Art in Breda...

Re-imagined Tree Roots

Before heading to a hash in Breda, I zoomed through the Stedelijk Museum Breda, an art museum housed in one of the oldest buildings in town. Here are some of my favorite artworks. 

Sunflowers

Christ and the Samaritan Woman in Breda

This is the oldest existing cityscape in Dutch history, presumed to have been painted in 1520. One of the houses shown was demolished in 1534.

The shape of these 16th century Italian ceramic tiles were derived from Arab culture, which was fashionable in Europe at the time. The eyes offer protection against evil as in the all-seeing eye of God.

This still life from 1799 uses optical illusions to make it appear to be a niche holding a real vase of flowers.

Brains

Brains

 

Flower Parade...

After a two-year absence due to COVID-19, the Bloemencorso was back! It was actually our first Flower Parade in four years. The opening float of a baleen whale was my favorite!

There were lots of other cute animals, including toucans...

…swans...

…tigers...

…butterflies...

…bees...

…fish...

…and this mysterious creature.

There were also flower floats, made of flowers, of course.

 

More April Boating...

The following day, we were back in Leiden for some more boating...

…with Gerlof, whom Jimmy had worked with at the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and his son, Floris.

Although only 12 years old, Floris was already an accomplished skipper since Jimmy had taken them out once before and gave him a lesson.

 

Boating on Easter Monday...

That same afternoon, Jimmy, Kati and I headed to Leiden to go boating with Maria, a hash friend living in Einhhoven. I must admit that I’ve found it ironic since moving to Holland that the US considers itself quite religious, but the average corporate employee doesn’t get any time off for Easter, while Dutch employees get Easter Monday off even though this country prides itself on being secular. Anyways, not going to complain because it meant that Jimmy and Maria had the day off and we could go boating.

It was a beautiful spring day with lovely columbine flowers growing along the side of the canal...

…and geese invading our dock who were quickly removed by Kati.

Some ducks were happy to follow us...

…until Captain Kati scared them away,

 

Back to the Dunes...

Things once again looked different when Terri, Kati and I visited the Wassenaar Dunes in mid-April. 

Somehow we ended up walking yet another part of the antitank wall from World War II.

Kati felt very at home on this trail and was happy to lead the way.

The weather was lovely so we stripped off layers along the way.

It was very clear as we went up the tower near Katwijk. 

We walked back along the beach, where the tide was coming in with little wind which made for some great reflections of sea birds. 

 

More Piglets...

Ten months after the piglets arrived on the farm, they had grown quite a lot.

It was still fun watching them rooting around in the mud...

…and in their troughs of mystery liquids.

In early April, we were thrilled to see a new batch of 12 piglets had arrived at the farm...

...as well as some new beehives.