{French Comptoir de Famille Candle Wreath}

Inspired by the French Countryside, 

nostalgic home décor items by 
Comptoir de Famille.

Needless to say that I feel fortunate for being able to offer you these lovely French Country Style Candle Wreath at my on line boutique: French Comptoir de Famille Candle Wreath.  ←click it.

Adorned with Roses and Berries this is also perfect for a romantic  Christmas Day setting...

Works with the LED pillars as well, for a clean and safe candle setting.

♥ Pour Toi ♥

{Happy Thanksgiving 2015!}

Today, all plans got thwarted due to 7 hours power outage, a broken underground cable in our street...

They did repair it but also damaged first a water pipe, causing a fountain.

And they also struck the cable for TV and Internet!

But after 8 hours; all was back on again. 

Still being grateful for so many things!

Thanksgiving Day: Pilgrims were a surprisingly worldly, tolerant lot

Pilgrims who braved the Mayflower were profoundly shaped by their 11 years in Leiden, Netherlands, where they arrived 402 years ago this year. Deeply devout, they were also some of the most tolerant among Puritan groups who headed to the new world. Read more from source here: Thanksgiving Day: Pilgrims were a surprisingly worldly, tolerant lot

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all US READERS!

Related links:

{Gratitude for Thanksgiving 2014 - Like the Mayflower Pilgrims in 1621} | previous post by me

{Happy Thanksgiving - From Pilgrim to President} | previous post by me

{Trimming up Dogwood Lets Light Back into Bay Window Area}

On November 12, Pieter did start Trimming up our huge Dogwood tree, that almost touched the house.

It really had darkened our entire Bay Window Area!

Twenty five years of growth is a LOT.

After breakfast, those long branches got sawn off...
Done with the hand saw, while standing on a ladder!

From the bay window area it still looks kind of dark...
With our white vinyl picket fence in the back.

One can tell that those branches almost reached the house, while up there...

Those two limbs have to be sawn off completely...

Up on the ladder and with the use of the electrical chain saw...

A better view of the action...

Down it came, with already big buds for the dogwood flowers meant for next spring...

SORRY!

It kind of hurts to murder something living...

Husband Pieter did have constant help from cat-man Spooky.

He walks back and forth when all the branches got hauled off, after they got cut up into pieces.

Hard work and now we got a LOT more light into our Bay Window Area!

Wishing all my U.S. readers a very Happy Thanksgiving.

{When Frost Arrives, we MISS the Florida Bottle Palms!}

After having lived for THREE winters in the tropics, while working and living in Indonesia, we MISS the green and exotic look of it. Even more so the balmy warm feeling!

Frost is coming our way and that makes us long for the sight of Florida Bottle Palms; one of husband Pieter's favorites.

This is at the +Hyatt House Miami Airport our favorite home away from home.
Photos are taken on February 5, 2009 during one of our stays.
These are the ones that husband Pieter took, from his favorite Bottle Palm!

Indeed, their trunk looks very much like a BOTTLE!

Showing the Bottle trunk in more detail.

Pieter LOVED their unique Palm Fronds...

Well, it certainly would feel good for being there at the pool right now!

Yes, I know, we cannot complain about our Dublin, Georgia weather, compared to so many in the northern USA and Canada or Scandinavia where snow already covered their region.
But it is only after having LIVED in the tropics for 3 years...

Guess for most of us it is a favorite for being in the sunshine with green plants and palm trees around us... Well, as you can see, Miami does have all of that.

Stay warm and cozy wherever you are!

{Clerodendrum Ugandense - Blue Butterfly Bush}

On November 11, I could make this photo from our Clerodendrum Ugandese - Blue Butterfly Bush and also called Blue Glorybower. A gem from Logee's that we do treasure.

While making this photo, I got bitten by a legion of fire ants... 

But still I was pleased with this photo.

In-between the rain we had, some beauty!

Happy weekend!

Related link:
{Clerodendrum Ugandense - Blue Butterfly Bush, Blue Glorybower} | previous post by me

{Fall is the Spring of Winter}

It is a good thing that around us, in nature and often in our own garden, little miracles happen.

That sure does soften the harsh outlook into this world at times of grief for so many...

Fall is the Spring of Winter ~ Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Der Herbst ist der Frühling des Winters (German translation)...
Our Citrus trees blooming on November 11!

Lots of highly fragrant flowers are opening up.
But on Saturday, November 14 we had around 34°F or 1°C and thus, Pieter did bring all our tender tropical pot plants into the greenhouse.

In a previous post I did show you already this Monarch Butterfly...

Such a lovely sight and what a delicious nectar source for the Monarch Butterfly!
I myself also LOVE honey collected from orange blossoms.

Indeed, Fall is the Spring of Winter!

Wishing the Monarch Butterfly good luck when it makes its journey south bound and may the Citrus Trees continue their blooming inside the greenhouse.

Monarch Butterfly on Citrus Flower ←click for my short video

Blessings and Peace!

