Pages

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Refreshing to find such GREAT COURTESY at Grand Hyatt Buckhead, Atlanta

Each year we get an award night for the use of our Hyatt Visa Card...
So this time we booked at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead, Atlanta.
Over the decades that we come here, tall high rise buildings have been added all around...
We arrived after having been stuck in traffic jam and we barely managed to do our three errands.
A quick stop at Trader Joe's and then picking up Pieter's Nettleton shoes at the cobbler.
Next we went to Presstine dry cleaner to pick up our items,
Then checking in at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead and up to room 1914.
Always refreshing for being met with the greatest courtesy!
Our Corner King Guestroom
All day it was lovely weather, rather sunny too and the view from the 19th floor was breathtaking.
Lovely skyline from Atlanta downtown...
Even Stone Mountain was visible from our room and I just zoomed in a little bit...
Off to the Onyx restaurant where Pieter opted for Southwestern Chicken Bowl 
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, Adobe Grilled Chicken, Pickled Red Onion, Avocado, Heirloom Tomato, Black Olives, Cheddar and Jack Cheese, Chipotle Buttermilk Dressing
My choice was a Roasted Veggie Bowl
Quinoa, Roasted Sweet Potato, Turmeric Cauliflower, Beets (red and gold), Marinated Tomato, Miso Maple Dressing
From the full jug with dressing I've only used little and that was perfect!
Feels good for being at your destiny and for feeling HOME!
Also for being able to continue healthy living.
We would visit dear friends the next day and meet them for lunch at their home.
Such a visit is never possible when combining with our usual shopping, due to the heavy traffic.
Yes, there are the glass shelves with aluminum u–profile that we implemented in our Rose Suite. See previous post below.
Some blogger once asked what our two toilet paper holders were for... Another convenience for never running out of it.
At 20:11 o'clock I got an iMessage from a friend, telling me to go look at the full moon.
Which we both did and it was quite a view.
Perfect ending for the day.
On our Hyatt Card we could check out as late as 14:00 o'clock but since we had our lunch appointment with friends, we opted for a leisurely morning with a later breakfast.
This is the view of part of the Japanese Zen garden, from their Cassis restaurant where breakfast is served.
Buttermilk pancakes with fresh seasonal berries and grade A maple syrup in front of us at 10:00 o'clock.
Pieter laughs at the size of those blackberries...
Always great food, even for both of us with diet restrictions and served with a smile as the entire hotel only knows of the highest level of courtesy!
We had parked in the parking garage, just across the street and with our handicapped permit it was right at the entrance; so convenient.
We went to Lenox Square Mall for dropping off my Mont Blanc travel fountain pen as it quit writing.
Got that probably in 1990 and miss being able to use it!
It was sad to learn that the younger people hardly write and cursive writing is no longer being taught at school.
The sales person told us that even placing a signature, often reveals that they hardly know how to hand write...
Both of us still value class and high quality and hope that there will be a continuation with younger people!
Our visit with dear friends was another highlight, long overdue but always difficult to work that in.
This was just perfect, even though it rained heavy all day.

Do you manage to visit with friends?

Related links:

Monday, March 28, 2022

Leather Shorts and Roses

 Slowly it is getting real spring and once more we say goodbye to boots and leather shorts and vest...
Always a great set for wearing on colder days.
My leather boots from Italy with my old lace tights with back seam (see previous post below, with pictures of back).
Together with my very soft leather shorts from Escada and leather vest over a wool sweater.
Pieter the photographer told me to stand to the right but with the oak and wrought iron bench it is a bit wild...
Did capture the photographer as well.
In his cotton twill Burberry shirt that we found in Spain while on vacation.
That pairs well with his Gianni Versace jeans.
My Escada wool stretch skirt with the silk roses blouse and woolen roses cardigan.
To the left you also see that husband Pieter has cleared the underbrush in the adjacent woodgarden, now you can look through easily.
Here the repaired wooden bridge over the creek is visible to the left.

