Just want to share with you two memories of a WHITE world here in the Heart of Georgia.
It does happen once in a while...
About Me
- Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder
- 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 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
Showing posts with label Our Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Our Home. Show all posts
Friday, January 6, 2023
YES we have had SNOW here in the Heart of Georgia!
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Miele Dishwasher and Oven Installed with Some Help
It was now December 18 of 1998 and the Miele dishwasher and oven would be installed.
Pieter did all the prep work for the connections and also closed an enormous hole in the wall that we uncovered behind the previous oven.
One often wonders how those workers handle things—like the Flinstones whacking a hole in the wall?
And thinking we will never find out?!
They are IN by 5:19 PM.
Our dear friend Paul Kellam had two of his guys help Pieter with getting the dishwasher and oven built in.
Yes, Miele is the Cadillac of appliances—pricy but if you talk about quality, longevity and eco friendly, energy saving—Immer Besser (forever better).
Do you have any Miele appliance?
Related links:
{Our Kitchen Improvements} | previous post by me
{More of Our Kitchen} | previous post by me
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Whirlpool Dishwasher versus Miele
Well, when Pieter took out the Whirlpool dishwasher I was quite shocked that it had NO sides but only insulation material—that was IT!
That's all... NO WONDER they are so noisy!
That's the Miele with a beautiful outside...
Perfection—built in Germany.
One learns so much from comparing the two brands of appliance!
Sure there also is a price difference but you get a nice Eco Friendly piece of appliance and great for saving energy!
Related link:
{Our Kitchen Improvements} | previous post by me
Friday, October 28, 2022
Our new Miele 24” Built–In Wall Cabinet Hood by husband Pieter
Okay, on December 9, 1998 Pieter started taking out the old Whirlpool hood and now preparing to build in the new Miele 24" Built–In Wall Cabinet Hood.
A very sleek model...
As Pieter states in the beginning—still a lot of headache for getting it built in...
But one day later, he used boxes as a support to prop up this rather heavy piece of appliance.
The shipping weight is 12.5 kg or 27.6 lbs.
The exhaust ring was too wide so Pieter solved that by placing a wooden ring inside.
Later he had to take that wooden ring out again and use one from foam because this Miele comes a bit more to the front with its exhaust pipe.
On the 15th it is all DONE!
I was done cleaning the kitchen a little past midnight and used the video for showing that to Mom & Dad...
Video shows summer time!
My Rado watch shows correct winter time...
Light shuts off when pushed inside.
Such a sleek model!
Pieter did an excellent job making it perfectly flush!
Stainless steel filters that can be taken out to place inside dishwasher
Happy with this mega task being done and what a perfect appliance!
Indeed top quality made in Germany and a big help in saving energy.
Stay tuned for more...
Monday, October 24, 2022
Our Previous Noisy Whirlpool Dishwasher
On November 26, 1998 we did capture our noisy Whirlpool dishwasher...
It will soon have to come out and be replaced by the new Miele.
That was on Thanksgiving...
We had these appliances built in for 8 years and before we left for Indonesia, where we lived and worked, we hardly had the time for looking around for any better ones.
Saturday, October 22, 2022
Installing Hot Water Machine and Showing Protruding Old Oven and Dishwasher
Almost for 24 years we now use a Hot Water Machine in our kitchen for instant boiling water.
Meanwhile our 2nd got installed and we love to have that in our home!
This is exactly the faucet that we have on our kitchen counter.
Together with our Little Gourmet® Premium Hot Water Tank / Dispenser – Mountain Plumbing Products
On my Pinterest board you can see these 2.5 quart examples: https://www.pinterest.com/mariettesbackto/home-improvements/
On November 23, 1998 Pieter managed to build this in, under the counter.
A very tight spot for working there...
Glad all that is done as it is not getting easier as we age 😏
Pieter had to change a pipe that lay at the top along—for now going underneath and secure it there again.
Because it was precisely in the spot where the Hot Water Machine will be hung!
Never easy but so far, Pieter has managed to do it all by himself—a hard working and very clever man.
Pieter jokes how conveniently it is working when being under the counter...
But, also this mega task got cleared!
That first faucet was in white with a safety lock for children; pulling it upwards.
Pieter had to drill a hole in the Corian counter top.
Further I wanted to capture how ugly that previous oven was protruding into the kitchen and also the dishwasher. That will become flush with the new Mieles.
Also showing the Whirlpool hood.
Pieter is mentioning that the entire box has to come out...
Projects are never easy and neither quick!
Stay tuned — will be continued.
