{Our 2016 Double Orange Daylily or Hemerocallis}

In 2013 I already did post about our Double Orange Daylily or Hemerocallis that suddenly appeared in our garden. 

A gift from a bird...?

Perfect for my Dutch Heritage, as a salute to The Kingdom of the House of Orange...

It is a stunner and beautifully double with ruffled edges.

Placed it in a round Baccarat crystal vase...

Love those stamens and the pollen already fell off...

Hope you enjoyed this happy color Daylily and thanks for your visit!

Related link:

{Our Double Orange Daylily or Hemerocallis} | my previous 2013 post showing it in the garden... very lush!

{Daylily Hemerocallis WHITE TUXEDO + SAD Feline & CanineLove Story} | previous post by me

{For Mom & Dad's Visit in 1996 We Tamed a Mockingbird}

Yes, for Mom & Dad's visit in 1996 we indeed did tame a Mockingbird!

Feeding it walnuts from a ramekin and luring it inside our veranda.

Step by step, literally up the steps, past the threshold (that was the scariest moment!) and into the veranda onto the tiles.

This was the sight from our bay window area in the kitchen on Thursday morning, March 21 in 1996!
Poor quality photo, but it still shows enough about the special bond.
Not only did a Mockingbird come inside, but also a Brown thrasher, a Carolina wren and a Squirrel!

Dad told us the first morning that he did not believe his eyes, he wanted to pinch himself for making sure he was not dreaming...

We were quite successful pulling this off with only a bit of practice for a couple of weeks.

Once we sat the door open and called them, they would come in.

Pieces of nut flying in all directions.

Since we have cats, of course we no longer could continue doing this!

For those in Europe that don't know a Mockingbird.
It is often also called the American Nightingale, as it has quite a repertoire, singing and mocking other song birds!
We love them, they're such happy singers.
Also love the Brown Thrashers, they're like gardeners and you can see specks of soil etc. literally flying when they search for worms and insects.

Hope you enjoyed this photo about one of our tamed Garden Critters!

Related link:

Carolina Wren on Pieter's Arm | to show you how tame they were!

{IT CAN BE DONE}

Former President Ronald Reagan's famous plaque 'IT CAN BE DONE' which he kept at his oval office desk...

I had kept The 1994 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book for quite some years and did actually scan this photo below:

Made in Italy, this Leather Office Plaque is so very special!

This gold lettering on cordovan leather plaque is still available at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute at their store, under office (click hyperlink in pink and than on shop by category...).

President Ronald Reagan meant a lot to me!

For 53 years we shared a birthday together and he died on my late husband's birthday in 2004.

When we came to this great country in 1983, it was Ronald Reagan who was President, till 1989.

We left for work in Italy soon after his 2nd term was over...

Love to share some of Ronald Reagan's quotes:

I know in my heart that man is good.

That what is right will always eventually triumph.

And there's purpose and worth to each and every life.

~  

You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.

We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to taketh first step into a thousand years of darkness. 

If we fail, at least let our children and our children's children say of us we justified our brief moment here.

We did all that could be done.

Thanks for your visit!

{Our Bletilla Striata Alba Orchids now Happily in Pots}

Our Bletilla Striata Alba Orchids have been struggling from February 1996 on, in our wood garden.

Pieter managed to find them in the fall and dig them up, for transplanting them into pots.

They are quite happy!

This photo was taken by husband Pieter on March 20.
Inside the greenhouse, but looking quite happy and healthy!

The foliage is so much stronger looking too.
These beautiful orchids are native to Japan and China

Guess in our wood garden, the competition of all the roots from trees is too much.
So we're happy for having rescued them.

Thanks for your visit!

Related link:
{Our Bletilla Striata Alba Orchid native to Japan and China} | previous post by me

{My Laurèl Jeans Suit with Escada Booties}

Oh my, how I long for the cooler weather...

Again a throw back into February 24 of 2016 where I enjoyed wearing my Laurel (Escada group) Jeans Suit with my Escada Booties.

Of course together with my companion Spooky boy.

In front of our Magnolia Grandiflora Namnetensis Flore Pleno.

Happy with life, happy with the weather!

Thanks for your visit

Related link:
{Sisters Dressed Like Twins} | previous post by me showing this very Jeans Suit

{Yummy Cheesecake}

Okay, last post I showed you the Quark dessert which I often used for making my own Quark Torte, not as heavy as the American Cheesecake, more like a Mousse.

