© The Cedar Journal, 2021, all rights reserved.
Tag: Spring Flowers
Overnight Camping
Sometimes living close to everything has advantages, like going camping on the whim of the moment.
We have a small nature camping 11 km from our house that is close to the beach and the North Sea. I have been wanting to test out our new tent we purchased for longer canoe trips. Last Monday the weather cooperated although a bit cooler we packed for our trip.
Since it is so close to home, we decided to use the bikes on this trip. Good exercise to kill a few COVID kilos we have gained and good for the environment as we peddled instead of using the Caddy.
As we entered Lisse, instantly it felt wrong. In April, in years past I have rode this same route day after day to my seasonal job at the Keukenhof Garden. This same route was crowded with traffic, even in the early hours of the morning. This year, with COVID closing everything it was devoid of traffic, tourist, and the normal bustle of an April tourism season. It just felt weird, other worldly.
As we got to the cycle path next to the Keukenhof Gardens, it was a bit busier with elderly cyclists and walkers but the gardens were like a ghost town. Sad, as this time of the bloom season brings over 35,000 tourists per day through the gates with thousands more coming to the area to look at the patchwork of colorful fields in bloom.
We arrived at the camp ground to find it busier than we would think for it being a Monday. The RV area was full, and we were not the only ones braving the cooler temperatures to tent camp. I had already been warned by a friend who has been out several times this year camping that areas are full. We also have seen that when we have gone online to make reservations that many places are nearly booked for the summer.
We pulled out our gear and set up our new tent. A Kelty Night Owl 3.
This location had plenty of room between tents and is located in a wooded area next to the protected sand dune natural barrier from the sea. We could hear the wooded area was alive with bird activity. We were not able to capture any of it on film as we didn’t have space enough to bring the larger camera.
We cooked a very nice meal of chicken/rice/mushroom soup.
We had a reasonably good night of sleep. I could hear all the night noises, traffic, airplanes, but also nature, foxes yipping in the sand dunes, owls hooting from their roost and we woke to a multitude of birds singing.
In the morning we reverse packed all our new gear in under a half hour and were ready for our return trip.
We said our goodbyes to the campground help and headed for home. This time through De Zilk between the flower fields.
Within an hour we were back at home for a coffee and apple pie. Gear was cleaned and repacked for our next adventure. Our spirits were renewed and refreshed.
Until our next posted adventure… stay safe and remember to “Leave no trace” when camping in nature.
© The Cedar Journal, 2021, all rights reserved.
Wordless Wednesday- Netherlands in Bloom
© The Cedar Journal, 2021, all rights reserved.
Watching Spring
We had a short escape recently to Limburg. The beady eyes are from the EMU that lives down the street from the Meen’s B&B where we stayed. I surprised myself, how just a few hours outside the house on a road trip made me feel a little less stressed about the restrictions we are still under.
The problem is that where we live is very populated. People are stacked ontop of each other. Normally the crowded conditions don’t bug me, but after a year of being mostly in our bubble of the house and garden it has me feeling a bit of “Minnesota winter cabin feverish”. We embraced the outing.
When we woke the next morning we had a light frost on the grass.
Now back in Amsterdam, the Spring season has started and I am busy with starting plants for the volunteer garden. Spring is everywhere…
The daffodils are blooming everywhere.
So the seasons change here as in the rest of the world. We are still on restrictions for at least until 23 April. Then… who knows?
Hopefully when we get our vaccination (now predicted June). A bit more freedom of movement. I would just like to walk down the sidewalk without fearing that someone will breath on me and get me sick.
We are setting our eye on our first canoe paddle for next week. Fingers crossed.
Stay safe everyone and let us know how things are in your world in our comments section as we love hearing from all our blog followers.
© The Cedar Journal, 2021, all rights reserved
March Madness for TCJ
As in most years people are glued to the TV or media screens in the USA to watch the NCAA March Madness, college basketball.
At the MSP Airport in 2019 March Madness ended in April.
Here at The Cedar Journal we have our own March Madness. In years past it has been awaiting the first day of the season to place the canoe or kayak on the water. Looking constantly at the perfect day in the forecast, the location we first want to explore, and checking supplies. You can read about those past adventures here and here and here.
This year is a bit different…
The Dutch government has extended the COVID restrictions now until 31 March. Although the government did make some minor adjustments this last week, like allowing for exercising with four people in a group outdoors instead of two; and adjusting the reservations for appointments to shop in stores, from only two persons in the store at a time so that now it is based on square meters of floor space of the store. All these changes still do not equal normal but they are small steps forward.
Suffering from my own new March madness I have been knee deep in projects. Planting seeds, making clothes and when I ran out of ideas…
I started making bias tape, pot holders and tea towels.
Somewhere in all of that I did my US taxes. Now, that is something that did drive me nearly mad. A simple tax return turned into seven pages! My question to the US Congress is why can’t we streamline the tax code? I gained a few more grey hairs on that week! Plus, I might have said a few naughty words towards Congressmen lawmakers and the IRS.
On top of everything else, I was informed via email that all mail going to the USA from the Netherlands must have a custom form filled out electronically and paid for in advance online. When I say ALL MAIL, even a birthday card or personal letters are now required such nonsense! I would send my Congressman a personal letter of complaint, but it would take four months to get there and now needs a custom form with electronic postage, WTF hassle!
Yup, March Madness has arrived at The Cedar Journal. We hope April brings calm waters and stable conditions for us and all our readers.
What is March Madness like for you? Share your thoughts in our comments below.
© The Cedar Journal, 2021, all rights reserved.
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