Chuffed

I went into the recycle shop for a simple plastic tray and perhaps some replacement wine glasses where this Japanese lady immediately caught my eye. Close inspection confirmed this is a genuine woodcut print and not a simple offset-printed poster. A quick Google image search while queueing at the till told me it is indeed an Utamaro design, though the publisher's seal continues to be a mystery. It is of course what is known as a 'recut' (not an original contemporary (and thus priceless) antique print) but on the plus side it has fresh colours and came with a good frame. And having paid all of €2.50 I'm chuffed indeed!

Cautious Growth

After the fluctuating weather it seems Nature is now taking a careful approach. The Forsythia is slowly starting to flower, whereas in previous years it would explode in yellow flowers all at once. The apple bush is showing more buds but also at a reduced pace it seems.

Elsewhere things are starting to appear though.

And there's the first small daffodils, a bit braver than the others!

daffodil - jonquille - narcis

 

Seeds

The missus has put a plate of seeds on the window sill, with the glass bowl giving a greenhouse effect. She's waiting for them to germinate before putting them in a pot. They're from (her cousin in) The Hague so I wonder what they'll turn out to be. 

Guest for a Nest

The missus got this birdhouse which we put up on one of our birches. And today it looks like it has attracted a bluetit!

birch - bouleau - berk
bluetit - mésange bleue - pimpelmees

Sun Is Shining

The weather is sweet, yeah. It doesn't make me want to move my dancing feet because I need to work today but I am enjoying it all the same. I did have to turn the work laptop at an odd angle to keep the sun off the screen though.

 Outside the crocus flowers are caught in the light, seemingly shining bright themselves.

And the fish are basking in the light as well. It's a nice morning for everyone.

Fresh Growth

There are more crocus up and flowering. And elsewhere fresh green growth is sprouting here and there. 

Budding

Spring is slowly arriving, as tiny budding leaves bear witness. At the bottom of the hill the apple bush is also cautiously making more flowers after the snow of the recent past.

Clean

The missus can't sit still so she's taken the Kärcher to the garden paths and steps. It's now covered in mud but our flagstones are shiny bright, gleaming in the light. A confused earthworm has appeared, but luckily after the water blast. 

Fries

My brother rang to ask if I fancied some fries and pinball. With my missus' blessing I went to pick him up. The Brussels pinball museum turned out to have its early night on Wednesdays, but the fries were good and the conversation even more so. The "S-Bend" snackbar (named after that feature in the village centre) offers peanut sauce as well as mayonnaise so we could have a typically Dutch meal. (The peanut sauce usually goes with Indonesian satay (meat on a skewer) but we like it on our fries as well.)

Shouting Match

While working from home this morning I heard quite a ruckus outside from amongst the trees. Where it appears two crows were trying to chase a couple of magpies away, crowing loudly and flying towards them from branch to branch. The magpies were chattering back in anger but eventually left. Hard to snap a picture at that distance but I caught one of the magpies by chance.

crow - corbeau - kraai
magpie - pie bavarde - ekster

 

Solar Mystery

We have this little solar-powered fountain in the water basin, to help oxygenate the water for the fish. Where every morning at sun-up it starts to work, cloudy or not, before the sun even shines into the garden. And then later in the day with full sun it often doesn't. Weird.

Nest Insulation?

I saw this little leftover piece of roof insulation from the bathroom window, which looks like it has been pecked to pieces by some bird or other.  One of the larger blocks that still need to go to the recycling centre has also been molested. I wouldn't think they're eating this stuff so perhaps they're using it in their nest?

Beauty in White

Apparently the forecast said we'll get rain tonight, so best to make the most of the snow while it's here.

And the missus had the same idea, busily snapping away as well.

 

Here We Go Again

Apparently some snow was forecast and it started coming down in late afternoon. 

Get Better Brew

 

The missus feels her throat again so she's made a concoction of hot orange juice and ginger and whatnot to stave it off.

Toys in Town

I went to the monthly swapmeet in a shopping centre nearby, first time in ages. Spoke to some friendly sellers and also sold a few bits. On the rare occasion that I go to the shops in that centre, it always looks strange and empty without all the toy-filled tables.

It's not all toys; there's people selling comic strips and postcards f ex and a specialist in the kind of airplane models you used to see at travel agents' back in the day.

The mash-up below was intriguing, but the why and whatfor remained a mystery alas.

 

Bright Morning

It's a chilly morning outside; the loo window is steamed up from the warmth inside.
The sun is still low in the sky and light is streaming in.