But here some photos from Whole Foods Market where they show different slices of Cheesecake at US $ 4.50 per slice or US $ 63 for the entire cake!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

at $ 4.50 per slice...

Looks yummy!

Strawberry Shortcake Slice and Tuxedo Cheesecake slice

Hope you enjoyed this window shopping; very low calorie!

{Do you know Quark?}

Of course most Dutch, German, Swiss, Austrian, French and Italian know about Quark.

But I wonder about people here in the USA or in Canada... Do you know Quark?

By the way, in Belgian it is called 'Platte Kaas'
In Austrian: 'Topfen'
In Hungarian: 'Tóró'
In French: 'Fromage Blanc' or 'Fromage blanc lissé'
In German: 'Quark'
In Italian: 'Quark'
In Dutch: 'Kwark'

When we had lunch at +Whole Foods Market in Savannah, in the end of October, we were thrilled to find they had our favorite dessert: QUARK!

I've used the plain Quark often for making dessert; Quark Torte.

At the time that we still traveled frequently to Europe, I came home with such Dr. Oetker Quark Torte... Makes one drool by the thought of it!

Often indeed a combination with Yoghurt and Quark

Just look for Google images: Dr. Oetker Quark Torte

It is quite different from the American Cheese Cake, a lot more like a Mousse I would say.

Wondering who knows this delicious dessert that pairs so well with fresh fruits!

Thanks for visiting.

{Dreaming of BIG Pomegranates from our own...}

Just checked our baby Pomegranate trees (2) but they still are without any fruits...

End of October we were in Jacksonville, Florida at Costco Wholesale and the sight of their Pomegranates made me dream of BIG ones from our own!

Oh my, that would be really a DREAM come true!

Looking forward to the next crop from Costco...

Thanks for your visit!

Related link:

{Growing Pomegranates the Ancient Persian SuperFruit} | previous post by me

{Our Mailbox Got Hit Again}

 In the 26 years that we have lived in this home, our mailbox has taken quite some beatings. 

We are actually having our 4th mailbox at present!

If some cars back up from the neighbor's driveway across the street, it has happened that they slam into our mailbox...

We already had replaced the previous mailbox with a more sturdy one... 

There is a 4 x 4 inch post inside and it's poured into solid concrete.

But as you can tell, it did burst open from the impact!
This time a utility truck hit it from the side.

The 4 x 4 inch is visible inside...

Husband Pieter is standing there, taking this photo.

It actually happened on Pieter's Birthday!

Yep, it got all cracked up.

Charter Communications was the one that caused this.

But they graciously have acknowledged the damage and I was lucky for finding the exact replacement on line at MailMaster Post Mounted Mailbox with Rain Overhang by Step2

The grass looks awful because of the heat...

But here is the replacement standing strong once more!
Seen with our Vinyl Picket Fence in the back...

Thanks for your visit.

{Breakfast in the Sunshine}

The TRUTH is that we have bought our lot, while driving around and looking for a spot where we would have SUNSHINE at breakfast time!

Yes, that is a true story and let me show you how it worked out...
And yes, Deborah, we have breakfast while viewing our hummingbirds that come right to the window on the right, you see the red cap of the feeder.

Breakfast in our Kitchen Bay Window area with SUNSHINE!

Most of the time...

Add some fresh flowers and the use of the handmade silver container from Indonesia for our margarine and you feel instantly happy!

We use Vegan Cheese as I am not allowed to eat too much protein, due to my CKD stage 3.

Yep, that's my healthy breakfast with supplements...

One demitasse with coffee and cocoa added and coconut oil.

One cup of soy milk from Trader Joe's as it is with the least amount of sugar.

Dutch BOLLETJE RYE BREAD (ROGGEBROOD) from Vander Veen's in Wyoming, Michigan. 

Are you having breakfast in a sunny spot at your home?

Thanks for your visit!

{Pattern of Our Hand Crocheted Kitchen Curtain with Roses}

In a previous post {More of Our Kitchen} I also did show you our Hand Crocheted Kitchen Curtain with Roses. So here I want to share the Pattern.

You can click the hyperlink above...

This is the curtain...

From the Special Burda M 2018 D 32/88 (1988)

At the time that I did crochet this curtain, we were living and working in Indonesia...

