{Today 39 years ago I lived in Panningen, Netherlands}

Today it is exactly 39 years ago that I started living in Panningen, in the Dutch province of Limburg. How fast time goes by! There I lived 5+ years and went each day to work by car in Horst, some 20 km or 13 miles north of Panningen. Together with my 1st cousin Thea from the blog Crea by Thea I attended the Scheidegger course where we learned how to type blind with the 10-finger system. Years later, I did find Thea back on Blogger; incredibly small world! You can read Thea's story about it Ik vond mijn nichtje.... By the way, you can click in the heart ♥  below the 1st photo: Brigitte.de Crea by Thea for helping Thea get a German Brigitte (magazine) Award. Just showing you some images from my Panningen era...

This is with my pure bred Dachshund Mauzie on the River Meuse in Kessel, Limburg. 

Mauzie was the daughter of a Dutch male Dachshund Champion.

Mauzie immigrated later with me to Georgia/USA and enjoyed 2 more years as American Dachshund.

Underneath this post there is another link, where you can find out more about Mauzie.

Mauzie on the River Meuse; she was crazy about water. During the weekends we always took her for a long walk in the area.

Mauzie with some crocus flowers. Photo by my brother; Martin Van den Munckhof 

With Mauzie on the patio of the home in Panningen. 

Cousin Thea and I, actually lived only 150 meters (or 164 yards) distance from each other! 

The brown, cropped sweater in linen bouclé had an ajoure lace v-neck and was at that time my favorite. 

Bought in Bonn, Germany where we went shopping often as my late husband's Mom was from Germany.

From Kessel Castle overlooking the River Meuse.

I'm wearing here a Salzburger Dirndl with Roses from Trachten Stüberl in Bad Münstereifel

Roses have been my favorite as long as I can remember...

My Mauzie traveled the world, here she is in Bad Münstereifel, Germany with me.

The story about World Animal Day reveals more about Mauzie my Dachshund.

Related links:

IK VOND MIJN NICHTJE....... (creabythea.blogspot.com)

{World Animal Day started in 1931 in Florence, Italy} previous post by me

{I've been TAGGED by High Heeled Life}

On February 5, I got TAGGED by Celia from High Heeled Life. Due to my birthday on February 6, I was not able to respond right away. But here it is:

Quick Blogger TAG

1. Who tagged you?

Dear friend Celia from Celia M. High Heeled Life & Resilientista did tag me. She has been such a ROLE MODEL for all of us bloggers. Fluffing back from the stage she's been, to where she's now, is quite an inspiration to ALL of us! Read her story: My Story... It all starts somewhere.

2. What is the main idea of your blog?

Reaching out to the world in plain Mariette's Back to Basics writing about Life Style. Nothing borrowed, nothing copied, but from the heart and by my own experience. Sharing Our Home & Garden, use of lace and linens, heirloom antique, working with fresh flowers, baking, making chocolates and healthy sweets (being diabetes type 2 myself), tea & coffee, sewing, crocheting, knitting, embroidery etc. etc.

3. What are your top 3 places to shop?

Neiman Marcus Last Call; TJ Maxx and Internet.

4. If you got $ 500 what would you spend it on?

Humane Society, Animal Shelter for food and treatment.

5. Flats or heels?

Never flats as that gives me not my best posture but neither such HIGH heels as from the latest years. Those are too much in my opinion, besides it doesn't go well with my long legs as I am not intending to market them.

 6. Favorite colors (be specific!)?

Changed this to plural as the question otherwise becomes impossible.

For interior I go for white, not the harsh grayish whites but creamy and soft whites.

Furniture is a mixture of white and French oak with leather for that cozy warm 'nest' feeling.

Clothes... well I have lots of blacks but also soft colors. Let me put it different: red is NOT my color but for the rest it all depends on my mood for the day, as I do love change and the unexpected. Nothing boring in my/our lives!

7. Favorite blogger of the moment and why?

This again is not a fair question as it definitely should be plural! But I certainly do admire the lady and friend who passed it on to me. Don't want to put the ball back in her court though.

So next I do admire Johanna from Silber+Rosen (Silver+Roses), because of her genuine writing talent and composing the most unique settings with beautiful personal china, silver and linens. Even using her own plants and citrus trees for blending it all in.

She never is a copy cat, off some leading or trendy posts (as many do!).

Talking about 'cat', she produces a fabulous post about the lucky feline Wiski, that shares his life with her. Anyone loving animals gets my admiration! 

Johanna maintains a steady style of her own and is not easily taken off from her practical and beautiful way of styling.

A very rare combination that only is found in a limited number of ladies.

Besides, she does not use too many words and keeps the length of each post just perfect.

More of us should adhere to that example.

8. One of the goals you have for your blog?

Showing other ladies, especially the younger ones, that graceful styling doesn't need to be done the way big catalogs or magazines prompt us to follow. Just by using common sense, like the French Grand-Mère's old fashioned good and simple advice, we can blend items that have become heirlooms and were loved by the women in our lives.

Hoping to instill some appreciation for certain heirlooms.

If possible, creating some more with our own hands.

Finding happiness in the little things of daily life is far more important than following others like a hype; which seldom fills that void for happiness. 

Being content is one of life's secret to happiness.

9. when did you start blogging?

Right before I became paralyzed... end of 2009 on November 23.

10. Who do you tag?

(At least 5 people: include names and links!)

Johanna from Silber+Rosen (Silver+Roses)

Angela from Angela Lace

Amreen from Fashion (blog no longer exists...)

Elizabeth and Gary from Home is Where the Heart is

Mieke from Gebreide Sjaals (Knitted Shawls)

Hope you enjoy visiting these ladies with quite a range of different things to offer.

For the 5 people that I have TAGGED, feel free to participate. It is no MUST as we all understand that it is a lot of work... AMEN!

{Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils on my Birthday}

• For my birthday breakfast yesterday, my Pieter did surprise me with some home grown fragrant Ehrlicheer and Sweetness Daffodils. 
• Since I barely got off the phone, only in the afternoon I had time to make some photos. Because it was a dark and dreary looking, but mild day 59°F or 15°C, compared to 76°F or 24°C on Sunday, making photos was not that easy. So I had to use the flash... 
• Nevertheless these pretty blooms are so early that I would love to share them with you as well; sans fragrance! 
• We never have had spring this early and also our magnolias are blooming. Almost would have to change the Garden Tour info to Book an Event.

The Sweetness Daffodils are arranged in a vintage Wedgwood cream ware on cream ware vase.

The very fragrant Ehrlicheer daffodils are in a white rounded vase.

Each stem bears multiple blooms!

Hope you liked these Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils.

♥♥

Today is my brother Harry's birthday but sadly though he is still in the ICU...

It is also my Parents' 63rd Wedding Anniversary.

Thanks to all the birthday wishes that I got yesterday on FB and on my blog! 

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{60 Years Ago} (mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com)