Related link:
{Monarch Butterfly - Danaus Plexippus} | previous post by me

Trip to Zitácuaro in Michoacán, México for Viewing Monarch Butterflies | post by me about us seeing millions of Monarch Butterflies... 

{French Porcelain Lampe Berger Angelot Cherub Cameo}

Lampe Berger Cherub Cameo Angelot is one of my favorites! This one is made out of porcelain and comes with the heavy gold cap. If you love authentic French Cherubs, Angels or Angelot as much as I do; this is your chance to own one too. It is in perfect condition!

No longer available but I do have ONE for sale in my boutique...  Mariette's Back to Basics . 

Just click the above hyperlink.

And I for sure would NOT sell my privately owned piece!

The opaque Cameo is surrounded by a golden circle to make it even stand out more.

The bottom side with its Lampe Berger mark.

This is the REAL French thing.

You will not find any better French Country Style than this.

Feel free to share on Google+ or on Pinterest, FB or Twitter if you want to.
Easy clickable sharing links below this post.

Sorry Sold out...

{Monarch Butterfly - Danaus Plexippus}

On November 12 I was lucky to capture a beautiful Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus while it was feasting on a Citrus Flower.

This is a screen shot from the video I made.
There is a spider inside and on the video you see it come outside.

Twice this Monarch butterfly opened its wings for me; very kind!
Do you notice those thorns on the Citrus tree?
They are mean as hell for bringing inside and out of the greenhouse...

Hope you enjoyed this beautiful Monarch butterfly! Related links: {Aptenia Cordifolia or Heartleaf Ice Plant} | previous post by me showing a Cloudless sulphur butterfly {Out of Body Experience} | previous post by me showing a Giant Swallowtail Trip to Zitácuaro in Michoacán, México for Viewing Monarch Butterflies | post by me about us seeing millions of Monarch Butterflies... 

{Rosebuds After Heavy Rain...}

Just on our 32nd Wedding Anniversary we had two cute Rosebuds After Heavy Rain for days!

And yes, we did have sunshine as well as you can see from the shade in the final photos.

Just placed them inside a French Baccarat Crystal Perfume Bottle...

With us, also our felines were so happy that the heavy rains stopped!

Even the small rosebud to the left is showing some damage from the pounding rain.

Roses + Sunshine for Happiness!

On November 12, the browning from the rain on the white rose is worse.
This actually is my precious 'Oma Rose' from a cutting of my Paternal Grandmother's Rose in The Netherlands. A Queen Elizabeth, Floribunda Rose.

Related link:

{Mistery Oma Rose Resolved!} | previous post by me

{32 Years ago on November 10}

It all went so fast; too fast!

But I guess that's not ONLY my problem.

HAPPY LOOKING AT MY NEW HUSBAND PIETER

We flew back two days before, from Atlanta, Georgia USA to Amsterdam, The Netherlands and by train with our dachshund Mauzie, to Horst aan de Maas in the South.

Here we are in the City hall of Horst aan de Maas.

The Registrar to the left, Pieter, me, brother Piet who was witness, his fiancé Rianne, Mom & Dad

The Registrar performing the Civil Wedding Ceremony.

Pieter's Mom to the left and my youngest brother Jan to the right, next to Rianne.

Pieter's eldest brother Thé, to the left and my brother Piet to the right; our two witnesses.
Some close friends were there as well, including dear friend Ellie who made these pictures and picked up Pieter's Mom at he nursing home.

White roses from Pieter's Goddaughter Myriam...

Pieter signing...

Me signing the BEST contract ever!

Done deal; for LIFE!

My brother Piet underwrites our Civil Matrimony 

Jet-lag... arrived the day before on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from Atlanta to Amsterdam, but feeling HAPPY!

Pieter's brother Thé signing our Civil Matrimony.

Sad that the 3 loved ones to the left in this photo, are no longer with us...

Pieter's Mom, Thé and my Mom are all in heaven.
And now Dad too has joined them.

We both lost a lot of our hair over those 32 years but everything is still sealed inside our hearts. 

Fond memories with true happiness forever.

The Registrar hands us the Marriage License.

Mom & Dad congratulating us...

Dad kissing his eldest (alive) daughter...

Brother Piet's then fiancé Rianne, now happily married with two grown up children.

Sweet Sister-In-Law Dora who did provide a festive evening for us at her home.

My youngest brother Jan, who together with my brother Piet sat at Mom's death bed...

He was the only one that took a day off from work to be present.

The others blamed us for not having mailed out wedding invitations so they could get a paid day off from work!

Due to Pieter's ex not wanting to sign the divorce papers for half a year, we had no choice but to arrange things via the phone from the USA and fly back to our birth country The Netherlands.

Thank you sweet Dora for all you did for us during your life!

We will meet again in heaven and so happy that we had a chance to pamper them when they came to visit us in 1992...

Related links:
{25-Year Anniversary of our Church Wedding in Chile quietly passed by} | previous post by me
{Miracle in Chile - the country where we both got married!} | previous post by me
{Angels engraved on lucky calendar coin of 1969} | previous post by me with our love story...