Related links:
{My Italian Boots & Escada Leather Vest and Shorts} | previous post showing you the back seam of my lace tights...
{ROSES} | previous post showing you the back of my Escada Roses Cardigan...

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Talking Speckie Girl

 Our kitties are VOCAL...
Our Speckie girl has black specks on her tongue but look at her gorgeous LONG and Pure White Whiskers
She sure IS a beautiful Tuxie girl!
Speckie is our baby of five kitties and is born more or less on our wedding anniversary day, November 10 of 2009.

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Pieter Found Another Death Cap or Amanita phalloides

Yes, from our own garden once again...
A perfect Death Cap or Amanita phalloides, the alba species and it is recognizable by its bulbous root.
DON'T eat it!
Pieter has its milk on his fingers... he did not lick that off either.
Pieter found this perfect example on October 5, 2021 but through all kinds of other posts, this got never used. But here it is!
Once again, don't attempt to consume this one!
Pieter was wearing his Burberry poloshirt
These images show the bulbous kind of 'egg' very clearly.
Photos from Pieter's Mushroom collection that he used for training.
Again, different stages of maturity
At times they even can appear to be greenish.
Nice combination with the clover leaves.
Again a different shade but all are deadly poisonous and cause organ failure and DEATH.
Never ever eat any of those!

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk Recipe

 Already a favorite recipe for both of us is the Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
Love to serve the soup hot in pre-heated soup plates from our French Pillivuyt china. It is even oven proof.
Here we ate it with bread but we also like the no salt added blue corn chips from Whole Foods Market Place.
It makes for a healthy meal and tastes best on a cooler day 😉

Recipe:
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 teaspoons of curry powder
1 teaspoon of Thai red curry paste
4 cups diced butternut squash
1 package of low sodium vegetable broth (Trader Joe's)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste 
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or raw agave nectar, to taste
1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk

Instructions:
Heat the olive oil i na soup pot, over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and curry powder + paste; stir and cook until the onion softens. Add the squash and broth. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer till the squash is soft and fork tender, about 30 minutes.
I've not pureed my soup with an immersion blender but you can do so if you wish, till smooth.
Stir in the maple syrup and coconut milk and season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Only warm through, don't boil again, and serve.

ENJOY!

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Confederate Condor on our Lawn

 On March 10, when I looked out of the bedroom window I saw a 'Confederate Condor' on our lawn...
Of course I'm referring to the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)!
Not the best image through the window and I certainly did try to get outside for a better view, through the back door from our Rose Suite...
But as soon as they hear something, they're gone! –
Sure glad I managed to capture this short video!
And this is what it was 'snacking' on... a dead squirrel.
Turkey vultures only eat carrion so something else caught this squirrel.
We do have a big owl nearby, hear him/her hoot in the evening.

Related link:
{Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) & Brave Furbabies} | previous post by me with far better photo!

Friday, March 18, 2022

Toadstools or Mushrooms Digesting the Wood - Turkey tail

 After cutting down trees, we both prefer to let the wood naturally decompose in our wood garden.
Husband Pieter took these photos of such an old tree being decomposed on December 4, 2021.
What you see in these photos are Turkey tail or Trametes versicolor.
Another perfect example of how mushrooms digest lignin and cellulose in nature.
Everything in nature has its function and so the cycle of life gets closed.
Do you have any variety of mushrooms in your garden?

Related links:
{Toadstools Recycling Dead Trees} | previous post by me

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Wishing you a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Holding our Tiggy-Tiger girl and wearing my sewing creation (jacket) wearing my Rose Jewelry, ring and bracelet.
Pieter wearing his Irish Blarney Castle Sweater that we bought while doing consulting in Ireland.
Wearing my Irish Blarney Castle Sweater...
Are you wearing anything green today?

Related links:
Historic Town of Guanajuato, Mexico and Adjacent Mines | previous post by me from where the malachite silver earrings came

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Pieter playing Silver Threads Among the Gold by H.P. Dank 1873

 Another song that husband Pieter was practicing to play as an amateur (without ever having had one single organ or piano lesson): Silver Threads Among the Gold by H.P. Dank 1873


At clickable 2:43 I zoom in on my dried Brizia grasses (Bevertjes in Dutch...), my Mom's favorites!

