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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

Monday, November 5, 2012

{Did YOU Ever Touch Baby Elephants?}


On August 7 of 2010, I did post a comment on Beate's blog in reply to her question: 'Are Elephant babies hard and rough to the touch?'
They are surprisingly fuzzy and soft! Very cute, smart and mischievous creatures:
Loved those fuzzy babies!
Travel back with me to March 11 of 1990. We were working as consultants for Pond's India and on Sunday we left the hotel very early at 6:30 AM, together with a staff member from Pond's, Sarath Chandra and his lovely wife Sudha. Wish I could get back in touch with them again... Her mother lived in Hyderabad, that's all I know as they moved away from the Ooty area in the South of India.
On this map, you will find Ooty towards the bottom (to the right of NH 67!). That's where we stayed, an old British Hill Station high in the mountains.You can find out more by clicking on the hyperlink.
The Doddabetta is Ooty's highest peak at 2,623 meters, one of the highest in South India and a famous tourist place.
We drove through the Mukurthi National Park to spot the Asian elephant and other wild life as we went on our way to Mysore, you can see that city straight above Ooty on the map, as we were making our way through two more National Parks.
Here we stop alongside the road that led through the Sanctuary. Just a tea break + snack... with sweet Sudha and her husband Sarath Chandra.
If anyone knows where they are now: PLEASE get in touch with me!
Sarath Chandra, Sudha his wife, husband Pieter and me...
Our excellent driver and tour guide!
We are good to go after this tea break.
The mountains in the back are in a mist...
Looking down from that bridge, we could see the elephant droppings, lower left corner alongside the dried up stream. It was a very dry season and that meant those elephant bulls would be dangerous due to the lack of water... 
We got lucky! Alongside a hill we spotted soon some bison and elephants! Just look for the elephants above the letters Ele... This is zoomed in from quite a height. Very exciting to see and hear them.
A wild peacock crossed our path...
Here a Muntjac deer or Barking deer looking at us...
Oh and here we have the baby elephants!
Demonstration how those soft and fuzzy babies pick up money with their trunk.
One man didn't give any fee and the baby-elephant grinned with a twinkle in its mischievous eyes.
It gave some change of its own, by squirting mud from his/her trunk - soiling the man...
I swear that it laughed for doing this; they are very intelligent!
Fuzzy and frolicking baby-elephants... so cute!
Now they get their reward; a nice bath. 
Baby-Elephant SPA...
Will show you another time about Maharaja's Palace in Mysore!



Sunday, November 4, 2012

{184 Countries Visited and Info about Google+ Custom URL}

Wow, on Halloween I had Country 184 visiting. A Big Welcome to the Aland Islands! I also would like to share some Google+ data with you and how to create your own Google+ Custom URL.
October 31, Aland Islands visited. 
Any guess where that is? 
In the Baltic Sea near Sweden and Finland and the language spoken is Swedish.
Today I did check my Google Analytics and found an interesting surprise that I want to show you.
Both, my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics and my Mariette's Back to Basics.blogspot.com do have a Google Analytics number. This is important so you can track what you are doing. That's what I like to show you with the following screenshot... 
Traffic to my blog is being generated by:
1. google.com
2. blogger.com and 
3. plus.url.google.com or Google+ that is.
Are you using google+ already? 
For the four months that I have been using it, I am impressed so far by its ranking 3.

To those that not yet know how this works, I will show you my Google+ URL: 

https://plus.google.com/u/0/100490423051043047646/about That's it, a long string of numbers...
If you scroll down, you will also find my favorite blogs listed there.

BUT after I read Getting Started with Google+ Custom URLs ←click it
I did change and now it looks neat like this: google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedder
If you copy and paste that into your browser, it will take you straight to my google+  but it will be real easy to remember by anyone if not at hand.


If you like to get one yourself, go to the above link and follow the instructions; easy peasy!
Try it out, it works as shown in my Google Analytics of today, ranking 3rd in a short period of time.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

{Our Speckie girl with Snake}

On October 11, we did spot our youngest feline, Speckie girl, playing with a small snake. Anxious to see what she got, we ran out to capture it with my iPhone. In our reptile book we could not find anything like it for identification. Obviously this was not a dangerous one, the way Spicy girl played with it. Any help in identification of this one is appreciated! The last photos show it clearly, a very pretty one I must say. 
It is a tiny snake...
Speckie girl is not even 3 years old but she's not afraid of anything.
If it would bite she would not be tail–gating it here...
She was very proud that we came to look!
Very nice patterns...
Belly up to show that part too. 
Does any of you know what this tiny snake is called? 
We have no idea if it is a small species or just a juvenile snaky...
As mentioned before; any help is appreciated!


Related links:
{Our Garden Critters} previous post about a skink and a swamp snake.
{Southern Ringneck Snake} previous post about snake.


