{Our Energy Star ceiling fans from Wayfair + Superior Customer Service}

The past weeks husband Pieter has worked very hard. As Rebecca from A Gathering of Thoughts would call her husband being a 'worker bee', mine for sure is one too! 

We'd ordered three white ceiling fans from Wayfair a zillion things home, I've done some Giveaways from them previously. I'd ordered from them before but this time they did excel in everything. First off, our Minka Aire Supra 44" Energy Star ceiling fan in white, with a blade pitch of 14° came with FREE shipping and at a great price. We decided to replace the Minka Aire Chantal Fortepierre 52" in medium maple with a blade pitch of 14° that was in our bedroom, with this white one. It was not available last year (from another company). So we were thrilled to find it here. I went ahead and ordered another smaller one for the kitchen in a 32" white and also for the office; all FREE shipping!

Pieter first moved the medium maple to our living room. There was no wiring yet but by getting up on the attic he did divert a wire from the lamp in the living room and got it hung. He also moved the lamp closer to the fireplace, as we can safely move our furniture closer, since we no longer use wooden logs but artificial gas logs.

Our Energy Star Minka Aire 52" Chantal Fortepierre medium maple in the living room now.

This one has a 14 degree blade pitch

That was the first ceiling fan project completed! I was mighty proud of Pieter, as this is the first time since his open heart surgery on September 3 of 2010, that he's done such kind of jobs. It was hot on the attic too and there is no floor. He had to balance on the red cedar beams and feeling his way underneath the fluffy white cellulose insulation. But it worked out well and one by one they got hung. By the way, Pieter's education in Horticultural Engineering included designing buildings. He's managed to do all the ducting; wiring; plumbing; masonry and carpentering for our Rose Suite, where he could put to use all he'd ever learned. For the Dutch Government he'd designed the first practical training college for mushroom growing and later he designed for Campbell's Soup the two state of the art Dutch technology mushroom plants in Dudley, Georgia and Hillsboro, Texas. Numerous other projects he got involved in as international consultant. BUT, since he's retired he's ALL MINE... And I do treasure this guy! They don't come around any better...

This is the Master bedroom with the new Energy Star Minka Aire 44" Supra from Wayfair. Both of us are very energy conscious, for keeping our planet Green we are Going Green.

We did have a problem with the glass and made a photo of the damaged part. Through Wayfair's customer service that got resolved in such a way that in a couple of days an entire new fan arrived! 

Unbelievable courtesy at this time and age...!

Our Rose Suite downstairs now has one too!

All three of those Supra 44" come with a 14 degree blade pitch

With the fans came natural wooden knobs for the pull chains... Clever idea from Pieter to spray paint them white while sticking them onto plastic forks!

This 32" Minka Aire ceiling fan hangs in the office, right above me... There was a lamp, like in the Rose Suite so the wiring was all there.

And finally the one in our kitchen. There was no wiring, but my handyman got it done by dividing an existing wire and creating one for this 32" Minka Aire Supra ceiling fan.

These smaller 32" Minka Aire Supra fans have a 22 degree blade pitch.

It feels great when cooking with this fan running; quite a joy. It served me well a while ago when preparing our supper!

In our bathroom, laundry room and in the gazebo we got this Westinghouse Wengue 30 inch and it has a steep 18° blade pitch.

How many degree is the blade pitch on your ceiling fan(s)?

P.J.C. Vedder's 1987 Design for NEW COMPOSTING SYSTEM (Phase I)  | post explaining Pieter's education

{Yes; I was at an Yves Saint Laurent Prêt-À-Porter Show in Jakarta!}

• After I'd been for the first time to the USA with Pieter in 1983, we also went to Jakarta, Indonesia where we stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. 
• We were making a choice as to where we wanted to work and live... Our boss in Jakarta did the utmost in making it a pleasant stay for us, even though we were flying and driving to other cities to view all the work areas. So here we are, back in the capital city of Jakarta at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel (see picture further down). When we checked in on this Thursday morning, also a group of catwalk models from Yves Saint Laurent arrived with us from the airport and checked in to their rooms. They came from Bangkok where they did a catwalk show... Now some rest for them, and again at 7:30 PM they would start a whirling Prêt-À-Porter catwalk show for Spring Summer 1983.

