Friday's Fave Five

Friday's favourite five, time to reflect on the week that has passed.
It's going to be very hard picking only five again this week.
It's been a wonderful week.

1. The weather
As I write this I look outside and see another bright sunny morning.
It has been like this all week!
Now, if you lived in Belgium, you'd know that this IS something to be grateful for.

2.The Daffodils and Primulas are in bloom. I love their vibrant colours on my patio.
Buzzy busy bumble bees are gathering pollen from the Pussy Willow flowers.
I spotted the first ladybug of the season...
The Great Tits are trying to make up their mind about which nest to choose.
Wonderful wonderful Spring ...

(Click to enlarge)

3. Spring always seems to give me so much energy.
I painted my kitchen ceiling last week.
It involved a hell of a lot of work, but I'm very happy with it!

(click to enlarge)

4. On Tuesday I had a little St.-Patrick's day celebration of my own.
I went for a photo walk in Antwerp when I came across this pub.
There was a sign outside that said they had Irish Stew on the menu.
It was noon, and I was hungry, so I decided to try it.
There was a delightful ambiance with Irish music I enjoyed so much.
The lady of the house told me how her Irish grandmother used to peel potatoes so thinly the peels that came off were translucent.
The stew was delicious, and so was the dark velvety Guiness I had with it.

(click to enlarge)

5. The best news of the week was an invitation by a befriended blogger friend.
I'm sooooo looking forward to cook for them in that kitchen of hers!

A wonderful week ...

Visit Suzanne's place and read all about other people's Fave Fives!

Macro Monday and a Secret Wish

Before I show you my Macro Monday post, there is something I want to talk about.
You see, there is this secret wish on my "bucket list".
But in keeping it secret, there's no chance it's ever going to come true, so there ...

My wish is to maybe one day meet some of the friends I've met in this blogosphere.
Welcoming you in Belgium and showing my country would be one step,
another one would be to travel and meet people myself.
One of the places to be to meet a lot of bloggers is the upcoming BlogHer event in Chicago, in July. I would love to be there, but I need to know one thing before I can take further steps.
Is anybody I know going to be there too?
Or am I going to end up a little duckling in a sea of strange people?
After all, it is a big strange city, and I would have to travel alone?
Can anyone advise me on a place to stay that does not cost an arm and a leg?
What paperwork do I need to get to travel to the States?
Is there anybody out there who can help me with this? It would mean so much to me?


And now for my Macro Monday post.
Pussy Willows.
First signs of Spring.
I have never before witnessed their week by week development from that close.
It's amazing what your camera can see that you don't.

The first ones are taken a couple of weeks ago.



Some weeks later some kind of yellow sheen started to appear.



Another couple of days later ...






Dozens and dozens of tiny little flowers!
Gorgeous huh?
I never knew?


Find more Macro Monday pictures at Lisa's Chaos.

Now, don't go just yet!!
I have to ask you one more little favour ?

Have you enjoyed my Scavenger Hunt pictures I published earlier this week? In case you haven't seen them, they're here. They're a great way to get to know Belgium and the way we live a little better. If you like them, would you do me a favour?
Would you vote for them please?
You can cast your vote here.
Would you?

Awwww, thanks!

Weekly Winners , Dancing on the Ceiling

Yesterday was D-day.

Or should I say P-day ?

Painting my kitchen ceiling is a heavy duty chore I had been procrastinating for much too long.

It involves a lot of "stuff" to be cleared out.

Oooh, I have way too much stuff!

One needs tape and tools...

and hubby also needs his tools ...

And then you'll end up clearing up the tools hubby left there

as well as getting the paint job done!

*sigh*

One will need some " stress food" ...

and a little Pastis break

Taping ...

And still manage to take some "artsy" pictures in between it all.

On request: this is how I looked when the job was done. Ahum.

Yep. But I did use paint brushes too, in case you're wondering!

Update!

For those of you who requested an after shot, here it is!
Oohhh okay then ...


Can you see how much it needed to be done?
I did the painting yesterday, and spent most of today cleaning and putting everything back where it belonged. It was a hell of a job, but it's done, and I love it.

Now, don't go just yet!!
I have to ask you a little favour ?

Have you enjoyed my Scavenger Hunt pictures I published earlier this week? In case you haven't seen them, they're here. They're a great way to get to know Belgium and the way we live a little better. If you like them, would you do me a favour?
Would you vote for them please?
You can cast your vote here.
Would you?

Awwww, thanks!





Click here to visit Sarcastic Mom's and find the other Weekly Winners players.

