Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Commercial Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html
Bike Ride and Visiting Friends' Horse Barn and Petting Zoo
→ Sunday, the 1st of May was such a lovely day and after Pieter had taken his nap and we ate a light lunch, it was onto our bikes for a very special ride...
Visiting the Horse Farm with small Petting Zoo of our Friends!
Tara owns THEFURGPHOTO ←click link and she also does Horse Summer Camp.
Tara seen here with her cute daughter Charlie–Sue on her right.
Lovely baby donkey, goat kid and silkie chickens...
What a joy for children being able to grow up with animals like that!
Me, holding a lovely Silkie Chicken with blue cheeks!
How fluffy they are and so sweet, they can reach the age of 9.
Pieter with a cute goat kid, asking in Dutch if it knew its people... So tame.
As a teen at the end of WWII while being evacuated for half a year, Pieter and his older brother Toon, were staying with one farmer. The Parents and oldest brother Thé, with yet another farmer; brothers.
Pieter and Toon had a bedroom right above the sheep pens, where several pregnant sheep needed to be watched over.
The farmer told Pieter, that if he would guard one real big–bellied sheep very careful, 'You will get what is inside her belly'.
She was huge and sure enough a baby ram was born and Pieter called him Bokkie.
After the liberation, Bokkie came home with the family, riding in a cage on top of the horse wagon.
Bokkie was his favorite pet and was very tame and playful.
Bokkie followed Pieter like a doggie!
One day however, when Bokkie saw his own image reflected inside the glass of the greenhouse with grapes and tomatoes, he banged inside the glass to attack... cutting deep inside his chest and belly.
Sadly he had to be put down by the vet.
Pieter cried and was heart broken of course.
Tara's husband Jeremy and his Dad admiring Pieter's bike...
This is the 3rd generation of Friendship as we knew Tara's Granddaddy Larry, who passed away in December of 2010.
Also his daughter Lydia, Tara's Mom, has been a long–time friend.
Of course we were at Tara & Jeremy's wedding in April of 2018, me still on a crutch due to my closed pelvic bone fracture.
It was such a lovely 1st of May day with 30°C or 86°F!
Happy we rolled back after such a lovely break in–between. We did not even put our Strava App off, while visiting the Horse Barn and Petting Zoo...
A total ride of 27.69 km or 17.2 miles.
And at home we enjoyed our tea with rice cake for me and mixed unsalted nuts.
Dearest Victor, That sure was a fun bike ride with the nicest break ever! Those small horses are so sweet with kids, they're the cutest pets. Hugs, Mariette
Dearest Kim, It sure was hard to leave there... Animals are the cutest and they are so sweet! Bokkie's story indeed was a bittersweet one, but he lives on in stories like this. Wish each biking trip could be filled like this! Hugs, Mariette
How nice for you both to get out for a good ride together. I enjoy the hobby animal farms and those little ponies were sure cute. That's when you know that we're all big children underneath it all - animals do that to us. Thanks for sharing.
Dearest Debby, Oh yes, we are all big children at heart and it must be a rare breed that does not love animals! For us it was a delightful break. Hugs, Mariette
Dearest Janey, Yes, that was a very sad ending for Bokkie. Thank you for your compliment and as for the distance we rode, it is certainly not the longest ride we usually make. Hugs, Mariette
It's the first time I'm commenting, but I had to say that I love to read your blog. :) It's so relaxing and elegant and unfortunatelly, that's something I miss more and more each day. Everything seems to be rushed these days. I never been to a peting zoo here in Portugal (but I believe there are some), but the animals are so cute! And I loved your husband's story with Bokkie, although the end was very sad. At least, while Bokkie was alive he had a wonderful life, right? To finish, I have to tell you that although I have never been to Holland (wich I believe is your country of origin?), I love to watch Andre Rieu's concerts and the wonderful fields of Tulips, whenever I get to see them on television. Have a blessed week!
Dearest Paula, Thank you for your visit and comment! Such a petting zoo with all kinds of baby animals is so lovely. Tara is a photographer and she uses her animals also in photos with little ones. Bokkie's story indeed had a very sad ending but he was happy and very much loved! André Rieu is from my Province of Limburg (South) in The Netherlands and we both LOVE his music very much. Hugs, Mariette
Thank you, Mariette! Just yesterday I was watching his "Love in Venice" concert, that was recorded live in the Vrijthof Square in Maastricht. You come from a beautiful part of the world!
