...and it wasn't even a full moon last night

Frasnes-lez-Anvaing

The story goes that here in the woods of Martimont a lot of small ‘creatures of the night’ hide along the path, under dead leaves, in a hollow tree stumps ... you have to watch for them carefully and beware!




Before you enter this world you should better know a magic formula to keep you away from bad luck and to protect you against the evil eye of those mysterious fellows.




Walking through the woods over the snowy meadows, the falling snow just added to the fairy tale atmosphere.





Te snow started to fall slowly but picked up as the weather worsened and swirled in the fierce merciless wind hurting our faces.
The fun seemed to be over soon.





Luckily the friendly witch led us away from those bare windy fields back into the pleasant woods.

Papa belt vanuit Spanje

Enne... papa, wat zie je daar allemaal?

Zie je daar de bakker van Sinterklaas?

Je moet een keer naar Sinterklaas bellen en je moet hem iets goeds over mij vertellen!

Can a day hike make your week?

Zulzeke

First snow

After days of frost the first snow fall has arrived!
Nothing much, but still.
I wish for more and I would like it to last until at least February!
Being unrealistic?
Well, I would be most happy if it stays at least until this afternoon so Maarten can build a snowman.

Pekař Maarten

Years ago, when I left my home country I swore that I will never cook traditional Czech food.
I've always considered it too much hassle.

So what went wrong?

Since Maarten is here we even bake the Christmas sweets together!

And lucky for me he is a big help in the kitchen really showing interest in baking.

However, working together in the kitchen may not always be a complete harmony but who can resist help from someone so enthusiastic?

Na koberečku u Mikuláše

Too bad Sinterklaas isn't accompanied by the 'real' Devil (and his dreaded sack) like Mikuláš.

The locals usually react quite surprised hearing about the Czech tradition with Devils threatening to put naughty children in the sack and take them along to hell.


During the Middle Ages, in the Netherlands they referred to the Devil as to Zwarte Piet (Black Peter).
Enslaved Zwarte Piet was also put in chains same way like the Devil who accompanies Mikuláš.

Same servant, different coat or... fur!

A tree full of memories

This pine tree in my hometown, Valcha, was chosen as the 2010 City of Pilsen Christmas Tree and will be decorated and lit in the Republic Square this holiday season.

“The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein

Once there was a giving tree who loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come to play
Swinging from the branches, sleeping in the shade
Laughing all the summer’s hours away.
And so they love,
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,
"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I’ve found?"
"I have no money," said the tree, "Just apples, twigs and leaves."
"But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree,
"I’m now a man and I must have a house that’s all my home."
"I can’t give you a house" he said, "The forest is my house."
"But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home"
And so he did.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.
"My life has turned so cold," he says, "and I need sunny days."
"I’ve nothing but my trunk," he says, "But you can cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.

And after years the boy came back, both of them were old.
"I really cannot help you if you ask for another gift."
"I’m nothing but an old stump now. I’m sorry but I’ve nothing more to give"
"I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,"
The boy, he whispered, with a weary smile.
"Well", said the tree, "An old stump is still good for that."
"Come, boy", he said, "Sit down, sit down and rest a while."
And so he did and
Oh, the trees was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.


PS: pics courtesy of Daniel Beran, MF DNES

Mastbos

Sinterklaas is in the country which means sleepless nights for us!
I was determined to keep His presence in the Low Lands secret as long as possible. How naïve!
The children (and adults) are talking about nothing else!
Last night Maarten traditionally put his shoe with a carrot close to the fireplace encouraging me to put mine as well.

After a busy Saturday I needed both of us to get a good night sleep for the planned Sunday trip to Holland but it wasn’t until 4 a.m. he finally fell asleep!





When the alarm went off at 7 o'clock I was exhausted but Maarten, as fresh as a daisy(?), ran downstairs to check his shoe.
Sinterklaas must have gone crazy! Another musical instrument!
He ought to fulfill a child’s wish I know...

