MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

Thursday, July 12, 2012

{THANK YOU Readers from all 171 Countries Visiting!}

Today I want to extend a big 'THANK YOU Readers' from all 171 Countries visiting my blog. To the loyal readers and to all those that once in a while stop by. On July 10, 2011 I did put the Flag Counter on and as of now there are 171 flags in just one year time.

On July 4, it was Lesotho that joined as Newest Country and becoming number 171.

Reaching out to the world in all its Continents is quite something for this time and age.

A quarter of a million pageviews have traveled the miles across cyber space...

Visitors from the southern hemisphere where there is mid-winter right now.

The northern hemisphere with summer to some degree. More so for some, than others.

Here in the South East it is WARM during summer, we are at the latitude of Morocco, so that does explain some.

On July 1st we had a HOT day, measured in Real Feel temperature.

The entire month of July and August will be hot here.

But we prefer heat above cold.

What is your favorite?

This was the Real Feal of 45°C (113°F) at 13:38 o'clock.

But even at 16:19 o'clock on the last day of June we reached 44°C (111.2°F)...

Are you in a HOT-SPOT too?

Wishing you a great summer and hope you stay safe of any wild fires or other natural disaster.

Once again, THANK YOU!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

{'Ravy', my Toyota RAV4 is 15 today!}

My 'Cute Ute' has another birthday! You can find a link below photos, about last year's post with lots of info and photos. But today 'Ravy', my Toyota RAV4 turned 15! Still love him and keep him. Such a loyal Mini SUV, so why ditch him? As written about in a magazine in 1998, for being a small, spunky, head-turner - to me that's still valid. The New Car Test Drive in 1996 called it: The new king of the minis. It's a shame that they discontinued making the 2-door since 2000. Even now, with high gas prices it would be even more relevant for having a car with such good fuel economy.

The Chicago Sun Times wrote: Toyota's new, hot-selling RAV4 small sport/utility vehicle is terribly cute, practical and more affordable than larger sport/utilities. AMEN to that!

Ravy looks still cute and is in excellent condition. Always being loved, even though he worked hard for us... When this 2-door launched, it became hugely popular in France.

That's me on July 13, 1997 after Ravy's first 1,000 miles. This is at the Philadelphia Franklin Mill's Outlet Mall. We parked, and funny enough, there were two RAV4 4-doors parked as well; Ravy's big brothers...

Here we are at the Delaware river in Philadelphia, with the Benjamin Franklin bridge in the back.

Ravy did bring us all the way to Pennsylvania, from Georgia, to visit also Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Our second visit, but now as Americans and it meant a lot.

Visiting the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Pieter in front of the Liberty Bell...

Me in front of the Liberty Bell...

Oh, Ravy hauled many a load with this cute trailer that Pieter himself has put together. He ordered it from Northern Tool + Equipment and added the upper part himself.

I still love Ravy today... together we age!

Related link:
'Ravy', My Toyota RAV4 is 14 today! | previous post by me

Sunday, July 8, 2012

{Our Copy Cats}

Raising a feline family is not difficult because you have one and the rest are just 'Copy Cats'. Have a look at some of our Copy Cats. These photos were taken the day before we went on our cruise to the Bahamas. When I came outside to empty the bucket after mopping the floors, they were lined up on the retainer wall and I had to make some photos. It was just hilarious. See for yourself and tell me if you too have cats that mimic one another. It is so much fun to watch them get along. When we work in the garden, they follow us like a doggy. Also when we make the rounds, at the end of the day for instance to check our wood garden and other garden, they follow us on foot. Our dear friend Mariëlle called that: The Cat Walk...