{Dutch King's Birthday Celebration in Atlanta, Georgia}

Okay, let's sum up what happened since our trip to Arizona... Husband Pieter had another Birthday on April 29. Next day we drove to Atlanta, to celebrate Dutch King's Birthday with a reception at Naylor Hall in Roswell. Spending one night at the +Hyatt Place Atlanta/Perimeter Center. Only to drive back next day, to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport picking up a dear friend from The Netherlands, who stayed with us for one week.

Here you see the Dutch Honorary Consul, Ewoud N. Swaak (l) with my husband Pieter.

A nice wooden floor was placed on the lawn.

Pieter wore his Agave denim Fit Classic Rocker, in an orange charcoal pinstripe and orange cotton pique Ralph Lauren polo.

The event was being held at the Historic Naylor Hall, an 1840 mansion.

Weather was cooperating very well; far better than the previous day on husband Pieter's birthday when it rained cats and dogs...

For the event I did wear my orange Escada stretch jeans with blouse.

Lovely costumes worn by charming Dutch girls!

The Honorary Consul did speak to the crowd and we sang the national American and Dutch Anthems.

The American Anthem at the top and in Dutch, the Wilhelmus and also translated into English.

My hands holding the iPhone with which I did tape the typical Dutch Klompen Dancing.

Not such perfect ending but still okay...

Yes, I enjoyed this evening tremendously!

In the outside 'tents' they were serving typical Dutch fare... Bitterballen, (click link for recipe!) patatje met mayonaise.

Bitterballen duo...

Kroketten ←click the link. In the past, I loved a Kalfskroket between a whole wheat bun... So yummy!

Inside Naylor Hall there was a buffet with delicious food. Vine ripe tomato and mozzarella salad Field greens with strawberries, pralines, goat cheese & sweet peppercorn vinaigrette

Say CHEESE...!

And more CHEESE...

Are you getting hungry yet?

Very much I enjoyed this Wild mushroom risotto with white wine & fontina cheese...

Thanks to many generous sponsors! Hope you enjoyed it...

{Palo Verde Tree blooming in Scottsdale Arizona}

On March 24, we were at the Costco Wholesale Gas Station Airpark in Scottsdale, Arizona.

We already had admired the masses of yellow blooms alongside the highway and now we saw one nearby. It is the beautiful Palo Verde Tree!

Such bright yellow everywhere you turned...

The Palo Verde seems to be the State Tree!

Arizona in general is such a well maintained State, everywhere you turn.

It makes for feeling happy, to see such trees!

Very friendly people too!

And a happy me!
Filling up the rental car, our Toyota Corolla...

{Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge in Arizona}

On July 20 of 2009, both of us went with our best friends to Las Vegas for a long weekend. So we had the opportunity to visit Hoover Dam. We were in awe about the construction of the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge, at 890 feet high (271 meters) with 1,060 feet span (323 meters) belonging to the highest bridges. Just click the hyperlink for very interesting photos.

Using my video camera in 2009 and we were so impressed by this huge Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge!

We always wanted to go back and see the completion of this HUGE bridge...

Construction everywhere at the time we visited the Hoover Dam in July of 2009.

Another friendly tourist offered to take a picture from both of us!

Construction of the Bridge you can see again to the left...

Here we come! On March 22, we got up at 2:30 AM in order to fly to Phoenix, Arizona and using again a free companion ticket from Delta Airline's American Express card. It would expire on March 31.

Here we are at the parking lot and we have to climb up to the bridge...

From Phoenix it took us some 4 hours driving via Highway 93, a very scenic route and we got here around 5:00 PM.

Once we climbed all the way up to the actual bridge the view was incredible!

Remember, this bridge is 890 feet high (271 meters)!

Lake Mead, the country's largest man made lake is in the back and the Colorado River underneath after it passed the Hoover Dam.

It was a long day and finally after almost 6 years we're here!

This is a four-lane bridge and there is no trembling when huge trucks pass over it.

Pieter using his Nikon and I used my iPad...
Standing on the second-highest bridge of any kind in the USA and the 14th in the world.
Hoover Dam Bridge ←click the link for more info.

Very happy feeling and oh so rewarding...

Pieter captured an excellent over view with the Nikon!

Explanation about the funding of this Mike O'Callaghan - Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge 

Yes, at the end of this ramp up to the bridge (and down) there is the border of Arizona and you enter the State of Nevada.

Mind boggling how they secured those rocks for being safe.

We only had to drive about half an hour to Las Vegas, from Boulder City where the Hoover Dam is located.

We stayed at Hyatt Place Las Vegas and went to bed real early after such a long but very rewarding day.

Time difference is 3 hours with Georgia.

This is breakfast time next morning at the Hyatt Place.

