The Book MELANIA

 Sure, I did read during the power outage caused by. Hurricane Helene. Using my Mighty Bright clip on LED Light, I finished two historical books in Dutch. One about Joan of Arc and the next about Love and Betrayel around Lucrecia Borgia.

It was fun as it brought me back to those Old World places I've been before.

#1 Best Seller

Ordered the book MELANIA and it arrived on Friday, October 11. A very elegant black cover with only her name on the center front and on its spine. Just as our First Lady Melania is—elegant and classy. On Sunday, I started reading in it.

On Monday, October 14, I finished it...

While living and working in Italy over 1989, I've worked with lots of Yugoslavian women. Those that fled the country before the war.

Living under a Communist regime was already tough enough.

So for that, I can understand MELANIA, as she dared to venture out on her own to Milan, Italy. Not easy for leaving your family and culture behind and to start in another language—but she DID.

Her Slovenian name: Melanija Knavs super model

From there she went to Paris and was quite successful as a supermodel.

Her next, brave move, was the flight to New York City for modeling in the United States.

For Melania, the former supermodel...

And the rest is history...

For me, having studied three years of Fashion and only been on the runway to model some self created outfits and finally showing my bridal gown, there is enough admiration for Melania.

On the runway in my bridal gown—my sewing creation. This was at the end of each year at Fashion School after I'd graduated already as they had no bride for that year. My youngest cousin was my brides maid.

Showing train of my bridal gown and damsel sleeves in April, 1973

It was touching how Melania described her arrival to the New World and also her courtship with Donald.

She is 24 years younger, so I could identify with that, as my Pieter was almost 22 years my senior.

It was so to the point how she wrote—about Donald, it was as if our souls had always known each other! 

Surely can identify with that...

Guess due to the age difference, the foundation of a blissful relationship is quite different and far more intensive. I've always lived to the fullest of every day and feeling grateful for that.

Her language use is incredible and knowing that she speaks several languages! 

She further described how she got warned that Muslim countries might not shake hands with women... She went to Saudi Arabia and I got warned before going to the world's biggest Muslim country of Indonesia—so I certainly could identify with that.

But Melania got welcomed in a very special way!

That is due to her poise and elegance.

Former Press Secretary Dana Perino said it best:

MELANIA

'She lights up the room, and I think she can light up the country.' —Dana Perino

Dana Perino was the 24th White House Press Secretary and is now an American political commentator and author.

Melania Wearing Her Escada Blazer at the White House, September 2017

Escada is also my favorite couture brand because of great fit and quality.

There is a lot of envy because of her exceptional beauty, her strong family ties (a cultural thing of her region!), her Faith, her intelligence, success as an individual and her natural grace and elegance.

The media never gave Melania the credit she deserves!

Well, I do—with my humble citizen journalism...

Lots of views...

Related links:

My Sewing Creation — My Bridal Gown with Damsel Sleeves | previous post by me

SECRETS of the Heart by D.S. Mullis | previous post by me

Our Historic Christmas in Italy - END of Romania's Communist Dictator | previous post by me also about Slovenia and Melania

Czechian Mushroom Scientist Friend Miroslav Staněk

For decades, Pieter was friend with Czechian Mushroom Scientist Miroslav Stanĕk.

Mind you, this was still during the era of Communism! 

Dr. Stanĕk participated at several ISMS Congresses, like in 1969 in Hamburg where he lectured about 'The effect of cellulose-decomposing microorganisms on the growth of the mushroom'.

ISMS London in 1972 where Dr. Stanĕk lectured about 'Microorganisms Inhabiting Mushroom Compost during Fermentation'.

ISMS Tokyo and Taipei 1974 'Bacteria Associated with Mushroom'. Pieter missed that one, due to his kidney stone problem he ended up in the hospital and one of his teachers presented his lecture instead.

ISMS Bordeaux in 1979 was another where Dr. Stanĕk lectured.

Dr. Stanĕk's wife also was a microbiologist but, during Communism it was never allowed for husband AND wife to travel both outside of the country! Just imagine that...

Equally complicated it was for entering from the FREE WEST into any communist nation!

They could be very nasty behind the Iron Curtain.

When Pieter produced an invitation for lecturing, with his name and photo, he suddenly became a most welcome 'Comradsky'...

Here, Pieter is seen in the 1970s in Prague at one of their Conferences, Dr. Stanĕk is seen on the right.

Prague

The participants in Prague, and keep in mind, this was during the Communism era!

When Pieter asked what he could bring them, due to scarcity of certain items, he got asked to bring zippers and panty hose. 

Nobody in the Free World understands such lifestyle...

