{Pipe under Brick Walkway & Trench for Water Control}

On December 9, husband Pieter did start with the next Water Control project under supervision of our felines. You will see cute pictures below. This time he managed to place a Pipe under the Brick Walkway & digging a Trench. That way we for sure manage to get rid of the water that runs down the street and now into the trench and downhill into the creek instead of towards our front porch...

December 9, 2013, preparations for getting through the soil, under the concrete and brick walkway.

Tiggy–Tiger is sitting in the planter; studying HOW TO... she will soon find a solution!

Barty joins his adopted sisterTiggy–Tiger so they together can supervise their Papi as he's doing his back breaking job.

The trench got dug, now trying to get through to the other end by running the hose inside a pvc pipe and making the soil soft for bumping it through.

A rather muddy job...

Well, here comes the team! Barty the eldest cat–man with the youngest cat–girl Speckie following  with her tail up and tiny Tiggy–Tiger also follows her adopted sister. They soon will tell their Papi what and HOW to do this!

All three of them inspect and THINK hard. How to get through there...

Luckily the concrete below was not that thick, only a foot wider than the walkway on this side.

Takes patience for softening it all the way to the center.

Speckie is trying to use the plastic bag like her Papi does;  to sit on your knees on it for not getting all muddy... Barty on the brick walkway.

Tiggy–Tiger is contemplating that probably not today we can get through. It needs time to soak and soften...

Speckie is now getting into the trench to look underneath and see if the water is coming through already...

It looks like it's kind of blocked somewhere.

Tiggy–Tiger thinks it is better to go now inside the house, nice and warm for enjoying a snack...

We just wait another day!

Waiting for four days... as it rained heavily the first day and than some more and next we got frost.

See, this ice had to be removed from the water hose before starting the same game all over again.

On December 14 of 2013 it got DONE!

One more part of the Water Control managed.

Neatly done with large tiles alongside beginning of trench.

Still two more projects to be completed... stay tuned!

Do your kitties also love to supervise projects?

It seems to have been a good idea for several others...

Related links:
{Our New Retainer Wall & Vinyl Picket Fence} | previous post showing you part I of Water Control
{65 Year Old Pine Tree Cut Down} | previouis post showing you preparation of Water Control

{Sunshine Walk & Deer Tracks}

On Sunday, January 12, it was very sunny so both of us enjoyed a Sunshine Walk. Below this post you find the link where I already did show husband Pieter... We were quite surprised for spotting so many Deer Tracks on the still muddy road from all the rain we had. In our neighborhood we regularly can spot deer, even in our garden we did find deer tracks.

Perfect for wearing our French Le Chameau rubber boots on the muddy road...

Together with my German Elkont ribcord pants and Escada cardigan over a silk turtleneck sweater.

 You see the deer track?

They visit our garden as well!

Very fresh in the mud!

The Sunshine was so strong that it kind of 'faded' my right sleeve of this red Escada cardigan...

But the sun's winter power already feels so good on our body!

Such a walk outdoors in the sunshine is good for making our vitamin D level rise.

Of course, far better even with bare legs and arms but this is a good beginning.

Of course you already know I love roses... this is the back of my cardigan.

Very hard to capture red in the bright sunlight!

These pine trees at least add some 'green' to the dreary look of winter.

Standing next to a tree that got toppled by a storm.

That too is nature.

Do you enjoy your walks?

Related link:
{My Hand Knitted Irish Aran Men's Vest} | previous post by me showing husband Pieter at same walk
{ROSES} | previous post showing the same vest...

{HEART from L'Atelier de Marie-Anne}

From Blogger Friend Marie-Anne in Greece, I did receive this beatiful HEART! Marie-Anne writes the fabulous blog: L'Atelier de Marie-Anne (just click) and she is quite an artist in making all kinds of crackle effect découpage on different mediums like glass, tin or wood. With Roses and Angels, also Hearts are very special to me!

 Here is the Wooden Découpage Heart from Marie-Anne.

Lovely roses with sweet satin ribbons...
THANK you so much dear FRIEND!

A spontaneous Gift, all the way from Greece!

Lovely handwriting by this French born and well traveled blogger friend Marie-Anne...

The backside of this lovely wooden heart shows the crackle effect découpage very well with some more lovely roses and butterflies.

Do you like Anne-Marie's découpage artwork?

{My Hand Knitted Irish Aran Men's Vest}

At the time that husband Pieter still needed to travel frequently to Portage La Prairie in Manitoba, Canada for Campbell Soup, I did hand knit this Irish Aran Mens's Vest for him from a Burda magazine. That kept him nicely warm. Here in Georgia, it hardly ever is being worn but on Sunday, January 12, we went for a walk and Pieter wore it.