Despite the broken night it was great to get together with my sister and my cute little nephews. The cold foggy forest couldn’t spoil the fun but next time we shall look for less doggy-friendly surroundings.



Not sure if the poop bags are known to the Dutch but they definitely don’t use them!






PS: our Mastbos trip through Maarten's eyes:

After the rain stopped

We have just been through some bad rainy weather with flooding near our home.
This is the swollen river Leie just down the road.

Beaver Scout Sleepover

When I heard about the weekend sleepover in November I didn’t even consider it.
It’s cold and as Maarten doesn’t mind to wear his pajama to school...
Not to mention his personal hygiene...

My folks didn’t support the idea of Maarten independency either.



But when we got reminder from the scout leader and learned that more than 50 children age 5-6 have already been enrolled I started considering it.
It was only then I actually asked Maarten.
He was overenthusiastic!

So I rushed to the nearby outdoor store to buy the obligatory military cot. Together with Maarten we packed his bag including Oušík the Monkey.


Friday night we dropped him off at the scout shed in Wetteren, half an hour drive from our home.






When I saw the steep stairs leading to the attic where they were supposed to sleep I fell speechless. I’m not a fan of staircases in general but this was rather a ladder than a staircase!



I wish they’d stay in a tent!


The first night, I admit, I didn’t get much sleep.
Nothing to do only hoping we will not get a phone call from the leaders. Otherwise, everything should be just fine.

But Saturday night, when I finally gained some confidence the dreaded phone call came.

Luckily the news wasn’t that bad.

As heavy rain continues the whole weekend the meadow surrounding the shed gets badly flooded and they have to break camp a little earlier.

Awww! That's a shame.
But, honestly, I can’t wait to pick him up!

PS: pic courtesy of De Havik

"De slechte collectioneur"

Maarten’s school is working on a cultural project dedicated to the Belgian artist Roger Raveel and his work. The children worked diligently on their drawings inspired by Raveel’s paintings.
Their work was printed as postcards and now being offered for sale to support the school project.


PS: Despite the heavy rain Maarten walked around our neighborhood trying to sell his postcards.
(pic taken by his 'paparazzi' mom).

Eifel (29 October - 5 November)

The German Eifel, just across the Belgian border is a sparsely populated area with a pretty gentle landscape of wooded hills, many old-fashioned towns and romantic castle ruins.




We used to come here quite often when we lived in Brussels, but even now it’s only three hours drive.
We come here for the beautiful nature, especially the forests but Maarten was particularly interested to see the volcanoes that the area was plagued by in the past.
Well, he had to use some or a lot of imagination here. Too bad he doesn’t remember the active volcanoes he saw in the States.

We did some hiking around the town of Gerolstein where bold volcanic rocks and dry crater surrounded by lava is good visible as well as the outstanding coral reefs. It's hard to imagine that this area was largely under the sea 360 million years ago.


Maarten was very happy with the colorful play center and even more with the pool, but one sleepless night because of ear pain was just enough.




But our stay in Eifel was really all about the outdoors.






We are lucky Maarten always enjoys our trips. He is raised to foster his love for the great outdoors. However, it’s a continuous challenge to find trips and places with diverse nature and activities.





Being ‘chased’ out of the forest by the hunters and their dogs brought already some excitement to our climbing around the picturesque Heimbach.




But the homemade pea soup by the monks of Mariawald Abbey and especially the supersized sausage made this trip truly memorable.

Off to Eifel...

remembering our Halloween anniversary and trying to move on.

Lahamaide: Promenade de la croix philosophe

There was not much of an opportunity to philosophize as the guide pamphlet suggested. Maarten, traditionally obsessed with corn cobs collecting, cut his fingers with a sharp-edged corn leaf.




Then this black and white icy eyed cat followed him all the time and "creatures of the night" were waiting in the woods.
Also the sky was cooperating very well ready to swallow us whole.



No idea what was wrong with the cows mooing very loudly.
Were they haunted too?