Friday's Fave Five, a Rewarding Week

Friday again, time to reflect on the week that has passed.
Some of the best things happened to us this week, it's been a week of accomplishment.

1. My husband got an important promotion this week, and I'm very very happy for him.
He has put huge dedication into his work since the day he started working there about four years ago. We had suffered major set backs before -not through his fault though- and I always have had a huge admiration for the way he has dealt with it. The past years have not been easy for either of us, but all the hard work seems to pay off and starting Monday he's going to be able to do the kind of job he has aspired all his life. He has earned it, and I'm proud of him.

2. This blog and the things I learn through blogging. I started this blog to educate myself in English language. I have tried to raise the bar a little higher each day.
Like the barre in the ballet class I used to attend as a young girl, pushing my own boundaries and limitations. Reaching for a higher level, and the triumph of attaining it.
Yesterday's post was all about that. Your comments and support give me wings.

3. The Kreativ Blogger award.
Paz gave me one some time ago, and it's been gathering dust in my archives for some time until Libby bestowed me with it again yesterday.
Thanks girls, receiving an award really means a lot to me. It means that somehow in my own humble way, I make a difference to some people, and that's a wonderful feeling.



I am going to pass it on to some of the people who have made a difference to me in this blogosphere.
They have made me explore and push my limits, they are role models to me.

- Quilly: Her clever way with words has made me reach for dictionaries ever since I met her.
- Lisa: Her stunning (macro) photography has inspired me to try harder each week.
- Mary The Teach who has made me explore Photoshopping skills with her Sepia Scenes.
- Secretagentmama: Where great words and amazing photography go hand in hand.
- Louceel: He has me googling interesting things all the time when I'm reading his blog. I have a deep admiration for his writing skills.
- Lilacspecs. She's the one who dragged me into English blogging in the first place.
I know some of them don't care for awards, but I'm giving them anyway, as a way to say thank you. All of these people are role models to me, in photography as well as in writing.

4. A compliment for my hairdo.
New shoes ( Yay!!! a girl and her shoes huh? )
Some more weight loss ... It made me feel like a million dollars!

5. A new recipe I tried this week. It was a papillote of seafood and it was delicious!!
You can find the recipe here if you're interested.



(Click to enlarge the collage.)

It's been a great week as you can see.
A lot of happy moments to cherish.

Find more Fave Five's at Susanne's Living to tell the Story.

Fave Five

Time to reflect on the week that has passed and share five favourite things from it.


1.There was the return of the sparrows. I don't think I've seen it happen before, but they have been gone for a couple of weeks this year. It was probably a little bit too cold here.
I really really missed their quarrels at the birdfeeder. But they're back!


2. Had tea with a friend yesterday afternoon. It's nice to have someone dropping in in the middle of the afternoon and share the latest news and gossip!

3. My favourite TV program is back. It's the Belgian edition of "my restaurant", and I love watching it. Some of the participants have an awful lot to learn still. It will be interesting to watch their progress throughout the series.

4. The Hyacinth on my kitchen table. It was supposed to be a blue one according to the label,
but it turned out pink. I think I told you about that one last week didn't I? Well, here it is, as pink as pink can be! But it smells great!

5. A good night's sleep. I was wondering why on earth I was feeling so tired until I noticed it was WAY past midnight already!! I like to get up early in the morning, it's time to get the lights out!


Click here to find more Fave Five participants at Suzanne's blog.

J for Jientje

Libby hated to do it, she said ... but she did it anyway.
She tagged me with this meme.
Here are the rules ...

1. Copy the questions from my post and paste them in a new post on your blog. Then type over my answers with yours.
2. Use the first letter of your first name to answer ALL of the following questions.
3. If the first letter of your name is the same as mine, use your middle or last name.
4. You CANNOT use any word twice, and you CANNOT use your own name for the boy/girl questions.
5. After you are done, tag 5 people.......

So, here we go:

1. What is your name?: Jientje. People often ask me how they should pronounce it.
Like the boy's name Gene, followed by "chu". "Gene-chu", that's how you say my name.
2. A four-letter word: joke
3. A boy's name: John
4. A girl's name: Joanne
5. An occupation: a janitor
6. A colour: Jade. Or would you prefer "Jaune de Joucas"?
Some of my early readers might remember this. I did this meme before.
It was in my early blogging days and I could not think of any colour starting with a J, so I made this one up!