Friday, November 2, 2012

{Since 1896 Dutch CHOCOLATE LETTERS - Have YOU Tried Them?}

Hah, today I managed to get my order for Dutch CHOCOLATE LETTERS placed on line with Vander Veen's, The Dutch Store in Michigan, USA. For decades we've been ordering them as a gift to our friends. Or bringing them home with us, in the suitcase at the time we were able to buy them in The Netherlands. In 2008 we did so when we were in The Netherlands with our foster daughter Anita from Indonesia. She got so excited, searching for each letter on my shopping list! Everybody loves them and they are SPECIAL! Look at the great design on the box they come in, that looks so different from any other chocolate. It is a fine Dutch lifestyle tradition since 1896 and fond childhood memories for me. For my Canadian readers, I too have an address for getting those CHOCOLATE LETTERS: at The Dutch Market Ltd. Sorry for all other countries, they might be able to obtain them from The Netherlands and there could be some Dutch import into Australia as well... You let me know.
Not only for the traditional Dutch St. Nicholas or SINTERKLAAS, on December 6, but they make fine gifts for the Christmas season or for Santa Claus. As a matter of fact I would enjoy them year round with a cup of coffee... How about you?
Sure, I do LOVE dark chocolate! It is said that: A Dark Chocolate a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!
Click on the link (all colored ones are links) to find out more... I surely live by it.
Those silver Giovanni Raspini Charms & Co alphabet angels from Italy are available on my Zen Cart powered boutique on line: Mariette's Back to Basics - worldwide shipping
Below post is a link where you find them.
If you want to order CHOCOLATE LETTERS for the USA or Canada, you better do so early, as later on maybe not all Letters will be available... First come; first serve!
Today I got all mine secured; all 41 that is. Yes, my orders have been growing steadily as they are so much LOVED. That brings JOY to the giver as well.
Only 3 out of 41 are dark chocolate letters; including mine. 
What is your preference? Milk or Dark...? 
You might have gotten an idea.
Oh, we gave two years ago a package with the word LOVE to a very special extended family member... It meant so much to him. And there was not much more we could give him, other than true LOVE and this symbol written out in CHOCOLATE...

Related link:

Thursday, November 1, 2012

{ALL SAINTS DAY | ALL SOULS DAY}

November 1st is ALL SAINTS DAY for the Catholic Church. November 2nd is ALL SOULS DAY... We remember our loved ones that have passed on and our thoughts are with them. Because of hurricane Sandy, we lost many more lives here in the USA. Our sunny days from last week have vanished as it is windy and nippy now. So many people are still without power... We need to keep them in our thoughts and prayers.
This is a very peaceful French etching done on silver plated metal by L. Bottini after a tableau of the famous Murillo.
We keep this in our living room on the windowsill of the arched window.
Above is a photo I took and below you find a scan...
It represents the Immaculate Conception.
Let us pray to our Heavenly Mother for guidance during difficult times.

Related link:
L. Bottini Silverplate Box This is another etching that I found on the Internet

The link to this fruit bowl, also done by L. Bottini, in São Paulo, Brazil is no longer working...

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

{Antique Regal Art Nouveau Inkwell Set on Tray in Silver & Porcelain}

For you I found an Antique Regal Art Nouveau Inkwell Set on Tray in Silver & Porcelain. This treasure comes from Portugal and is hand painted in blue by the famous Douro factory of the region Porto-Gaia. They continue to enrich the cultural heritage of past centuries, with this traditional pottery of the region, and are the largest in the entire country. The edging and feet of the porcelain tray are in 925 sterling silver with hallmarks. Also the hinged top of the inkwell is in pure 925 sterling silver. In one of the two depressions is an 835 silver calligraphy pen from Porto, Portugal. Again, this is available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics. 
Does any of you have antique or vintage inkwells or calligraphy pens?
Such a regal inkwell set with the Santo Tirso coat of arms hand painted on the tray. 
Santo Tirso is a municipality northeast of Porto, Portugal with its famous 17th century São Bento monastery.
Beautiful 835 silver calligraphy pen with Porto, Portugal hallmarks.
Guess in the second depression once was a wax seal...? Would any of you know its original use?
Regal Inkwell set with Royal letterhead from the Maharaja Amarinder Singh of Patiala from Motibagh Palace, Patiala (Punjab), India.
Beautiful hand painting of the Santo Tirso, Portugal coat of arms and on the inkwell, all four sides are hand painted the same!
The lower right corner has flowers and leaves engraved. You also can see one of its feet.
This Inkwell Set is in near perfect condition and that for its age!
In Portuguese: CERÂMICA DO DOURO 
PORTUGAL
PINTURA À MÃO
Ceramics of Douro - Portugal and hand painted
Very hard to capture with the glossy depression's edges. 
The inside of the Inkwell, with its hinged cap open now.
The silver hallmarks under the hinged cap of the inkwell.
These are the 925 silver hallmarks, one with a letter A. It is on the edge of the tray and on the inkwell.
I did some research but other than information about the hallmark of Antonio Firmo da Costa, Lisbon, Portugal, circa 1800 by Christie's I could not find anything else... If anyone is knowledgeable about the above hallmark; please let me know!
These are the 835 silver hallmarks on the calligraphy pen.
The yellow marked hallmark is the lower one, from Porto, Portugal. 
Lisbon, Portugal is the very same though...
Yes, its old original box is still with it. I doubt if it ever has been used...
The box shows signs of age but the inkwell set looks near perfect. Needs some polishing maybe.
Sorry Sold out...