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Pieter a Former Motorcycle Guy ALWAYS Remained one at Heart!

 When we were on vacation in Florida we did stop at the Colonnade Outlets at Sawgrass and visited Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th...
Pieter LOVED this soft as butter motorcycle jacket!
Sharp looking at almost 93...
And this $ 1,400 jacket was on sale for $ 199... a steal and size Medium fit perfect!
Nice look together with shorts; don't you think?
Both of us were SHOCKED by seeing the stores so poorly stocked...
WHAT IS GOING ON WITH OUR ECONOMY?!
No, we did not bring this jacket home.
Pieter's former Dutch A = Motorcycle + C = Car Driver's License + E = Trailer
In Italy he had the very same for Motorcycle and Car except for a trailer = E
Norton WWII motorcycle like husband Pieter rode 1947... together with brother Toon who went as a Marine to Indonesia in 1948.
This is NOT Pieter's Norton but it is very hard to find an image.
It was a very rickety motorcycle from WWII and Pieter had it only for a brief period...
Pieter also served in the Dutch Military from 1950-1952
Motor Scooter "Rumi Scoiattolo", 1953 - one that my husband Pieter rode till mid 50s and he also went to the University in Wageningen on it.
Again, not a photo from his Rumi...
This one was manufactured by Rumi in Bologna, Italy. A 125 cc two-stroke motor with two cylinders, 5 Hp and 4 gears.
That was the time when Pieter was a Dutch Government extension service officer, to help develop the horticultural industry, in the southern part of the Netherlands.
From then on Pieter rode a new Fiat 600, as his boss managed to secure mileage compensation for a motorcycle with sidecar and that helped pay for the mini car!
Pieter did not drive this: {2013 Fiat 500 versus Fiat 500 Topolino}... previous post.

Have any of you driven a motorcycle?

Related links:
{Outlet Scores} | previous post by me

Friday, March 11, 2022

More Trees Cut Down

 With such a vast property as we have, there is always lots of work to be done.
Trees need to be trimmed, or removed entirely.
So, it was time again on February 15, for our tree man, David Yoder to get the job done!
Since these could not fall freely, everywhere, some had to be done by climbing up to get the limbs and the top off...
Strong legs for doing so!
This huge 'leaning' monster was another candidate as we did not want it to ever fall on the road and over the creek...
With the cherry picker, some branches got cut off and also a rope tied around the tree top for pulling it the other way with the use of their Kubota.
Rather tricky for placing the cherry picker from 🌳BUCKEYE PREFERRED SERVICES LLC close to the recently patched up creek area.
The County has attempted numerous times to keep it from caving in during heavy rain and flood waters.
You clearly can see that the tree was leaning towards the road and it was tall enough for hitting all across...
Showing you this image to give you an idea of how much underbrush comes up over the years...
Do you see the stack of underbrush wood piled up on the left of this bridge?
Pieter has been vigorously clearing a lot!
Here you see how the Kubota removes one of the sawn off side branches, done from the cherry picker...
It needed to be cleared off the Wood Trail where we walk.
A Tree Felling Wedge gets driven into the tree trunk...
Finally this leaning monster is FORCED by pulling the rope tight, to fall the way we wanted it to fall.
Another big tree got cut down as we wanted to create space for our four Beech trees and also give our Mexican Live Oak more light and space, as well as the Japanese and Chinese Live Oaks.
Bird houses are temporarily down for finding a new spot, some of them at least.
The Beech tree also got trimmed up.
We both love the much more open view and those branches and trunks will rot away within a couple of years.
Yes, the uptake of our Estate is at times a costly one and requires a lot of hard work!

Related links:
Big Trees Down and others Trimmed  Continued | previous post from cutting on November 2, 2021
Big Trees Down and others Trimmed | previous post from cutting on November 1, 2021