Paula, both of us also lived and worked in the Venice area. Husband Pieter gave courses at the Vrijthof Square and did mention André Rieu in this post: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2019/04/1958-tragedy-for-pieters-mushroom.html Will get to see my Limburg for a final time as I go home to pick up some things from Mom & Dad's Estate that are with a dear friend... Hugs, Mariette
Mariette, I saw that you wrote the link to a post from 2019, where you talk about André Rieu and your husband's mushroom growth, but I want to read it and see the videos carefully. :) I just saw your comment in my blog and that you suffer from CKD, wich I gather means Chronic kidney disease. My husband had kidney failure almost 15 years ago (he's now 46). Both of his kidneys failed and he had to do dialysis for almost 3 years, before he did a transplant. But unfortunatelly, almost 2 years ago the transplanted kidney started to fail and he's now on dialysis again. It's such a fight each day. He has to measure every gram of food he eats and every ml of water he takes... We are praying for another transplant and in the meantime, we live each day as best as we can. It's only the two of us also, so we rely on God and on each os us. I'll be praying for you and your dear husband and I'll be commenting more, in your lovely blog! About the organizing of recipes, I have to confess that I'm not a Pinterest girl, because I prefer to have the recipes on paper! But I'm really, really, really trying to keep only those that I will do make. I tried to find the the label Table Setting, but I couldn't find it.
Dearest Paula, You certainly do know all about the development of CKD. My Mom was almost for 7 years on dialysis in The Netherlands. If you scroll down on this blog to Labels, you find: Dialysis and also Table Setting, just click and you got them all. Food intake is a very tricky thing and it is an absolute no–no to eat at any fast–food restaurant. So far prayers have worked for both of us and I believe in it. We know where we're going but we both are not in a hurry to go to heaven... Hugs, Mariette
Dearest Helen, Thank you for your comments and both of us try hard to live life; day by day and being grateful to God for each added day! Hugs, Mariette
It's always good to remember, even with less good memories like the case of the little goat. But the important thing is that they had a good day. xoxo Coisas de Feltro
Dearest Christina, Oh, poor Bokkie was indeed a favorite pet of Pieter's and so playful but sadly it did not last long. But it sure was a happy ram! This petting zoo was so much fun. Hugs, Mariette
What a lovely trip and day out. I like petting zoos. That small horse is wonderful. I can tell you all enjoyed yourselves. Bravo.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you both always.
Dearest Victor,
DeleteThat sure was a fun bike ride with the nicest break ever!
Those small horses are so sweet with kids, they're the cutest pets.
Hugs,
Mariette
What fun, I would have had a difficult time leaving the petting zoo!
ReplyDeleteThat was a bittersweet story about Bokkie, poor thing.
Anyway, I'm glad you both had such a great outing, Mariette!
Dearest Kim,
DeleteIt sure was hard to leave there... Animals are the cutest and they are so sweet!
Bokkie's story indeed was a bittersweet one, but he lives on in stories like this.
Wish each biking trip could be filled like this!
Hugs,
Mariette
P.S. I can't tell now, with Blogger's changes, if my comments are going through. :-/
ReplyDeleteDearest Kim,
DeleteBlogger indeed has messed up for a lot of people!
Hugs,
Mariette
You sure had a lovely May Day outing dearest Mariette!!! Such a nice weather and pleasant time at your friends' farm .
ReplyDeleteMany hugs!!!
Dearest Marie-Anne,
DeleteYes we did, weather wise and this visit was so lovely!
Animals are always fun.
Hugs,
Mariette
What a nice cycling route,-)
ReplyDeleteDearest Anne,
DeleteOh yes, this was one of our BEST.
Such a pleasant break with the animals.
Hugs,
Mariette
It looks like a lovely petting zoo. My granddaughter would love it!
ReplyDeleteDearest Peter,
DeleteOh, it is heaven for kids and for adults too I must add!
It was a most pleasant break from our biking trip.
Hugs,
Mariette
Tus fotos me recuerdan, que llevó ya tiempo sin visitar un zoológico.
ReplyDeleteBesos
Querida Antónia,
Delete¡Sí, y este era un zoológico privado! Maravilloso para que los niños puedan crecer así!