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
HOW we Hauled our Miele Appliance Home and Installed it
On November 7, 1998 we both drove in our Toyota RAV4 to Atlanta to pick up our Miele built–in wall cabinet hood, dishwasher and oven.
There was none available in our area but we were determined.
Both of us have been surrounded by German built Miele since our early life—so well known in Europe!
So, this protruding Kitchen Aid oven with too much black—will get replaced and also the noisy Whirlpool dishwasher + Whirlpool hood.
The old white combi fridge and freezer from Amana we still have in use in our pantry!
And still my hand crocheted rose curtains hanging in front of the windows.
Ceramic Chandelier from Italy... we still have that!
Here we just arrived home and I backed up to the veranda door entrance for easier unloading.Well—easy... not so.
I had not seen, neither did Pieter, the handles that hung down for picking up the oven.
So I lifted it not by those special handles and cut my hand... bleeding.
Only next morning at breakfast we were both staring at them; argh!
Will be continued...
Have you hauled some appliance yourself?
Saturday, August 27, 2022
On August 29 in 1983 we arrived as Immigrants in Georgia, USA
There were no FREE GIFTS upon arrival
NO FREE CELLPHONES
NO BUSES WAITING TO BRING US TO POSH HOTELS...
Sanctuary Cities did NOT yet exist at that time.
We paid our own way, came with a lot of specialized expertise and we came with our legal documents!
And we LOVED to come to the USA under President Reagan! 🇺🇸
We got picked up by a Campbell colleague and set up our bed and by 3:00 we went to sleep...
Happy in front of our new home... no garden yet but we were HOME with Mauzie–girl our Dachshund.
Happy Pieter, wearing one of his Indonesian batik shirts on September 11, 1983.
Happy me on September 11!
On August 30, Pieter put the pedals on his bike and left for the store to find something edible, while I searched for some china and cutlery in the 30 boxes...
The wicker basket on top of shelf in boiler room got used for Mauzie to ride with us on the bike before the real basket arrived...
By 12:30 we went to Dairy Queen with Campbell colleague Ed, who'd picked us up the day before.
He also went with us to Bell South for a phone and then on to Macon to Huckabee, a Honey of a Deal in order to buy our 1st American car.
Buick Century 4–door Sedan
Now we can drive around and start our NEW LIFE!
Mauzie loved our new car and she got to ride in it often.
Pieter had already purchased this Whirlpool washer and dryer set when he was alone in Georgia for two weeks, prior to our immigration.
On August 31, our refrigerator/freezer got delivered and the guy gave a demonstration of the washer.
A favorite Lois jeans from Pieter shrunk and came out too short... MALE😏!
On September 2, our phone got finally connected and I called Mom right away at 11:30.
She sure was glad to finally get a token of life.
Ed had promised to let the phone ring 3 x upon our arrival (would not cost him anything...) but he'd not done so. Mom & Dad could barely sleep after our very first departure; so worried!
We've kept that routine all those years, whenever we got home we let the phone ring 7 x and that way they knew we're home safe!
September 3, shower curtains got hung...
Oh that ugly wall paper in our bathroom and the carpet!
It was a new built home but not 'all' our taste.
Guest bathroom was less wild...
Of course a mushroom towel!
Also managed to cook my first meal on this huge stove.
Dutch appliances were by far not as big!
On Sunday, September 4, I ironed all newly bought curtains and Pieter hung them.
Mauzie happy in her oak pet bed...
Those wool Smyrna rugs with roses got hand made by me—knotted with a latch.
Two ovals beside the bed and one half round behind the bed.
Our then living room.
A strange construction with 2 steps down into living room area.
Sure glad we don't have that anymore!
Mauzie looks at us from kitchen.
From kitchen looking into veranda with screens — no windows!
We never understood WHY they build like that as the rain came inside and also the pollen and dust...
Mauzie in an empty veranda and me peeking out of kitchen door.
Mauzie in office with organ...
On October 6 our new TV got connected...
Quite a story as I answered the door and a tall black man said in dialect: 'I come to hook up your TV'...
Hook up was strange to me but I'd heard the word TV and knew what he came for.
So the curtains are hanging and a TV but not yet a wood stove...
Also on October 6, my Singer sewing machine got delivered!
Slowly things started to look like being complete and yes, like back in The Netherlands—we had houseplants!
Also on October 6, in one of the 90 total of 40–foot containers that came from The Netherlands to the harbor of Savannah for the construction of the mushroom farm, came Mauzie's basket for on our bike.
Before we had her in a wicker shopping basket but that was not so safe, she fell out once...
Happy with that and ready for a spin!
Mauzie loved to ride with us.
