A TRIBUTE TO THE DUTCH

I have been anxious to post some pictures of our "Dutch" items! Two days ago, Rhiannon and I went to the annual tulip festival in Holland, Michigan. This is now becoming a yearly event for us since we loved it so much last year.

The tulips we bought last year and waited with suspense to see are finally blooming--in fact, they're almost done! This bouquet is only IN my house because they were getting to the last stage. Doesn't the arrangement match the vase perfectly? The vase was a gift from Germany given to me by a good friend and exchange student from high school days. The bluebells were transplanted from Clint's grandma's last spring. The other flowers are ones that popped out in my garden just this week.

The other picture is my latest painting. It is a very amateur rendition of the almost 200 year old authentic Netherlands windmill on Windmill Island in Holland. This was done from a photograph we took last year. Artists were there this year doing beautiful work around the island. I watched a pastel drawing of the wonderful flowers and museum being done. Windmill Island is my favorite part of the tulip festival--except for the WONDERFUL costumes that people were wearing, each from a specific province of the Netherlands. I fell in love with the colorful dresses.

I purchased some patterns while there.....a seamstress can't resist. I was especially intrigued and tried to find a costume for one certain province since I learned that my 5th or 6th great grandfather was born in Holland--a fact I had absolutely no knowledge of and would have never guessed until Rhiannon did all the genealogy this past year! I am still searching for the costume from his native province. Hope you enjoyed this little visit of color--I hope to post more pictures from our trip soon. Blessings, LORI