MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

Saturday, January 11, 2014

{ANGELS We Know By Name}

We all do know one or more ANGELS By Name... A LOVED ONE that has taken up residence in heaven and is no longer walking with us on earth. But those are the ANGELS that are still walking on our side; ANGELS We Know By Name.

Just like dear friend Celia M. High Heeled Life & Resilientista wrote about a special Angel: Tribute to an Angel in her post before...

Guess all of us have one or more special ANGELS that we know by name!

In my case it is my sister Mariet, the one that was still born on January 11, the year before I got born. Her life on earth did not even start, only in the womb she lived for 9 months.

Such a tragedy for my Parents, especially Mom for loosing her baby after all the pain and labor.

They took it away from her, without letting her cuddle it and all baby clothes were hidden.

Such was the advice at that time.

It makes me cringe when I think about it even now!

But the next baby that came into their lives was me, and I got my older sister's name Mariet.

In honor of {My Angel Sister & Mariette's Back to Basics Explained} I have added 'te' to my name as to try and live life for her as well.

My sweet ANGEL sister Mariet for sure is walking alongside and who knows when one of us will join her on the other side...?

Like ABBA sang: I Have A Dream, (click for video and the lyrics follow under post) I believe in Angels and so do I, our home is full of beautiful hand carved wooden angels from Italy as you can find from the links below. They always have been part of my life!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

{Our Fragrant Hoya Wax Plants in October}

It is brisk and bitterly cold in Dublin, Georgia so that made me long for something blooming and fragrant... Sharing here today with you our Hoya Wax Plants that hung in the gazebo and one resided in the greenhouse. Of course, both are now inside the greenhouse where the heater keeps them from freezing...

A beautiful Hoya Carnosa, full with sticky honeydew for the hummingbirds to feast on.

You can see our home in the back in its golden mist paint color...

This wasp trap still needs to be painted white...

Everything is looking lush and green here on October 13, 2013.

Looking to the other side where the bird houses hang...

We need to unwind them when they go inside the greenhouse, they weave through the Vintage Woodworks gingerbread of our gazebo.

One almost would want to be a hummingbird for feasting on that sweet and sticky honeydew!

This is the one hanging inside the greenhouse, a variegated species.

Hummingbirds can come inside here as well, the door is always open in the spring, summer and fall.

Longing to that time of the year when things are blooming again and lush and green...

It is cold here in Georgia, January 7 at 12:36 AM (past midnight) it is RealFeel®: -15°C or 5°F

Hope you stay warm those that live in the North of the USA or in Canada and are dealing with a lot worse cold!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

{2011 Pink Moscato delle Venezie - ONLY 5 percent of Alcohol}

Having worked and lived in the Venice, Italy area, of course we are very fond of anything from that region. For my health, controlling my blood sugar level, alcohol is of course not a good thing. In 2007 I got diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 and since than I have avoided most sugars. It is a joy for being able to toast around New Year with something in your glass. Already during our flights on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, back and forth to work in Indonesia, I came to appreciate Moscato d'Asti wine with its 5.5 percent of alcohol. That was a great bonus when being upgraded into business class. I would skip wine with the meal but enjoyed it after. So this 2011 Pink Moscato delle Venezie with only 5 percent of alcohol is another find.

Using my Japanese tray; gift from my host family in Osaki City, from my visit to Japan in July of 2007 as a chaperon.

This Pink Moscato has a fine “frizzante” effervescence as you can see in our French Baccarat crystal glasses.

At the top you just barely can read: Delle Venezie - 2011 Mochetto Delle Venezie Moscato Rosa

We found ours at Cost Plus World Market

Cheers to 2014 and to good health!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

{Papa is 93 today!}

Far away, some 7,083 km or 4,400 miles flying distance + several hours by car, my Daddy - Papa is having his 93rd Birthday. We have been only to one of his birthdays in 1987, in all 30 years as immigrants. That is the price one pays for being far, far away. But on the other hand, nobody ever came to my birthday here in Dublin, Georgia.

That's life!

Here is a Happy Dad, on the couch with me here in Dublin, Georgia in March of 1993 when he came to Georgia from The Netherlands, without Mom.

I'd given Dad a ticket to San Francisco where we both went together.

Some very fond memories!

Dad in his beautiful garden at a time when we visited them in The Netherlands, October 6, 1985.

His beautiful garden, where several Bridal pictures have been made, is no more as there is now half a village build and many homes surround their now small property...

Only the memories remain!

