up or down?

I took this photo last Summer in Sweden during a hike in a nature area near Ekshärad. When we had returned home and I looked at it again on the big screen of my computer I felt strangly confused..  

So I am curious; what was your very first thought: am I going up or down here?

going round and round

Looking up inside the Der-Aa Church in Groningen, during my visit earlier this week to the World Press Photo exhibition (see yesterday's post)

World Press Photo exhibition Groningen

Groningen is one of 90 cities worldwide that hosts this year's World Press Photo exhibition. And it's location, the 'Der-Aa Kerk' - a church from the Middle Ages, really adds something special to the event.

From their website: "World Press Photo stresses the importance of photo journalism and tries to help cultivate the freedom of the press globally. The World Press Photo exhibitions are extensive and high-quality events, which invite visitors to consider some intriguing images from daily life, nature, sports, art and culture."

This was my favorite animal photo, made by Paul Nicklen, a Canadian biologist and photographer.

The exhibition here in Groningen can be visited until December 15th. For more information go -HERE-

November afternoon

Enjoying some fresh air on a grey and quiet November afternoon; this rural area in the south of the province Groningen is on a less then 15 min. drive from our house.

These signs are for bicycle trips but there are also lots of routes available if you are on foot.

Participating in Lesley's signs, signs.

apples for sale

Different kinds of apples for sale at a farm in Smeerling, a small village in the south of the province Groningen. You have to weigh them yourself, and it's a euro per kilo.

'love bench'

This eye catching bench/sculpture in the city centre of Enschede was created by Guusje Beverdam. She is a Dutch sculptor specialised in ceramic art for indoor and outdoor 'use'. Isn't it beautiful!

coffee-bike

Don't wait for your customers to come to you, but go to your customers: that's the concept for these 'coffee-bikes' from the Mobile Coffee Company. I saw it on the weekly market in the city of Enschede yesterday.

From what I found on the web it is apparently a German concept, and the fully equipped bikes can be found in various European cities like Bukarest, Munich, Berlin, Prague, and Bordeaux.

hearts and anchors

During an evening walk last Summer through the small village of Hölick, located on the Swedish peninsula Hornslandet, we passed this house. Doesn't it have a amazing view on the Gulf of Bothnia, and doesn't it have a wonderful gate/fence with all these hearts and anchors!   :)

Linking to Friday's fences #106

welcome on board

..entering Strandpaviljoen Kaap Noord ('beach restaurant Cape North'), located on the most northern point of the island Texel and open all year. THE spot for a rest with a nice hot drink after a long walk on the beach  :)

signs on Texel

Standing on the most northern point of Texel, this sign directs you either to the ferry to the islands Vlieland and Terschelling (only for passengers on foot and/or by bicycle), or to the Texel towns De Cocksdorp and De Koog. Your choice! :)

We decided to follow the path on top of the dike leading us to De Cocksdorp, meeting several sheep on the way..

Linking to signs, signs.

Nijsinghhuis

This beautifully restored 17th century state monument 'Nijsinghhuis' was the starting point for museum De Buitenplaats in Eelde, which is located next to this house. During the years 1896 and 1939 the building was a town hall.

Over time a number of spaces in the Nijsinghhuis have been painted by figurative working artists. Please note that it is not open to the public every day, please check their website -HERE- if you are interested in a visit. I hope I will have a chance one day to have a look inside!

Texel sheep

Texel is a traditional sheep farming island: the sheep population is nearly as large as the human population of 14,000. These photo's were made during a hike where we crossed the island on foot from east to west. Here the path follows a grass dike which is also 'used' by the sheep.

The sheep are bred on small scale sheep farms in the gently rolling ‘old land' of Texel. Even though they must be used to people passing them (I think), they were cautious and kept their distance.

Texel dike

Going up the dike at the east side of the island Texel, near the village of Oosterend. Unlike the west side with beaches and the North Sea, this side has a long dike to protect the island against the water of the Waddenzee.

On top of the dike, with the Waddenzee on our left..

..and this is the view onto the island seen from the dike. It is one of the more quiet places of Texel, surrounded by nature area's.

patterns

These are a few examples of the mosaic floors we saw on the Greek islands Kos and Nisyros, last October.

Imagine the many hours this must have taken to put all the thousands of small stones into place..  Impressive, don't you agree?

goods for sale

A collection of pumpkins and gourds for sale near a house in Borger. These private sales near a house or farm are very common in the country side here. Eggs, a variety of home grown vegetables, potatoes, or pumpkins in the Fall like here on the photo. It's self service, and many times there is a small box to put the money in.

 

 

'två klippare'

Another sign I photographed in Sweden last Summer, saying 'Två klippare'. Now my online translator gives me 'mower' or 'shredder' for 'klippare', but I am fairly sure it is 'Two hairdressers' here. What do you think?  ;)

Maybe the sign could use a bit of paint, but I like it anyway..

I'm linking to Lesley's signs, signs.

watching chairs

Did you ever had a feeling that you were being watched from behind? Well, you certainly will if you sit down here.  ;)

These three stand (or sit?) near the entrance of museum De Buitenplaats in Eelde.

ready for Christmas..

We passed this tree nursery with many hundreds of spruces yesterday, most of them were neatly labeled and ready to be distributed in the area. It's true, Christmas is less than 1,5 months away, I can hardly believe it! 

Maybe this one will be standing in your living room soon?

Sunday hike

With the sun shining this morning we decided to go for a hike, starting in the town of Odoorn. On many spots the trails were wet like this one, the result of heavy rains in the past days. 

Another example here on the heath, some paths were completely flooded.

But it is still beautiful out there!

straw board factory 'De Vrijheid'

Since 1875 the north east region of the Netherlands has been known for a florishing industry of producing board. Until about 1975 the base material was straw. This Delft-blue tile tableau showing the former strawboard factory 'De Vrijheid' in Veendam was made in honor of it's 50th aniversary in 1953, and according to the text on the tableau it was a gift then by the employees (in Dutch: 'aangeboden door het personeel') .

  

A lot has changed in the board industry however, and only a few of those factory's in this region still exist today, producing board from waste paper. 

The factory 'De Vrijheid' was closed in 1979. The tile tableau hangs on a wall inside the Veenkoloniaal Museum in Veendam now, as a part of a permanent exhibition about the board industry.

museum garden fence

We found this eye catching ornamental fence at the back side of the garden belonging to Museum De Buitenplaats in Eelde, which we visited last Sunday. It's lovely, isn't it?

Linking to Friday's Fences #104.

Men's Clothing

The large house in Art Nouveau style (with the yellow sunblinds) at the Brugstraat in Groningen was built in 1904-1905 by architects G. & H. Hoeksema. The owner was Lambertus de Vries Hzn, who used it as a Men's and Children's Clothing Storage (in Dutch: 'Magazijn voor Heeren- en Kinderkleeding L. de Vries Hzn.') until 1919. It had 13 rooms, which was very OK as Mr. De Vries and his wife had 9 children. 

The original wall advertisement is still there.

The colorful tiles were manufactured by tile-maker Rozenburg in The Hague, as can be read on the corner on the right.

After 1919 the building was a hostel for many years. Nowadays the rooms are in use as offices.