{The Birth of Santa Claus}

We are nearing Christmas, so this story about the Birth of Santa Claus is interesting...

English speaking readers can read the text below:

The American Santa Claus has developed strictly on his own to the point where he is now stationed on the North Pole and drives a team of reindeer. 

All that remains of his Dutch phase is his name: Santa Claus is a direct derivation of Sinterklaas.

Popular Dutch folk song...

For the Dutch Sinterklaas Eve...
Large chocolate initials serve as place settings along with the so-called 'lovers', tall men and women of speculaas, a crisp and dark brown pastry rather like ginger bread.

From De Nederlandse COURANT

The mailing of St. Nicholas cards was in the beginning of the 20th century a tradition in the better circles.

Related links:

{Of Sint and Santa} | previous post by me
{How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats} | previous post by me

{5 Giant Oak Trees got a 'Hair Cut'}

We needed to give 5 of our Giant Oak Trees a 'Hair Cut', so it happened on November 6, just the day after I took their photos to show the before and after.

Our Giant along the driveway on November 5, showing the maple trees in the back with some fall color.
When mowing the lawn on the John Deere, low hanging branches are a problem too!

We really love this majestic, old oak tree.

Photo from December 14, clearly you can see that the lower branches are gone!
You also can see that the under brush in our wood garden has been totally cleared.

This is our broadest oak of all we got; it also is semi evergreen!

Those low hanging branches are gone now, photo from December 14.
The low hanging branches prevented the waterlilies from growing in the pond because of the shaded area.

This giant oak is near the gazebo and was touching the Japanese Magnolia to the left and a dogwood tree to the right; which light branches you can see in this photo.

Seen from the other side of the gazebo it looks a lot more open now for other trees to breath again!
This too is semi-evergreen as seen on this December 14 photo.

Between our property and the neighbors, we have another Giant Oak...
This one had kind of weeping branches, touching over the picket fence all the way down.
Also suffocating the Japanese Magnolia that is visible to the left of the lantern.

Impossible to capture it entirely...
Photo from December 14, and almost bare. The Japanese Magnolia to the left is happy with those lowest branches being removed!

This was the main problem... Our Quercus Virginiana or Live Oak, which was touching the chimney when it was windy and hanging over the balcony...

Photo taken on December 14, and you can see how much has been cut off here!

This photo I took from the balcony, on November 5th.

Photo from December 14, our balcony is free now!

One big reason was this!
The sap from the catkins and leaves (yes, those evergreen trees also do shed!) caused this staining on our balcony's Polyurethane ballustrade...
We love the shade from our giant trees but not the mess!
See two of our felines underneath the tree?

Soles Tree Service did an excellent job!
We're all set for the coming years and hopefully the balcony stays clean(er) as well.
Do you have any Giant Oak Trees or others, that need 'Hair Cuts'?

Related link:

{Black Gum Nyssa Sylvatica Cut Down} | about tree that got cut down in front of the house on the same day.
{65 Year Old Pine Tree Cut Down} | previous post by me from December 2013
{Our Live Oak got a Haircut} | previous post by me

{Grandma Kurvers' Grass Linen Twin Sheets Repurposed}

Proud for having repurposed my Maternal Grandma's Twin Sheets!
Especially the top Grass Linen Sheet shows its beautiful linen effect.
It is actually NOT linen, but often called China grass ←(click it) also called grass cloth.
Also called Ramie or Nettle Cloth: Terminology: What is ramie or nettle cloth? ←click it.

Anna Maria Kurvers - Kamer (Room) 16...

All of her grass-linen twin sheets had to be labeled for the time she lived at the nursing home.

Here my Grandma, who also used to be my Godmother, is visiting me at my previous home in Panningen, The Netherlands.
She came walking to my home, from the nursing home... This is in January 1974.

This is on Tuesday, September 17, of 1974, where I visit her after work.
She turned 87 that day! 

My miniature Dachshund Mauzie, is on her bed; she loved her very much.
Happy moments and fond memories!

Mauzie with my 'Oma'... and those are the twin sheets that I got.

On our trip to Florida in June, we also found at a TJ Maxx a queen sheet set that I used for repurposing the twin sheets by adding some width and length.
Here I am on my knees, measuring and cutting the sheet...

From the strips I'd cut, I made each sheet wider, over the entire length.
The two pillow shams I took apart and cut in half. Those strips I used for adding length to the entire width of the original sheet (visible in right corner) to match the already longer cut strip.

Here still the stitching from those pillow shams is visible and the fold but after one laundering that was smooth.

With my Mom, on July 29, 1983, visiting 'Oma' at the assisted living.
Exactly one month before we immigrated.
'Oma' was born on the 100th anniversary of Constitution Day, on September 17, of 1887
She died on February 8, 1985 at the blessed age of 97.
On September 26, 1984 during one of my visits from the USA, I took Mom along for one last visit to my Godmother and 'Oma'... She died 4 months later.
Oma has been a great role model for many of us, living a simple life of hard work and few luxuries.
A very devout Christian, like my Grandpa 'Opa' also was.
Opa used to walk every morning with his children to Church, for Mass before school...!
Mom told me these things and they mean a lot to me.
Raising her 12 children during WWI, the Depression years and WWII was not easy.
She outlived her eldest son and one daughter and also was widowed for 14+ years...
Her Twin Sheets still are used for SWEET DREAMS; evoked by fond family memories of a strong Maternal Grandma and Godmother... My Pieter died on one of her sheets that I used on the hospital bed here at home.

She was a great ROLE MODEL!