Here Dad is with me at the Okefenokee swamp in south Georgia on December 1, 1990

Dad at the Riverfront of Savannah Georgia on December 4, 1990

Dad came to the USA a total of 6 times and Mom joined him 4 times; so we do have lots of fond memories of their stay on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

In our 30 years as immigrants we visited them 63 times either from Georgia, USA; Italy or from Indonesia.

Related links: {Happy 92th Birthday Papa!} | previous post by me {Papa is 91 today!} previous post by me {Papa is 90 today!} previous post by me {My Daddy - Papa} previous post by me

Friday, January 3, 2014

{May 2014 be a Happy and above all a Healthy Year for YOU!}

Hoping you all enjoyed a very special New Year's Eve with your loved ones and that this year will fulfill many a dream. Be it a marriage, the birth of a child/grandchild, a graduation, an anniversary, a special long dreamed about trip, a long awaited visit with relatives or friends after several years... On and on the list goes. Each of us has different dreams, wishes and hopes. One of the ingredients for being Happy is to be Satisfied with what we ALREADY HAVE and for COUNTING OUR MANY BLESSINGS.

Wishing all of you a Happy and above all a Healthy 2014!

This photo is from November 21, 2013 taken during the banquet of the Dublin Rotary Club's 75th anniversary.

Husband Pieter is wearing his Burberry Tuxedo in year 'round weight wool with silk cummerbund and bow tie.

Got him this Tuxedo from Bloomingdales in September of 1986, for use at the many Conferences for their formal banquets. My Pieter never changed in size so this will serve him for life!

We both continue being stable in size and love—a true blissful relationship.

May God grant us many more years together.

I am wearing my Escada silk brocade skirt with wool/cashmere/silk and sequin embroidered top with Escada pumps with Wolford panty hose. Of course all Outlet items for living frugal.

Both of us are happy and grateful for having recovered from major surgery.

Looking forward to a calmer and healthier 2014!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

{Our New Retainer Wall & Vinyl Picket Fence}

Our final mega project for 2013, did come along very well! Husband Pieter did finish placing the two new segments of vinyl fence panels on December 28. Photos have been taken yesterday. We already did have 6 Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence Panels in place. Pieter did dig them up and on the Internet I'd found and ordered 2 more of these 3-ft x 8-ft Vinly Fence Panels from Lowe's Home Improvement

Bandido-boy, is proudly showing off his new Gatehouse Arborley Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence that he helped his Papi build.

On December 16, I did drive this cute little trailer back home from Lowe's, Vidalia, Georgia where we picked up the 2 panels that I'd ordered on line. Here Pieter made another trip with our Toyota RAV4; our loyal work horse for 16 years!

Just enough space for passing by the huge Southern Magnolia.

On December 18, another load of concrete blocks and concrete mix for building that retainer wall after the 65 Year Old Pine Tree had been cut down on the 17th. This is part of our water control, for keeping the rain water behind this retainer wall and not again running towards our home.

Bandido-boy helping his Papi, day after day. And our felines thought that the mulched tree trunk + the dug up soil was their new HUGE litter box...

You can see the spot of the mulched trunk to the right.

Precision work for leveling it out neatly...

Pouring concrete and on top of that come those concrete blocks...

Some back breaking job for removing the old green metal post that was deep into the concrete. Hacking it clean from concrete again and also finding a huge surprise in the ground.

You can now clearly see where the 65 Year Old Pine Tree once stood!

No, the huge surprise he found in the ground was nothing valuable but these Saw greenbrier, Catbrier, Bullbrier or Smilax bona-nox L. roots!

It got tangled up into the huge oak tree, unseen with its mean thorns and very hard to kill.

That's where the 65 Year Old Pine Tree once stood...

All done! Retainer wall painted and the Vinyl Fence Panels all erected again! The old green metal post anew into the ground in the concrete for fastening the wire fencing.

Leaving an opening between the white vinyl post and the green metal post for Cat–Thresspassing.

That's where friend cats come to visit and our Tiggy–Tiger goes to see them...

Neat job or not?

And that for an eighty four year young man!

Guess that my Pieter does more physical work than many young men half his age...

Healthy living!

Our Tiggy–Tiger girl figured it out how to get to the other side again.

Notice that the first panel is NOT set on concrete blocks.

Husband Pieter didn't dare to dig there due to the wiring in the ground...

But do you see now how different the height levels are and why the water after tropical showers runs towards our home?

For the end of the year, I feel mighty proud of my dear husband Pieter's accomplishments.

Living frugal from one pension, with 3 adults, we also manage to be happy with our 6 felines.

