Cape Marigold

Spaanse Margriet in het Nederlands

en echt wel heel erg dankbare bloemen.

Vandaag had de wind de potten waar ze in staan gewoon omver geblazen.

Maar daar maakten die bloemen zich helemaal niet druk over, potten opnieuw recht, en daar stonden ze weer flink mooi te wezen in wind, regen en toch nu en dan een zonnestraal vandaag!

Blooming from spring, through summer and way into fall, these are such simple yet wonderful flowers. I really enjoy them! They 're in flowerpots on the terrace and the wind blew them down today but no worries, just put the pots back up and there they were, straight up, enduring the rain and wind and yes, also some sunshine today!

De roze had ik vorig jaar al en hoewel die verkocht werden als éénjarige, wou mijn koppige ik wel eens proberen om die te laten overwinteren en ja hoor, gelukt!

Gevolg: een immense bos bloemen in een grote pot op het terras.

I bought the pink ones last year as annuals but, stubborn as I am, I just had to try to keep them over winter and it was a succes! So now there's  an immense "bouquet" of flowers in a large flowerpot on the terrace. 

De witte met donkerpaars hartje kocht ik dit jaar en ik zal die ook laten overwinteren in de garage. Hopelijk lukt het me nog een keer.

The white ones are a purchase of last spring and I'll try to keep them over winter in the garage too. Hopefully with succes once more.

De immense "struik" roze Spaanse Margrieten, tja, daar zal ik geen plaats voor vinden, die zullen het buiten moeten uithouden deze winter. Afwachten dus.

I won't find a place inside for the immense "bush" of pink cape marigolds though, so we'll have to wait and see if they'll survive next winter.

Bye,

Marian

summer or fall?

The weather being what it is those last two weeks, everyone would agree that fall is a bit early this year.

Looking at nature though, there's summer, fall and even spring in the air!

This hydrangea clearly thinks summer is the season!

But these have had it and turn their heads humbly for fall and put on their fallcoats.

And then there's this little astrantiabrench, now blooming although spring has long gone.

First time ever this happens in our garden.

Bright summer-yellow and warm fall-red combined in this shrub.

Winter, spring, summer or fall, I wish you all a wonderful new week!

Marian 

Modern?

Reading a post on Kristin's blog, I eventually ended up here.

"Modern dream home in southern California" this was called

but I didn't think it was modern just looking at the pictures.

I loved this house and normally I don't like modern so much.

So, I started reading the article about the house.

With "Belgium", "Antwerp" and "Axel Vervoordt" in the first few sentences, I kept reading of course!

And then at the very end of the article:

"Our mantra for this whole project was using materials that are old and trying to make them feel modern."

Ha! Bit a blend of old and modern then, but certainly not strictly modern.

Must be exactly the kind of blend I like!

Bye,

Marian 

Japanese crochet books

Komt "haken" oorspronkelijk uit Japan? Of is het daar momenteel gewoon heel populair? Die vraag stel ik me sinds ik op het internet zag hoeveel Japanse haakboeken er bestaan! Allemaal met heel mooie patronen die iedereen kan gebruiken, ook al lees je geen Japans.
Probleem is wel: Er is zo een groot aanbod dat je niet meer zou weten welke te kiezen.

Did crocheting originate in Japan or is it just immensely popular there now?

That's the question that pops up when I see how many Japanese crochet books there are. It is a real treat, all those books with beautiful designs and diagrams anyone can use, you don't have to be able to read Japanese.

But then there's so much choice you wouldn't know anymore which one to choose:

Deze?

this one?

Of deze misschien?

or this one maybe?

of dit boek?

or this?

En dan is er ook dit boek nog!

And there's this one too!

Naar welke van deze boeken gaat jullie voorkeur uit?

Which one would you prefer?

blanket update

My crochet blanket starts to take over the living room,

crocheted hexagons everywhere,

my basket of colourful yarn never far off

And this is the result

I have to admit,
I enjoy crocheting

and love this 'blanket to be' already.

Bye,

Marian

I was in the garden

Inspired by

Ingrid's 'I'm almost in the garden'

and Haikey's 'I'm in the garden',

this is 'I was in the garden' .

These have been in the garden so many many times

and have had their best time too,

so I'm looking for new, beautiful, colourful boots,

any suggestions?

Bye,
Marian

blanket

This is the blanket I'm aiming for.
(bad quality pictures, bit misty and blurry, took them with my camera from my crochet book but they didn't come out as I wanted them to. Have any tips for taking pictures from magazines or books?)

A lot of hexagons still to go.

But that's the least of my problems.

The last but certainly not least

"sewing it all together"

is something else!

just not my thing!

Also the reason why

I have several unfinished projects

lying in the closet.

But this time,

inspired by all those

finished projects

on different blogs,

I'll just have to persevere!

Back to the blanket:

colourful, isn't it?

Just like these ducklings

still not found their way

back to the bathroom!

Have a colourful weekend!

Bye,

Marian

crocheting hexagons

Well, it didn't take till next winter after all to get me crocheting again.

I started on these hexagons last weekend.

The very first ones of a blanket to be!

A colourful blanket to be.

Hope to show you more soon!

Bye,

Marian

the making of

 

a hydrangeagarland

 

Once finished, I noticed the shoes I was wearing

were a perfect match to the garland.

Took a picture of course!

Bye,

Marian

roses

I bought these today. I just fell for those velvetty red flowers.

They are small, but since I haven't got any roses in my garden,

this is a welcome alternative.

Bye,
Marian

also nature's pieces of art

A spider made her web. 

 

Sweetpeas looking for something to hold on to.

The beginning of a new web?

what a difference a day makes

De drie eerste foto's zijn gisteren genomen (na een regenbui),

de twee onderste vandaag (zonneschijn).

First three pictures were taken yesterday (after some rain),
bottom two were taken today (sunshine).

Marian

decorated swing

Found more inspiration at villa d'esta today!

crocheted flowers

Little things you can make with crocheted flowers.

Found at drops design

Kid's play

An invasion of ducklings in our livingroom today.

Really brightens up the place,

the livingroom today,

the bathroom again tomorrow?