After one of such meetings in the Prague area, with local mushroom growers, several of them rushed to purchase a large folkloristic doll to give to Pieter's little (adopted) daughter Lizzy.

At times, Pieter did travel with her and his ex and Dr. Stanĕk, who had no children himself, loved her very much and always took her by her hand to walk with her.

He also begged Pieter to put her on the train for traveling to Prague, to stay with the Stanĕk couple but his ex never liked that idea... SAD!

Miroslav Stanĕk got mentioned in the MGA Literature list about the mutual relationship between cultivated fungi and micro-organisms published 1976 in German in Der Champignon, 174, 10-20

Symposium 2-5 October 1979 in the ČSSR or Czechoslovak Socialist Republic

Both of us met Dr. Stanĕk last in Budapest, Hungary in 1984 during the Conference there.

Book received about FRANTIŠEK KOŽÍK

COMENIUS (1592-1670 )

Budapest, Friday, October 26, 1984...

Christmas card

The Castle of Prague

Wishing us a Happy New Year 1987

Sadly this great Scientist friend died on February 21, 1987...

Mentioned in The Mushroom Journal 1987-7

On page 67 in our book: modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting, we did mention this great scientist.

Polish Mushroom Scientist Friend Tadeusz Bukowski & P.J.C. Vedder in Polish

Over the many years, husband Pieter has made many scientist friends all over the world.
One very special friend was Tadeusz Bukowski from Warsaw, Poland

Tadeusz Bukowski
PIECZARKI or MUSHROOMS

To my dear Friend P.J.C. Vedder with thanks for his help
T. Bukowski, January 7, 1967
This was still during Communism, with all its restrictions for such scientists!

He pointed to some pages and he also listed Vedder as one of his references on page 140

Underlined: Znany praktyk holenderski Vedder... The well-known practical Vedder...
For people, living under Socialism, the simplest form of book publishing/printing was at a very poor level...
Sad to see this, as the work by the writer is equally the same but he/she never could achieve the quality publications as we knew in the West.

Husband Pieter met him first at the ISMS VI Congress in 1965, in Wageningen and Amsterdam

Under POLAND T. Bukowski, is listed right at the top of page 572 in the above book from ISMS VI
The 3rd line is my husband P.J.C. Vedder listed, he then worked still at the Research Center.
~
T. Bukowski did visit husband Pieter's Mushroom Training Center in Horst, The Netherlands.
During one of those visits, right in the corridor when viewing some growing rooms, he got unwell and Pieter could catch him before he passed out.
Pieter went with him to his then primary care doctor van Remundt in Horst.
Turned out he had some heart problems...

In the 1968-7 edition of the Dutch CHAMPIGNONCULTUUR is Polen mentioned.

Polen is Dutch for Poland. Already in the 12th Century, Polish noblemen got introduced to mushrooms, during their travels to France. They introduced the French cuisine to Poland and with that came the mushroom. In 1824 the first mushroom growing in Poland is being mentioned and also in 1841 in a horticulture book. The 1st book that totally got written about the mushroom growing arrived relatively late in 1926 by Felix Teodorowisz.

And of course from the Institute in Skierniewice hails also Magister Th. Bukowski who played such an important role in Poland in the growing of mushrooms. A lot of Dutch mushroom growers will have met him at the International Congres in 1965 in Amsterdam during the connecting excursion. He wrote a cultivation manual "Pieczarki" (Mushrooms) which has already had some reprints.

The Dutch Champignoncultuur 1970-10 published the above about Mushroom Growing in Poland.

After the war, three books on mushroom culture were published in Poland, written by N. Krusze, K. Siekierzynski and T. Bukowski respectively. Poland had at the time in 1970, 660 mushroom growers, united in the organization of horticultural cooperatives. 

Remember, this still was during Communism!

In August 1977, Fred C. Atkins writes about: Bukowski in Poland; a Darmycel Guide; and an International Journal? You can click for Pdf from ISMS

One of the world's dedicated Mushroom Men!

Both of us met Tadeusz Bukowski at the CVV–Cooperative Venlo Auction (Now ZON the Royal Cooperative Growers Association Southeast Netherlands UA), in Grubbenvorst on the Dutch Mushroom Days, May 29, 1986.

 Again at the ISMS XII in Braunschweig, Germany in 1987, where he gave a lecture in German, with M. Gapinski, K. Sobieralski and M. Siwulski.

A Christmas Card from 1985...

With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year
T Bukowski
Tadeusz-Leonarda & son Karol

Our last one from 1989...