On Sunday, October 9, I dropped Pieter off at the Atlanta airport, he had to fly to Michigan for Campbell Soup.
Remember, we had but ONE car, so I drove home alone with Mauzie.
Got a phone call next day that our silk rug from Kashmir had arrived at the Customs.
Pieter had ordered it, more or less the same as he'd left behind with Thea, his ex...
She got the house, all the furniture, a brand new car and some cash as Pieter was so happy with finding true love and now he wanted to close the book of living 27 years like brother and sister...
On October 12, I drove to Delta Air Cargo in Atlanta with the photo album from Pieter's trip to Kashmir.
A very friendly female customs agent handled it and I paid a very reasonable fee.
Then I went to the airport with Mauzie and I'd gone to the gate and spread out the silk rug and placed Mauzie on it.
She growled at anyone daring to step ON it...
Pieter smiled when he walked out of the plane and saw us; ONLY you could pull something like that off he said!
Oh, on November 20, when we all three came back from The Netherlands on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Pieter looked puzzled as the same female customs agent hugged me as she recognized me!
Here is our new silk rug from Kashmir, together with some Dutch pewter on our oak coffee table in the living room.
Top right is our Reuge music box from Switzerland; a precious gift Pieter once received for his helpful advice to solve mushroom related problems.
Writer Pieter J.C. Vedder at his oak secretary desk.
Due to his previous 'marriage' of 27 years, living like brother and sister, the world gained the prized 'mushroom bible'.
Pieter's 1st Dutch edition was published in 1961.
After 5 Dutch editions, it also got published in English. Now a total of 8 languages and we published our newest, most complete edition in 20020: modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting ←click it
On October 29, Pieter built this little plastic green house to shelter tender plants for winter cold.
We also purchased some wood for our wood burner that got stacked up against the house.
On November 22, our new wood stove got delivered!
Mauzie loved being in her basket in front of it and I loved to knit.
That huge bottle of 3.7 liter (0.97 gallon) wine was a gift from our mushroom friends in Italy and we emptied that on New Years Eve in the Highlands, North Carolina with 12 friends.
On December 8, another container had arrived, in which our newly bought rattan set also was transported to the mushroom plant's site.
So our kitchen bay window area now also got filled up!
My hand crocheted table cloth on top of rattan table.
We were really having a home again by the end of 1983.
Related links:
{My Teacher, Mentor, BOSS & Husband over 44+ Years} | previous post by me
August 29, 1983 We Immigrated to the USA | previous post by me
Our First Christmas and DEEP Frost in Georgia | previous post by me
More about Mauzie our Dachshund that Immigrated to the USA | previous post by me
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Our Garden in May
May is still a pleasant month here in the South; not yet too hot and plants and shrubs thrive.
Our Yucca lily is putting on a show again...
Yucca lily is a happy potplant and rewarding us annually with blooms!
So are our loyal Oxalis!
Snapdragons are quite happy and perform if they get plenty of water...
Happy yellow!
Oakleaf hydrangea or Hydrangea quercifolia.
Oakleaf hydrangea with Rose Arbor and Gazebo...
The bumble bee that flew around did not want to pose for me...
Yes, our kitties live in Paradise.
Lounging here under the Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold, left is Tiggy–Tiger and her brother Spooky to the right of her.
Palm tree is doing well and our fragrant Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno' is blooming.
On May 19, Pieter made this photo of a bloom of our fragrant Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno' and it measures 26 cm or 10.5 inches in diameter!
And it is double, two layers of petals.
Happy kitties lounging after supper!
Still sunshine around 18:00 o'clock and I love the shadow of the palm tree on the garage door.
The driveway is very warm from the sun and Spunky girl is stretched out, her brother Spooky in the grass...
Gazebo visible in the back and a tiny greenhouse in the distance to the right of it.
This is from the front, as I walked around our property and on the wood trail.
My first exercise on May 17, after my severe mid–back arthritis pain...
When I opened the repurposed mailbox (bird house now!) in the wood garden, the Carolina Wren flew out and I saw that she had now Baby Birds!
Read more in my previous post with photo of nest with eggs→: Husband Pieter Finished Restoration Work on our Bridges on Wood Trail
So glad that Pieter timely did remove the white egg, the brood parasitic bird one, just before they hatched, without disturbing her!
Did not want to leave it opened too long, nor disturb the 3 Baby Birds; two beaks are clearly visible here.
Do you have birds nesting in your garden and/or around the house?
Related links:
Variegated Yucca Lily Blooming | previous post by me
213 Countries Visited - Welcome Sint Maarten and my Pinterest + Yucca Lily | previous post by me
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