Knitted in Phildar wool in Rustique Naturelle... with wooden buttons.

Knitted from the Dutch Burda Breien en Haken 365 patroon 101

Did knit this from a German description however, since the enclosed pattern got lost...

Here you see husband Pieter, wearing my hand knitted Irish Aran Vest and also his Bailey Trilby Tweed - Wool Fedora Hat from Hatcountry's Italian collection.

Blue winter sky made for a perfect walk...

this is the back part of the Vest with raglan sleeves.

Detail of the cable knitting...

Ribcord jeans are from the Outlet by Ermenegildo Zegna.

Rubber boots are French Le Chameau  click it

Okay, let's walk on...

On January 13, 1985, I proudly show my just finished Irish Aran Men's Vest to my Dublin Mama 'Alice' and to my Thai–American friend Somai.

This photo is taken at our previous Dublin home...

This heavy vest I did knit in 11 days; just in time for a winter trip into Portage La Prairie, Manitoba in Canada for Pieter!

Have you done any Irish Aran pattern?

Related articles:
{My Hand Knitted Linen Top} | previous post by me
{My Hand Knitted Silk Lace Shawl in Peacock Pattern} | previous post by me

{My Hand Knitted Vest} | previous post by me

{My Hand Knitted Leg Warmers Then and Now} | previous post by me

{My Hand Knitted & Hand Embroidered Sweater}| previous post by me

{Mohair blend Peacock-stitch Sweater Knitted by Me} | previous post by me

{AJOUR KNIT JACKET FOR MY NIECE MAARTJE} | previous post by me

{Cotton Ajour Sweater with Lace Effect, knitted by Me} | previous post by me

{30 Years  Ago In My Rose Sweater} | previous post by me

{GIFT from Blogger Friend Hayu - White & Roses}

On December 21, 2013 I had to sign for a registered parcel from Rome, Italy. Blogger Friend Hayu from White & Roses did send me her Giveaway Gift that I'd won. You can see the announcement here: Welcome for Baby C where she mentions me for guessing it right that she would get a Baby Boy.

Poor Hayu, who by the way is from Bali, Indonesia, had severe sciatica problems around the delivery date. Hope she is doing fine now! She also has to abstain from blogging for a while. You still can visit her and leave her a note of course! 

Look what she created with her 'GOLDEN' hands...

Lovely ribbon roses on a door knob pillow that hangs down from a linen twine.

This registered parcel needed 12 days for traveling from Rome across the Atlantic Ocean to Georgia... But Hayu and I were both happy that it did arrive in perfect condition!

Out came the GIFT that I won from her post on August 31, 2013: Love from Brazil and Give Away for You just scroll down to see the door knob pillows she offered to select from.

Look at her beautifully hand created gift card and tag... Hayu is quite an artist!

The door knob pillow with the ribbon roses and its hang tag.

My Unic Own Tag shows us that she does hand paint them in water color...

This Balinese girl is incredibly talented!

Closeup of her unique water color tag with roses...

With a lovely note card with roses and pink ribbon.

I used our French Rose Matelassé coverlet from Yves Delorme as back ground...

Hayu's hand writing is even 'ART'...

THANK YOU Ayu! - written in her third language

GRAZIE MILLE - written in her adopted language

BANYAK TERIMA KASIH - written in her native language

MAISON

A word that means a lot, especially to 1st immigrants like Hayu and myself.

Home is where the Heart is!

Hayu Maselli's signature label sewn onto the back of this lovely door knob pillow...

Here it proudly hangs from the bedroom door of our Rose Suite...

Don't you think this is a lovely dream of a pillow with artful ribbon rose embroidery?

Related link:
Hayu Maselli's online website: Hayu Maselli for browsing her many talents...

{Our 6 Vintage Tobacco Pipes and Cheroot Holder}

Guess most of you have had a husband, Dad or even Granddad who smoked a pipe at some time in his life. My husband Pieter did use several different pipes. Therefore we still have a collection of 6 such Vintage Pipes and also a Meerschaum Cheroot Holder. Do you know what that is? Look at the 2nd one from the right on this teak wood pipe rack below...

The Delft Polychrome TOEBACK (tobacco) jar is a gift from my Mother-in-law on our wedding day, together with the Delft Polychrome ashtray in which a Swiss horn pipe with stem chain and silver nickel windcap is laying. The mouth piece is probably made out of buffalo horn.

The windcap was used to avoid sparks when working in straw or hay.

Hand crocheted DMC doily is done by me... will show that later...

Here the teak wood pipe rack again, in front of our leather books.

The Swiss horn pipe with stem chain and silver nickel windcap is shown here opened up.