With best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year
Tadeusz & Leonarda Bukowski
We both don't know what happened after that...
~
Maybe the Polish mushroom person Krystian Szudyga from Warsaw would know more...?
We last ran into Krystian, in May of 2000, in the train on our way to the XIIth ISMS Congres in Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Krystian Szudyga happened to ride the very same train as we did, and we did chat a little.
Pieter wanted to attend this Congres for seeing one more time many of his scientist friends, before it would be too late...

At least, in 1980, Poland also got its own language book about Modern Mushroom Growing by husband P.J.C. Vedder

Related link:

My Most Awkward Moments as Last Minute Substitute Interpreter at ISMS Congress | previous post by me

1959 ISMS Congress in Denmark with Conny Riber Rasmussen

The ISMS - International Society for Mushroom Science got founded by husband Pieter's boss, Pieter J. Bels.
It was only in 1949 that these CONGRESSES came to life.
More about that below this first photo from 1959.

This photo is from the South of Sweden.

Pieter went to mushroom farm Fanmarps near Halmstad in South Sweden.
From the ISMS Congress, an excursion to Sweden was made. 
Those are actually MUSHROOMS grown outdoors!
This is a photo from husband Pieter's 1964 Dutch book: 'Moderne Champignonteelt'
Such methods are no longer being done!

Pieter J. Bels wrote in his lecture given at the 30th anniversary:
Let us start in the year 1949. Before that year mushroom growers were, in general, very secretive. There was practically no national and international contact. There were just a handful of mushroom researchers.
But then traveling started. Dr. Ware went to France; Lambert and Sinden to England; Mrs. Hauser to the U.S.A. and England and the Bels' to Switzerland, Belgium, England and Scandinavia.
The time seemed ripe for more international contact...

This is another part of that lecture:
The Third Congress was organized for 1956 in PARIS, by Sarazin, Heim and Dekeirel. Here we had simultaneous translation for the first time.
In 1957 "Mushroom Science 3" came out.
In 1956 we received an invitation from Hugary for the Congress in 1959.
Before we could send an answer, Russian tanks were in Budapest, actually on November 4, 1956.
As a young girl, in Kindergarten, I recall that we were praying hard for the people in Hungary!!! There was FEAR
So Hungary was out of the question. Conny Riber Rasmussen from DENMARK came up and helped us out. The 1959 Congress, the Fourth, was held in COPENHAGEN. Practically alone, with his enormous energy, Conny Riber Rasmussen organized this 4th Congress.
Prof. Paludan, now 89 years old and Dr. Treschow were President and Vice-President.
Conny's Congress was a success. We made an excursion to Sweden...
As seen in the FIRST picture, the reason for that excursion were the mushrooms grown in the soil, outdoors!
*
The mushroom industry sure has come a long way since then!
*
Sadly though, Hungary never made it back into hosting such an ISMS Congress...
They regained their freedom from Communism only 30 years later.
That is when they finally got rid of Socialism...
Politics and wars always affect the little people in a big way!
*
Husband Pieter became good friends with Conny and he has stayed with him for a week at the University Institute in Copenhagen. It was such an energetic scientist!

Here, Pieter is on the ferry from Hamburg, on his way to Denmark again in October of 1964 with some of his students on excursion to Conny Riber Rasmussen.
This was together with his ex–wife.

Younger brother from A. Veeken to the left, one of Pieter's Dutch students and Pieter to the right...

Under the Danish Flag...

Once ashore, they continued to travel in their cars and then a delicious Danish Smorgasbord awaited them!

Guest at Conny Riber Rasmussen's Research Station in Copenhagen, Denmark.
On the left is Conny Riber Rasmussen and Pieter is seated, 2nd from left and his ex is sitting next to him.
In 1964 they also visited the following mushroom farms:
 Chr. Tiedeman in Taatstrup.
Verner Rasmussen in Glostrup.
 J.F. Hansen in Herlev.
Erik Fladeland-Nielsen in Søborg.
E. Grevenkop-Carstenskiold in St. Frederikslund.
From Denmark they continued to F. Dohme in Hameln, Germany to visit his mushroom farm.
Also the Max Planck Instituut in Hamburg-Volksdorf where they met with Prof. Von Sengbusch.

Fond memories of Pieter's three trips to Denmark and his encounters during ISMS Congresses with Conny Riber Rasmussen.
He was quite famous at the time for reaching high yields in mushroom production by filling 2 trays with full grown compost and then layering the compost on top of each other.
At the time an average of 7 kg/m2 he managed to reach 10 kg/m2.

Fond Danish memories!

Related link:

Soviets Crush Hungarian Revolt (1956) | A Day That Shook the World 2 min. video showing the reason that the ISMS Congress had to be in Kopenhagen