Related links:

Time Lapse Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge Construction Video from Federal Highway Administration | Very interesting video

Highest Bridges | Interesting photos, 3 pages see bottom for clicking to next one.

{Bird House from Wood Trail Scraps}

Husband Pieter did create a lovely Bird House, built from the Wood Trail Scraps.

Below this post you find a link with photos, where you can see him building the Wood Trail.

This is the result...

One more lovely home for our feathered friends!

Related link:
{Cashmere Words of Wisdom & Update} | previous post by me showing the actual Wood Trail from which these scraps came...

{Cream of Wheat Pancakes with Coconut Palm Sugar}

THANK YOU ALL so much for the comments and leads; especially on my FB Page Mariette's Back to Basics LLC where over 6,540 people viewed and 85 shares!

Got my First Cousin's phone number but I will try tomorrow again to contact her!
Will keep you posted.
Talked already to her; thanks to sweet people out there that helped me!
♥
Yummy Cream of Wheat Pancakes with Coconut Palm Sugar...

Great recipe for all people concerned with Pre-Diabetes; Diabetes type 2 or just wanting to lose some weight. 

Using Coconut Palm Sugar makes pancakes look a little more brownish.

Great with desiccated coconut and berries.

We did use up some cranberry compote with this very batch...

Use some Grade A Maple Syrup and ENJOY!

1 cup cream of wheat

1-½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

⅓ cup coconut palm sugar

1 egg

¾ cup almond milk

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ pint berries

Maple syrup to taste

• In medium bowl add cream of wheat, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and coconut palm sugar.
• In small bowl or measuring cup mix egg and almond milk together, blend well.
• Pour over dry mix, stir lightly. Set aside and heat griddle on medium to medium low heat. Slice strawberries meanwhile...
• Add 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet. Stir the pancake mix before  ladling it into skillet. Give it about 1 minute or until spatula slides easily under pancake. Flip and let it rise a little before removing. When the center starts rising that means it's done.
• 
  

♥ ENJOY ♥

Related link:
{Coconut Palm Sugar with Glycemic Index 35} | previous post by me
Semolina Flour Cream Of Wheat Recipes  | lots of yummy recipes!

{Help me Find my First Cousin in South Limburg, The Netherlands}

This time I am especially calling on my Dutch readers, and even more so from the South of the Province of Limburg. Who can help me find my first cousin: A.C. Groenendael-Kurvers, daughter of my Mom's oldest brother.

06 14 1969  A.C. Van de Groenendael-Kurvers, my first cousin holding a baby.

With my late husband Frans, I did visit her, after  my Maternal Grandfather Kurvers had passed away, in order to deliver her an envelope. Her Dad, had passed away in 1943 and he was the eldest son of my Grandparents.

The date and name I found on the back of this photo, received when visiting her.

A.C. Van de Groenendael-Kurvers

Nassaustraat 37 in Hoensbroek, The Netherlands

Anyone who could provide me with some information I like to thank in advance.

She no longer resides on this address...

Thanks to sweeet people from Hoensbroek, I did find her!

We have made several phone calls and also did visit her in 2016 at her home.

Social Media at its very best for searching across the big Atlantic Ocean!

Sadly my cousin passed away on August 20, 2019... but it makes me even more grateful for having made the effort to visit her in 2016 and for staying in touch by phone!

Related link:
{HELP ME FIND ITALIAN ARTIST M. SOTGIU mother of Luigi Tramarollo} | previous post by me

{He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know}

A great quote from a very wise man:

He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know. — Lao Tzu

Photo is from our Pearlbush buds...

One blogger friend I admire is Samtpfote FIONA as she always has the most precious quotes in a photo (Zitat im Bild)...

{Agnelli the Godfather of Style}

Style Icon Gianni Agnelli

Gianni Agnelli, the Godfather of Style - THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Just click the above link...

WSJ. THE POWER OF STYLE

Gianni Agnelli,

the godfather of style

The Italian industrialist who ran Fiat during the jet-set age was one of the most stylish men of the 20th century. Many have copied his casually inventive look, but his elegance remains inimitable.

'A LOT OF ITALIANS— REALLY GOOD BUSINESS PEOPLE—

TRY TO BE LIKE HIM. HE'S AN ICON. BUT NOBODY GETS IT. NOBODY.'

Robert Rabensteiner

ROYAL FIAT A 46-year-old Agnelli in 1967, the year after he became the president of Fiat, in front of the factory at its headquarters in Turin.

'THE TIE ASKEW, THE UNBUTTONED SHIRT— NOTHING WAS AN ACCIDENT OR, TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, IT WAS MEANT TO BE AN ACCIDENT, WHICH MADE IT EVEN MORE STYLISH.' —Taki Theodoracopulos

STEPPING OUT 

Agnelli with his wife, Marella (who is now 86) at Truman Capote's Black and White Ball at the Plaza Hotel, in 1966.