Hind sight, I do regret that I did not crochet the double edging and making it a bit longer!

You start off with 30 (40) squares 91 (121) chain stitches + 3 for the first double crochet.

This is it, rather simple for following this. 

One x is 4 double crochet each and the open squares are each with 1 double crochet and 2 chain stitches.

Hope somebody will be able to make use out of this.

I myself might have to crochet it again and also use the double edging!

Thanks for your visit.

{Dahlia with Hibiscus and Clerodendrum Ugandese}

We all LOVE to have some fresh cut flowers from our own garden...

Even if it means only a few of them!

On our kitchen table... on June 12.

To the left you see a beautiful Dahlia, to the right a Hibiscus syriacus 'Blushing Bride' that came straight from Our Life in Italy!
In the center, top and bottom is our special Clerodendrum Ugandese or Blue Butterfly Bush.

Husband Pieter also captured them with his camera...
Yes, that Hibiscus syriacus 'Blushing Bride' has a very special story which you can read from link below blog, about our life in Italy.
We are thrilled that we still have it after all those years!

And again and you can see the sunshine that twinkles in the tiny vase.
The Clerodendrum Ugandese came from +Logee's Greenhouses in Connecticut

The Clerodendrum Ugandese or Blue Butterfly Bush flower a bit more in detail...

Together they just made a beautiful and very sweet vase!

Do you love to bring in some home grown flowers?

Our climate is very harsh so we never yield a lot...

Thanks for your visit!

Related links:

{Clerodendrum Ugandense - Blue Butterfly Bush} | previous post by me
{Clerodendrum Ugandense - Blue Butterfly Bush, Blue Glorybower} | previous post by me
{Our Hibiscus syriacus 'Blushing Bride' from Quero, Belluno in Italy} | previous post by me

{Pot Plants onto Patio with John Deere Helper}

On March 20, this is how all our Pot Plants got placed back on the Patio, with the John Deere Helper...

It is quite heavy for transporting those Pot Plants otherwise!

Pieter does have a knee problem, worn out cartilage, and this little 4-wheel Utility Cart  behind the John Deere is a great helper!

Unloading the Utility Cart...

Now delivering to the front patio...
How pleasant the spring period is!
Longing for cooler days now...

Thank you for your visit and wishing you a peaceful weekend!

{Our 2016 Rio Negro Lily}

On July 10, we again had a perfect Rio Negro Lily.

Full of Perfume...

Such an intense color too!

Love its stamens...

Yes, it sits next to my cup of green tea...

One of Summer's Joys!

Thank you for your visit.

Related link:

{Rio Negro Lily} | previous post by me

{Fresh Green Bean Salad}

Guess we all like a lighter meal during hot summer days...

This is one of our 'healthy' favorites!

Found it at the Diabetic Living Online.

Recipe below post

We always buy our Red Bell Peppers at Costco Wholesale as they are so crisp and fresh and the best value.

Very simple and yet refreshing and HEALTHY!

Hope you will enjoy making this as much as we do.

For more healthy recipes check out my Pinterest board:

DIABETES, SUGAR ADDICTION & HEALTHY BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL

{Cooler Weather Time for Wearing my Escada Plaid Suit}

Such a tragic week... It kind of throws you off!

Our thoughts are with the French families that lost their loved ones to yet another ISIS attack.

And still 202 injured are fighting for their lives...

May God bless them and give them the strength needed.

So why not go a bit back in time, to February 20, when the weather was still pleasant here in Georgia.

It feels great when it is not that hot and humid...

We can only dream about that time right now!

Due to my series about husband Pieter's trip to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, I did not get to post a lot of things.

Another great Escada Outlet find.

Complete with Escada handbag and pumps.
Wolford pantyhose.

Skirt I bought when we were with Pieter's late brother Toon...

Happy times together in October of 2000!

Pieter in his Joseph Abboud suit and silk tie with Zegna shirt, a score from Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in New York.

Of course, our felines are always in the picture!

Sitting next to Pieter is Spooky boy (9) and next to him is our senior boy Barty (12).

We do hope that we will be able to enjoy them for many more years!

Spooky acts more like a doggy... always at our side, like a magnet.

Wishing you a lovely weekend, wherever you are.

Lots of people will be on vacation right now.

Related link:

{Woodbury Common Premium Outlets New York} | previous post by me