintings need to be that old: some were made within living memory.

Thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt, who has hosted this ABC game for the third round to the letter J for ABC Wednesday. For more ABC posts click on ABC picture in my side bar.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Sedum or Stonecrop for Today's Flowers

The only flowers in my front garden in Holland, doing fine, are these sedum plants. My other plants are either preparing for winter or just dying.

Click to enlarge these photos.

Today’s Flowers is hosted by Luiz Santilli Jr. Thank you, Luiz!

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readerwil’s blog

Posts in April

Monday, 20 April 2009

Sunday, 19 April 2009

Saturday, 18 April 2009

Thursday, 16 April 2009

Tuesday, 14 April 2009

Monday, 13 April 2009

Sunday, 12 April 2009

Saturday, 11 April 2009

Friday, 10 April 2009

Thursday, 9 April 2009

Earth Hour.

Reader Wil

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Monday, March 30, 2009

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Monday, March 23, 2009

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Thursday, March 19, 2009

readerwil - maandag 9 februari 2009 18:30:32

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Monday, February 2, 2009

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Australian Day

Winter in Holland, Waterfalls in Australia.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Monday, January 12, 2009

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Lizart Island Queensland Australia and Milbi Wall

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Friday, October 10, 2008

Sky Watch Friday and Camera Critters on Sundays.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Thursday, October 2, 2008

My Favourite Things on Thursdays

Karunda Scenic Railway (Australia)

Monday, September 29, 2008

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Jowalbinna, Rockpaintings

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Sunday, September 21, 2008