We went first to the Bogor botanical garden and came back to the hotel where we dressed for the evening. It was obvious, that our boss wanted to please me with this dinner and show, right up front near the catwalk! As I've studied fashion and design and obtained two diplomas for drawing and making dresses, costumes, jackets and coats, I certainly was more than thrilled to be seated right there.

• The three years that I studied fashion, this catwalk life looked very glamorous to us students... like a dream. But nothing is farther from the truth; it is hard work and that night after night on such a tour through Asia or to any other continent. We could see underneath the curtain, and there the shoes got kicked off and skirts, pants or dresses fell to the floor as they hastily changed into the next garment. And that for hours... My goodness, I felt for those girls. Here we were, sitting in posh chairs, only observing. Meanwhile feasting on a yummy four-course dinner.

• But it was one of those once-in-a-life-time events that will stay with me forever!
• Many thanks to our generous boss for whom we did work years later...
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• All of you probably know Yves Saint Laurent's perfume and cosmetics line. Several items I do use from this designer as you can see below:

• Some blush, lipstick, nail polish and Poudre Sur Mesure Semi-Loose Powder, which replaced their Silk Finish Powder (contained 2% of silk powder).

• It is not easy to photograph such glistening gold items; but they sure look elegant!
• Sadly Yves Saint Laurent died of brain cancer on June 1, 2008.
• Did I ever own a garment from YSL? No... only a wool paisley scarf and a pair of silk, low-heeled pumps that you can see in the photos below.

• Soft wool paisley pattern from YSL

• I'm holding my belly for laughter as my husband Pieter prepared the camera on its tripod for shutter delay. As is evident, it went off before he could merge next to me... Hilarious!

• So that's both of us now; it went perfectly well with the camera.
• My YSL silk pumps and Pieter in his silk shirt; kind of partner-look.

• And than there is coffee in the gazebo... Wearing my Pearls that got strung for me in Singapore.

'En dàn is er koffie!' or 'And then there is coffee!'

A well known Dutch slogan for their famous Douwe Egberts Coffee founded in 1753, which is now also available in the USA.

{Gardenia by Royal Albert and our Garden Gardenias}

This time I will take you to our pond area underneath the huge semi-evergreen oak tree, where Pieter put a pick nick table and bench. It is a perfect spot for a tea or for just a break from garden work. So peaceful and tranquil. Let's have a look... A nice spot to have your tea and cake after a Garden Tour.

A tea towel as table cloth with Royal Albert Gardenia china and some Baccarat crystal vases and candle holder which was available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.

This is actually a vintage Baccarat Shalimar perfume bottle but it is perfect for holding a Gardenia as a vase.

These are the heavenly Aimee Yoshioka Gardenias, like I showed you last year in my post: {Heavenly Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka'}. 

Costco does sell these yummy Cashew Clusters with almonds and pumpkin seeds; good source of protein and fiber and gluten free. The Royal Albert China you also can see in my post: {May 22 Gardenia by Royal Albert and blooming Gardenias in Baccarat vase} 

Baccarat crystal candle holder, which is actually an egg cup holder...

Sorry ALL six are sold out...

The pond is a very nice spot for observing tiny turtles that swim by and waterlilies, fish, bull frogs.

Lots of mosses grow between the thick roots. Plenty of shade and the only negative of this huge oak tree is that where its shade covers the pond, no waterlilies grow.

Lots of pot plants across the pond, near the greenhouse.

Here you can view the greenhouse too.

Where those trees are there is the creek, the back of our property.

Royal Albert Gardenia cup & saucer with Bridal Rose from Alvin spoon.