7. Something you wear: .Jeans There's a sale going on at my local jeans store. Maybe I should buy a new one. I've lost some weight lately and I can remove the one I'm wearing now without even opening the zipper!!
8. A Food: Jumping Jackets, it's a recipe I've found with jacket potatoes and chicken. Click on the link to see the recipe. I thought the name was kind of cute and the recipe looks delicious, maybe it's worth a try huh?
9. Something found in the bathroom: Jill Sander bodylotion. I think it has been there for fifteen years, and I don't even like it. Maybe it's time to say goodbye to it.
10. A place: Joucas, it's a little village in the south of France near Gordes and Roussillon.
Click this link for a little virtual tour of this beautiful place.
It's certainly going to be on my visiting list this summer.
11. A reason for being late: just as I wanted to leave the house the phone rang.
12. Something you shout: Jeeeez!
13. A movie title: Jaws. One, two Three, Three D, you name 'm!
13. Something you drink: Juice
15. An animal: a jaguar
16. A song title: Just the way you are, by Billy Joel, or Barry White. I love both versions.
17. A verb: to jump

That's it from me today.
I'm breaking rule number five though.
While I love doing meme's, I don't mind BEING tagged but I hate to tag someone.
Feel free to pick it up if you feel like it, just let me know so I can visit you, okay?

Photo Hunt Thankful

This week's theme for Photo Hunt is "thankful"




I'm thankful for all the happy things, great and small, happy and sometimes sad ...
that have made my life what it is now.

Find more Photo Hunt players here

Fave Five Little Every Day Happy Stuff

Time to look back and reflect on the good things from the past week.

1. Home baked bread. I love to bake my own bread. It's been a while since I last baked one until last night, when I realized how I had missed it. It's aroma slowly spreading through the whole house while it's in the oven. The rustic look of it when I put it on my wooden cutting board.
That crunchy crust, and the taste of that first slice when you have hardly given it the time to cool down thoroughly... It needs nothing more.
Hmmm, unless ... some real butter, some marmalade or home made jam ... strawberry jam mmm yes! A hand cut thick slice of that bread, with some Parma ham, a little salad on the side and some mustard and pickled onions to go with it? I think it would be a great idea for lunch!
Eww, I must be hungry? Or seen to many Nigella Lawson cooking shows on television this week?

2. The days are definitely getting a lot longer now. The last day of February already today, now where has that month gone to? March will be on the calendar as of tomorrow.
Next week is the tenth week of the year, and for some reason, I don't know why that week has always been some sort of wake up call, when new energy starts to flow. I think I carry the genetic heritage of a hedgehog inside of me! Oh well, it could be worse!

3. Coffee. Yeah I KNOW I talked about coffee last week too, but that was about the first coffee in the morning, which is very different to the coffee I treat myself to some time in the afternoon.
That's when I make myself a little espresso. My latest treat is some foamed up milk to top it off.
I add some flavour to the milk, ( cinnamon, vanilla, sweetener, or that new orange - star anise sugar I bought yesterday) heat it in the micro wave and stir it with my aerolatte milk frother.
( You can find recipes through this link)
It works great to get a terrific low fat creamy layer on top of the coffee! Yum!


( You can click to enlarge this collage)


4. The new things I learn through blogging. I learn something new every day, and I love that.
Sometimes I have to Google stuff I don't quite understand, but that's what makes it interesting.
It can be fun! Having to Google stuff sometimes makes me feel stupid, but then I discover that I am not the only one to never have heard of "a dog and pony show" before.
But I'm afraid it will still take some time before I'll be able to participate in Quilly's Three Word Challenge though! Or do a Haiku, or a 100 word challenge ... **Sigh**
Still. I've come this far, and I'm grateful for what I learn each day.

5. I was feeling a little lonely yesterday, so what does a girl do? Yes, I went shopping at the mall! Not that I spent that much money, nor did I spend it on clothes.
I ended up in one of those shops for foodies like Oil and Vinegar, and a trendy tableware shop.
I KNOW I do not NEED more new plates, but I could not resist, besides, they were a steal!
Beautiful plates always inspire me to create a new recipe to use them for.



Mind you, these are just a few highlights of the week that has passed.
There was also that deliciously creamy Veal Goulash I made, the Blue Tits inspecting the nest on my patio, the blue Hyacinth I bought and it turns out to be pink, the first good lace design I have finished this week ( No, no pictures of that just yet, I'm building up some tension here!)

Find other people's Fave Five's at Suzanne's, on Living to tell the story.

Weekly Winners, Home and Homely ...

There were many great moments this week.

First signs of Spring.

Lounging ...

Cosy.

Reflections in a tea pot.

Breakfast

but not at Tiffany's.

Domed food.

Done.

And last, but not least...

Home is where the heart is ...

Find more Weekly Winners pictures at Lotus' blog, the homeblog of Weekly Winners.