Now, I'm off to scanning the FINAL100 slides and than I will have managed to make them all digital by the end of 2013 for archiving!

Have you also accomplished some major project this year?

Wishing you all a happy New Year's Eve and a Happy and Healthy 2014!

Thanks for reading here.

Related links:
{65 Year Old Pine Tree Cut Down} | previous post of Part I
Gatehouse Arborley 3-ft x 8-ft White Gothic Picket Vinyl Fence Panel | link from Lowe's

Monday, December 30, 2013

{65 Year Old Pine Tree Cut Down}

On December 17, the weather was wind still and finally the people from Soles Tree Service, Inc could come and cut our HUGE 65 Year Old Pine Tree down.

We had to cut it for keeping the water away from our home...

You will find out below!

Here it was... Funny enough our cats think their Papi created a huge litter box for them!

Speckie girl is right behind me...

This tree was on the border line with our neighbors and it could become a hazard to either one of us.

But the main reason that we cut it, with permission of our neighbors, is to prevent the rain water running down from the higher areas towards our home.

There it is; tall like the oak tree next to it. Our home is out of perspective due to the distance...

Our Southern Magnolia to the left.

It really was a HUGE one...

Our Vintage Woodworks elements are showing very well here.

This photo I took from the neighbors garden and you can see the steep slope running down towards our home...

The total length of this tree measured about 27 meters or 88.5 feet.

The traffic was temporarily stopped as it fell on the road.

We already did have these white vinyl picket fences up there on the border.

BUT as a matter of fact husband Pieter had requested the builder to erect a retainer wall on the border when he was constructing the house. We were working and living in Indonesia at that time. He did NOT erect that retainer wall...

We paid the price for it this year!

Right through this opening, to the right of the pine tree, was a track where the water would run down straight towards the bay window area...

Now you can see the plan. In the center where the vinyl picket fence has been plucked out, husband Pieter already started pouring concrete and putting concrete blocks on top. Thus creating a shallow retainer wall for keeping the rain water behind it and forcing it to run down hill, alongside the retainer wall towards the back. No more threspassing of rain water!

Yep, here I stand next to parts of the top...

You can see the first part of the picket fence about 4 meters off the road.

This photo is from August 20, when the water did rise up against our front door steps.

That's the time we had problems with our basement and we want to avoid having to mop up water again for 4 days and nights non-stop!!!

For the time being; this mission is accomplished and in about ten years this huge pine tree could have caused problems as its core was hollow.

Will show you soon the finished project!

Have you had to do something on your property to keep rain water away from your home?

Saturday, December 28, 2013

{Our Pansies in December}

Pansies are such a JOY to grow in the fall and winter season as they are so GIVING!

Look here at Our Pansies in December:

Husband Pieter took these photos on December 3...

Fresh rain on their friendly 'FACES'

These white Pansies are in our Fiberglass Window Boxes alongside the retainer wall on our driveway.

These boxes are from Flower Framers of Cincinnati

Stepping back a bit further to show them better...

This is looking the other way, towards our fragrant double flowering Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno' tree.

Do you have any flowering plants outside?

Thursday, December 26, 2013

{Merry Christmas to all my 193 Countries reading my humble blog! PEACE to ALL!}

During this very hectic time of the year I do want to extend a Merry Christmas to all 193 Countries reading my humble blog. May PEACE be with you ALL!

Beautiful pillow that I won in 2010 from +Rebecca Nelson from A Gathering Place.

Paperwhites are always blooming in our garden around Christmas.
Candle is from Point A La Ligne

Merry Christmas

Feliz Navidad

Joyeux Noel

Frohe Weihnachten

Buon Natale

Very special Our Mouth Blown Glass Nativity set on our silk brocade table cloth...

Our Nativity scene with Angels from Italy

Related link:

For the Pope, Jesus was born 7 BC | Interesting historical facts

Pour le Pape, Jésus est né 7 ans avant J.C | for the above in original French language
{Silk Brocade for our PRINCE OF PEACE} previous post by me

{Silk Embroidered Birds from China Trip} previous post by me

{MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010} previous post by me about A Gathering Place's pillow from above

Christie's Mandalay by Masons showing you the Mandalay by Mason, as is my vase above...

{Our Nativity & Angels from Italy}| previous post by me

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

{Wishing YOU a Happy 4th Advent 2013!}

However short, we can light candle #4 for a couple of days before we reach our Christmas day...

Wishing YOU a Happy 4th Advent 2013!

Wishing you all a meaningful time leading up to Christmas 2013!

Christie's Mandalay by Masons |