Abrazos,
Mariette
How nice for you both to get out for a good ride together. I enjoy the hobby animal farms and those little ponies were sure cute. That's when you know that we're all big children underneath it all - animals do that to us. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteDearest Debby,
DeleteOh yes, we are all big children at heart and it must be a rare breed that does not love animals!
For us it was a delightful break.
Hugs,
Mariette
What a sad ending for Bokkie! Y’all sure looked elegant at that wedding, and the distance you two rode on those bikes is impressive!
ReplyDeleteDearest Janey,
DeleteYes, that was a very sad ending for Bokkie.
Thank you for your compliment and as for the distance we rode, it is certainly not the longest ride we usually make.
Hugs,
Mariette
It's the first time I'm commenting, but I had to say that I love to read your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's so relaxing and elegant and unfortunatelly, that's something I miss more and more each day. Everything seems to be rushed these days.
I never been to a peting zoo here in Portugal (but I believe there are some), but the animals are so cute!
And I loved your husband's story with Bokkie, although the end was very sad. At least, while Bokkie was alive he had a wonderful life, right?
To finish, I have to tell you that although I have never been to Holland (wich I believe is your country of origin?), I love to watch Andre Rieu's concerts and the wonderful fields of Tulips, whenever I get to see them on television.
Have a blessed week!
Dearest Paula,
DeleteThank you for your visit and comment!
Such a petting zoo with all kinds of baby animals is so lovely.
Tara is a photographer and she uses her animals also in photos with little ones.
Bokkie's story indeed had a very sad ending but he was happy and very much loved!
André Rieu is from my Province of Limburg (South) in The Netherlands and we both LOVE his music very much.
Hugs,
Mariette
Thank you, Mariette!
DeleteJust yesterday I was watching his "Love in Venice" concert, that was recorded live in the Vrijthof Square in Maastricht. You come from a beautiful part of the world!
Paula, both of us also lived and worked in the Venice area. Husband Pieter gave courses at the Vrijthof Square and did mention André Rieu in this post: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2019/04/1958-tragedy-for-pieters-mushroom.html
DeleteWill get to see my Limburg for a final time as I go home to pick up some things from Mom & Dad's Estate that are with a dear friend...
Hugs,
Mariette
Mariette, I saw that you wrote the link to a post from 2019, where you talk about André Rieu and your husband's mushroom growth, but I want to read it and see the videos carefully. :)
DeleteI just saw your comment in my blog and that you suffer from CKD, wich I gather means Chronic kidney disease.
My husband had kidney failure almost 15 years ago (he's now 46). Both of his kidneys failed and he had to do dialysis for almost 3 years, before he did a transplant. But unfortunatelly, almost 2 years ago the transplanted kidney started to fail and he's now on dialysis again.
It's such a fight each day. He has to measure every gram of food he eats and every ml of water he takes...
We are praying for another transplant and in the meantime, we live each day as best as we can. It's only the two of us also, so we rely on God and on each os us.
I'll be praying for you and your dear husband and I'll be commenting more, in your lovely blog!
About the organizing of recipes, I have to confess that I'm not a Pinterest girl, because I prefer to have the recipes on paper! But I'm really, really, really trying to keep only those that I will do make.
I tried to find the the label Table Setting, but I couldn't find it.
Dearest Paula,
DeleteYou certainly do know all about the development of CKD. My Mom was almost for 7 years on dialysis in The Netherlands. If you scroll down on this blog to Labels, you find: Dialysis and also Table Setting, just click and you got them all.
Food intake is a very tricky thing and it is an absolute no–no to eat at any fast–food restaurant.
So far prayers have worked for both of us and I believe in it. We know where we're going but we both are not in a hurry to go to heaven...
Hugs,
Mariette
Thank you, thank you for sharing so many wonderful photos ... the videos! I think you and Pieter are amazing people, amazing.
ReplyDeleteDearest Helen,
DeleteThank you for your comments and both of us try hard to live life; day by day and being grateful to God for each added day!
Hugs,
Mariette
It's always good to remember, even with less good memories like the case of the little goat. But the important thing is that they had a good day.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Coisas de Feltro
Dearest Christina,
DeleteOh, poor Bokkie was indeed a favorite pet of Pieter's and so playful but sadly it did not last long. But it sure was a happy ram!
This petting zoo was so much fun.
Hugs,
Mariette