To the left you see Big Ben Pipo wtih Ebonite mouthpiece.

Here my husband Pieter is smoking that very Big Ben Pipo...

Those were his writing years when he published most of his books.

He quit smoking when he turned 50!

Big Ben Pipo nature with Ebonite mouthpiece (click links).

Big Ben is a brand of Gubbels The Pipe Manufacturer. The company also has a FB Fan Page under Gubbels Pipes. All the way to the bottom, below post you find a link about this company.

Big Ben Dutch pipes original Bruyere with accrylic mouthpiece.

Bruyere is French for Briar Burl from the white heath tree, Erica arborea L., a Mediterranean Lignotuber.

It also is used for pen making.

This is a Silver Inlaid Pipe that belonged to Pieter's Dad. Unfortunately its mouthpiece is broken...

This must be from the mid 19th Century and we no longer can ask questions about this family heirloom.

Incredible detail goes into such Silver Inlaid pipe. Wish I could observe them doing this intricate work of art!

Had to take this pipe out on the balcony in daylight...

Incredible detail all the way! No wonder that a FB Fan Page is called: Tobacco Pipe Artistory!

This is the  Meerschaum Cheroot, sigar holder, also from husband Pieter's Dad.

A real piece of ART! This is made out of Meerschaum (German) or Sea Foam in English. Click on link for interesting info in English with photos about these most refined and skilful pieces of labor with exact details. After World War I, cigar holders were no longer used so that shows that this must be an antique piece as well.

  The appearance of the Falcon pipe with its white aluminium stem, dark bowl and black mouthpiece was for the 1950's a most modern experience.

Read more about it here: The revolution of the system pipe

Falcon Algiers Bowl

Big Ben Leather covered pipe and Meerschaum lined.

In order to smoke a pipe, you of course do need special Tobacco.

Pieter still keeps two tins from 35 years ago!

One he received from his daughter Liz for Saint Nicholas...

Liz wrote in reverse: Van (from) Pint en (and) Siet instead of Sint en Piet...

Do you still own such vintage and antique Pipes or tobacco tins?

Lots of interest in this subject...

Related links:
A COLLECTION OF ASSORTED EUROPEAN CARVED WOOD AND OTHER PIPES | Christie's Auction showing a pipe with silver windcap
The Tobacco Pipe Artistory | FB Page about all sorts of Tobacco Pipe Artistory
Pfeifenkonsulat | Austrian Pipe Trader site
Amsterdam Pipe Museum | Very informative site with lots of photos about the worldwide culture of pipe smoking
Picture-Galleries of Beautiful Pipes | English language site with pictures from German, Danish, Swedish, Japanese Pipes
Ecume de Mer | YouTube video about the making of an Ecume de Mer - Meerschaum or Sea Foam Pipe
Meerschaum | The German word for Sea Foam or French Écume de Mer from which the Cheroot is carved
FIVE CASED MEERSCHAUM PIPES AND CHEROOT HOLDERS | Christie's showing two perfect Meerschaum Pipes
THREE AUSTRIAN MEERSCHAUM PIPES OR CHEROOT HOLDERS | 2nd half 19th Century pipes

The King of Pipes: The Meerschaum | The Art of MANLINESS info about Meerschaum  Pipes
The house of E. Gubbels B.V. in the Netherlands, established in 1870, is a globally acclaimed and leading manufacturer of fully handmade briar-root tobacco pipes. | interesting link with short video at the top
Enjoy the craft of Gubbels | The Pipe Manufacturer | short video on YouTube about the company

{Our Camellias}

On December 8, 2013 my husband Pieter did rescue these lovely white Camellias. They are either Camellia Japonica Nuccio's Gem or Camellia Japonica White by the Gate. We both love white flowers but they are very sensitive to rain and wind as they bruise easily. Over the years I have come to admire all those professional growers that deliver perfect corsage Camellias without any blemishes. 

Well, these Camellias still look lovely don't you think so?

It is very hard for displaying Camellias as they have NO stem...

So the best way is on a shallow bowl with water but they don't last that long.

Do you have Camellias and if so, what is your favorite color?

Related links:
{Our Camellia Japonica Pink Perfection} | previous post by me
{Our Camellia Japonica Nuccio's Gem} | previous post by me
{Our Camellia Japonica Debutante} | previous post by me
{Camellia Japonica White by the Gate} | previous post by me

{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} | previous post by me

{Let It Be A Happy New Year} previous post by me, showing Camellia Japonica Debutante

{Our Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant and Japanese Magnolia} | previous post by me

{Our Camellia Nuccio's Gem & Christmas Angel Gift} | previous post by me

{Our Camellia Sinensis | Tea Plant} | previous post by me