So tell me what you got from your parents or grand parents...
I do have some privately owned inkwells as well.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

{My Lace Crocheted Handkerchief #6}

Showing you here my Lace Crocheted Handkerchief #6, this one also was a Bridal Hankie given to Erika in 2000 for her wedding day. Hers I crocheted in Indonesia, on the patio of our bungalow. Below this post you find links from e.g. Crochet Edging on Antique French Knotted Filet Lace where you actually can see the fine DMC Cordonnet Spécial in a size 80. That's right, I use this very fine thread with a steel crochet hook size 0.75 mm.
This very fine hand crocheted lace is done in about 12 hours.
Labour of LOVE.
Using our gardenia and roses for making it look even more perfect...
Such a bridal hankie I loved to recreate for myself as well.
It is a beautiful Swiss cotton batiste embroidered handkerchief with hemstitched edging. That is the hardest part to count those openings and getting your stitches right for the pattern.
Lace pattern is from a German Neue Mode.
Would you have loved to have such a hand made crocheted lace bridal hankie?


Related links: All are previous posts by me.
{Crochet Edging on Antique French Knotted Filet Lace}
{My Lace Crocheted Handkerchief #5}   
{My Lace Crocheted Handkerchief #4}
{My Lace Crocheted Handkerchief #3}
{My Lace Crocheted Handkerchief #2}
{My Lace Crocheted Handkerchief #1}

Monday, October 29, 2012

{Our 5 Spun Glass Halloween Ornaments}

Halloween is not something I love... but this is the very modest way in which we celebrate it. With some German made Spun Glass Halloween Ornaments hung in our kitchen bay window. That's IT! Nothing else, no contribution of trash from our part. These small ornaments are Eco friendly and they are for keeps. They would be way too expensive for tossing out.  D. Blümchen & Company in New Jersey makes those vintage Dresden, Germany style ornaments. Click the hyperlink to see more. 
That's my view from the breakfast table, looking towards the road (barely visible).
That's it; five ornaments! You see our evergreen Southern Magnolia tree and it actually is sitting on the lawn with its branches.

Wishing you all a Happy Halloween!



Related link:
{My Old-Time Spun Glass Halloween Ornaments} my previous post

Sunday, October 28, 2012

{In 1886 on October 28, The Statue of Liberty got Inaugurated}

Again I read an interesting story in the French Linternaute.com (see below) that the Statue of Liberty will reopen on October 28, after some interior renovations. That is exactly on the 126th birthday, as it got inaugurated in 1886 on that day. The Statue of Liberty offically known as: Liberty Enlightening the World and is a gift from France as a sign of friendship. It is so special in many ways. Who does not know the Statue of Liberty? 
This is a photo from part of  a French Yves Delorme tea towel.
LADY LIBERTY

A sonnet by poet Emma Lazarus:

“The New Colossus”
 Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame, 

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, 

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, 

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" 



by Emma Lazarus, New York City, 1883 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

{202 044 600 Entries for Gone With the Wind - Most Viewed Movie}

Because we do live in the State of Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind, I love to share this very special information with you. On the French Linternaute.com you can see this information. 
Who has NOT seen this movie? 
Or read the books?
Mariette's Back to Basics Links

Sure, from my website's Links page you can go to Visit Scarlett (click it) and find lots of information!
Enjoy it. Oh, while on that page, you may add me to your Google+  -- THANKS!

Let me know if you watched the movie, and/or read the book.

Friday, October 26, 2012

{Fix Your Facebook News Feed}

Maybe you have noticed that your favorite Pages or Interests on Facebook have disappeared from your News Feed. Okay, there is a simple trick for solving that. All the check points I have marked yellow so you can easily follow along.
Click on Home
Click on MORE
Click on Add Interests...
After new page opens; click on Create List
Now click on each thumbnail image, you will see check-mark.
Notice the two in the right corner, bottom row I not yet clicked.
Click on Next...
Put e.g. My List and check Only Me (whatever YOU choose) and hit Done
My List is now created and you must click on it in order to see it.
That takes care of the News Feed again!
You can always go back and repeat for new Pages etc. 
Hope this was helpful.


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MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS © 2009. All rights reserved - Text and images may not be copied for distribution or sale.

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