{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!

{Third Week of Advent 2014}

Wishing you all a very cozy and happy Third Week of Advent 2014!

Creating a warm and cozy atmosphere works wonders for the colder season.

Used our cotton Zweigart Aida tablecloth with the German Arzberg porcelain votive candle holders in white with real gold.

My sister Diny, was so kind for getting these for me in The Netherlands, when I found them in a Dutch magazine.

Having our own Magnolia Grandiflora trees, does also provide leaves that I have sprayed with gold paint.

Added Nandina berries with a few Ilex berries as well.

Nosegay from spices, seeds and hazelnuts, made in South Tyrol, Italy.

Thanks Johanna from +Silber-und-Rosen-Shop  for the name: In the Salzburger Land "Gewürzsträusschen".

Our gold sprayed Magnolia leaves tied with raffia. 

The big candle is still from our 25th wedding anniversary, it was a gift from dear friends.

This fireplace is from The Netherlands, Doensen Sfeerhaarden & bouwbedrijf in Venlo.

On eBay I once got a hold of this Baccarat Crystal Vesuve / Vesuvius Caviar Server (2 pcs) because the inset was missing... But it works perfect for floating candles with fresh flowers.

Here I used fresh cranberries for inside.

The table runner in Portuguese Guimarães white work, we bought in Coimbra in 1994,  while on tour through Spain Portugal for 19 days.

Used on top of this red Hardangar tablecloth it looks perfect.

Making photos during the dark days of the year is hard in itself but trying to capture those flames of burning votives is even harder...

Don't you love the hand embroiderd detail of that Portuguese Guimarães white work?

Wishing all of you a very warm and meaningful 3rd Advent Sunday and a great week ahead!

Stay warm and healthy...

{Fall Colors & Clearing the Underbrush}

A pity that the spectacular golden color of our Sugar Maple tree Acer saccharum never lasted that long... This year the leaves went all down in one week time!

This is on November 12, and only one third of its golden leaves are on the tree, the rest is on the lawn...

Husband Pieter, the gardener, is seen on the other side of the creek, to the left...

This is a photo from November 5, and the color starts to become golden and the Red Maple Tree, or Acer rubrum is not quite red...

Back to November 12...

This photo is from November 5, after husband Pieter did clear the underbrush on this side.

You can see the clippings piled up alongside the creek.

First time in four years, since his quadruple bypass in September of 2010.

A chain saw of 16" (it got replaced recently as this one died...); hand saw with an extendable lopper for cutting thick and high branches.

The wood garden's floor in this section, is full of long pine needles...

The final wild corner to be tackled!

Hard work and a lot of muscle power is needed for doing so.

Pieter is blessed with a strong and 'again' healthy body.

Pieter holding the loppers, they were a steal of a deal at Tuesday Morning 

Those heaps of cut off branches make for safe hiding places where chipmunks and other critters can hide.

Soon it will decompose and be added to the soil as humus.

The creek is always changing its shape.

Lovely when it is calm, but it can become a roaring river.

We both are pleased with the open view of our wood garden.

Lots of shrubs have been removed, for easier maintenance in the coming years.

{Second Week of Advent 2014}

Time is slipping through our fingers during December... or is it just us?!

Wishing all readers from whatever country, a very warm and meaningful 2nd Advent Week!

Fragrant star candle and French Point A La Ligne candle.

Ribbon fabric is French and has roses on it...

China is Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse

Angel clinging onto a candle with bobèche in a Royal Selangor candle holder.

Related link: Christie's Mandalay by Masons

Anyone having problems with Word Verification showing up; change your Settings for Comments to: Embedded instead of Popup Window...

{Of Sint and Santa}

As promised in my previous post, some more info Of Sint and Santa...
December 6, is the birthday of Saint Nicholas.

From our traveling days as International Consultants, I did save this very informative story from the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' in-flight magazine.
It is in English, so if you like to, you are able to read it.
~
Of Sint and Santa
Whatever you call him - Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Sinterklaas - St. Nicholas presides over the season of giving. Ghislaine Kruit and Terri J. Kester look into the long history of the man in red and the Dutch tradition that bears his name.

Facing page and above: Dutch children turn out in their thousands to welcome Sinterklaas in mid-November
Sinterklaas is treated with the reverence owing to a bishop
Right: gangs of Zwarte Piets accompany their master. They distribute small treats among the crowd.

Left: Image from The Book of Hours (ca 1500) illustrating St Nicholas' revival of three drowned boys.
St Nicholas' Day was once observed all over Europe as a special day for children.
Below: German and French Christmas cards from the early 1900s show St Nicholas presenting gifts.

Above: Season's greetings from France (1920-12).
Right: Thomas Nast's incarnation of St. Nicholas as Santa (Harper's Illustrated Weekly, 1870)

Father Christmas made this appearance in Punch in 1880
In this Swedish illustration (1917) Santa knocks at the door
Santa-shaped balloon floating over New York City (1949)
~
Indeed, the ending is so true: Whichever way you look at it, St Nicholas plays a starring role in the longest party in history.

Related links:

{How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats} | previous post by me
{SAINT NICHOLAS - SINTERKLAAS 2013} | previous post by me

The Origin of Santa Claus Video about history, listen till the end to hear how Sinterklaas morphed into Santa Claus...

{Saint Nicholas | Sinterklaas} | previous post by me about my newspaper publication

{Humble Gifts of the 1950s} | previous post by me about my early childhood treats for December

{Chocolate & Silver Alphabet Letters for Saint Nicholas} | previous post by me
{Chocolate Letter LOVE} | previous post by me

{Chocolate and Silver Alphabet Letters for Saint Nicholas} | previous post by me
{Since 1896 Dutch CHOCOLATE LETTERS - Have YOU Tried Them?} | previous post by me

{How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats}

Just have to share this great find with you around the very popular Dutch Saint Nicholas or 'SINTERKLAAS' celebration.
On December 5th, for the adults and December 6th, for the little children the Dutch celebrate their gift giving.

How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats by Peter G. Rose. 
She did an excellent job!

How many of you did know about this historical fact?

Now you can read Peter G. Rose's excellent book: Delicious December: How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats: A Holiday Cookbook ←click it to have some page insight at Barnes & Noble.

Also available at Amazon.com where I got mine...

Treats for the Saint Nicholas season, as shown here in a 1995 Dutch Nouveau magazine.

You can read about and even find RECIPES for making your own Saint Nicholas or SINTERKLAAS treats! Many of which are already very popular here in the USA!
Shown above is Black Pete, Saint Nicholas' helper and there has been a tremendous outpour against the 'few' that wanted to do away with him.
Dutch court rules in favor of 'Black Pete' ←click link.
It is obvious that this AGE OLD tradition has to STAY!

To the left is shown a Dutch book about the festive finale, the way December is being celebrated in my birth country The Netherlands.

It was a special gift from dear Dutch friends and is an exclusive edition by De Bijenkorf.nl, 1981.

Writer Peter G. Rose did a fabulous job in listing all the Treats, just like being found in this Dutch version.

My Sewing Creation napkin with gold DMC thread done on my serger.

I've also quilted (by machine) placemats to go with them.

Shown is a scented French candle from Point A La Ligne and the Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse tea cup & saucer with cigarette holder in which I keep demitasse spoons.
If you still need to find out for the coming Christmas Season about: {Difference Between Coffee & Tea Cups} you can read my MOST popular all time post.
Next post will also be about 'Of Sint and Santa'...
Such an important historic tradition!

Related link:
{TIP New Purpose for Cigarette Holder} | previous post by me

{Merry Christmas 2014} | later post by me showing my sewing creation