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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

So many friends I met here...!

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

WATER VIEW WITH POLLARD WILLOW

For Alphabe - G - Gray   For Sky Watch   For Weekend Reflections
For scenic Sunday








In The Netherlands, where I lived before, they call a dyke with the piece of land 
that it surrounds - which has been won out of the sea - a "polder."  
Since 3/4 of Holland is under sea level, 
there are numerous "polders." Most definitions in English
for the word "polder"  I find inadequate
maybe because it is a Dutch invention.


The short little tree with the reflection is a pollard willow.
  Fond memories of my childhood are that I used to climb in there, after school,
and pretend that it was my little house. Pollard willows are most often found 
close to the water side.


The longer I live in California, the more apparent the difference in skies  
become to me. In the Netherlands there is 
usually a light blue or gray sky, but am happy: not today:) (for Alphabe)
and a filtered light, whereas the sky is often a stark blue in California 
and the light so much brighter.  But then, in Holland, the sun seems
extra bright after a rainy day.


So many water ways in Holland and often rain or fog, 
so it was very easy to find reflections on our 2 week trip last Fall.




***

40 comments:

Maude Lynn said...

Lovely shot!

LifeRamblings said...

such a gorgeous landscape.

Rudee said...

I love the reflection of the tree in the background. This place looks so serene.

Hootin Anni said...

Oh my gosh....that is so PRETTY!!!

A walk around OSO BAY

AJEYA RAO said...

Very interesting blog.

Stephanie V said...

Oh, that's so pretty. After the flooding in Holland in the 1950's, Dutch refugees came to Canada. I know exactly what a polder is because there was one built to create farmland by one of our rivers.

Friko said...

Pollarded willows are a landmark of the area I come from in Germany. Each and everyone of them has a preservation order slapped on it because they are of such venerable age.

Their beauty, particularly when looming out of ghostly mists, makes me weep with nostalgia.

SandyCarlson said...

Water is a dangerous beauty. Thanks for this.

NatureFootstep said...

interesting to know about the light. :)

About the fireworks. Tripod is of no use. Fireworks are moving too fast. Unless you know what garden they are sent from. But you still don´t know he hight. You need a camera with manual settings. Shutterspeed was 1/30 and Aperture 5.6. Good luck if you try again.

Leora said...

Lovely imagery - the gate, the water, the reflection, the colors of the trees...

Jeannette StG said...

Mama Z,
Thank you and wishing you a belated Happy New Year!

Life Ramblings,
Thank you-compared to the city, it si restful for the eye:)

Rudee,
Now I have lived in the L.A. area so long, I can see how tourists think how Holland is quaint -everything is so small:)

Anni,
Thank you - this is the country side of Holland...

Ajaja,
Thank you so much! And also for your visit here!

Stephanie,
So interesting -thanks for sharing about your neck of the woods! I didn't know that Dutch came to Canada after the flash flood -I came to live in Zeeland (which was hit the hardest) 5 years later.



Friko,
From which area in Germany did you come? I've lived a year in Berlin") Had no idea that these trees were protected!

Sandy,
So true about water being dangerous, there's much emphasis in the schools for children to learn to swim!



Naturefootstep,
No wonder mind didn't turn out! Have to wait till July 4 before I'll see some fireworks again, but now at least I have some ides -thanks so much:):)

Ebie said...

There is so much history I am learning about Holland. It is a beautiful country looking at your photos.

I wish I was transplanted everywhere like you. It is a wonderful experience.

Happy New Year and happy blogging.

P.S. While I was off from blogging, I never bothered to read my RSS (Blogs I follow) and that was a real treat for me.

Tracy said...

This picture would make a fabulous Jigsaw

Maggie said...

Visiting you from Alphabe Thursday and wanted to stay how much I like your photo, the reflection on the water is lovely.
Pollarded trees do look good when in full leaf but I always feel sad at their stunted look during the winter months!

storybeader said...

I love the view of your pollard. That looks like a pond to me, and with land surrounding water, sounds like it. So beautiful, even if the sky is grey! {:-Deb

Christina Klas said...

That looks like a beautiful spot! (and living in the netherlands!? You are one lucky person... That's where my family's from and I've never been!)

anitamombanita said...

It's true...the sky in California is different than in the Netherlands...I love both places!

Judie said...

What a lovely spot! Your photo is so calming and peaceful. Great shot!! Thanks for the information as well. I learned a new word!!

forgetmenot said...

Absolutely lovely. Beautiful reflection in the water, and the colors are so vibrant and bright. Mickie :)

Anonymous said...

Such a gorgeous shot!

Jeannette StG said...

Tracy,
It probably would!

Maggie,
This was taken in Oct. - still some leaves on:) have to check if I visited your post from Alphabe...

Storybeader,
It's not a lake, it's between a river and a canal in how wide it is, but the "polder" is a piece of land, surrounded by a dyke (it's in the Netherlands).

Christina,
I spent my childhood and teen years there, and then, I lived in Germany and the US. Am still Dutch:)

Anitamombanita,
Am curious -you must have traveled to a variety of countries:)

J Bar,
Yeah, especially for a city dweller like I it's serene and relaxing:)

Judie,
Am glad you like the new word:):)

Forgetmenot,
Everyone told us in Oct. that we brought our California weather with us - we also had some gray days too though.

Fiona,
I love your stunning pics, so I receive your compliment:)

Cathy Kennedy said...

What a joy it must be to have ventured other places beyond the US! I like how you captured the reflection of the tree in the water, very nice! Gray skies of winter for too long causes a gloomy shadow to form over my personality. I prefer the gay, blue skies of winter's day to chase the glum away! =D

Liz said...

Gorgeous image and reflections.

Tanya Breese said...

what a peaceful image!

Karine said...

Looks like an idyllic place :o)

Gemma Wiseman said...

A magical scene! Love the whisper of gold leaves! And the reflection seems to quietly invite a dream of forever!

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Beautiful scene. I love the meandering water and the touch of black fence. Very pretty.
Our skies and sun seem similar to those you describe of California.

Carole M. said...

beautiful photograph/scene, and your memories attached to it

Stasha said...

Beautiful reflection in the polard!

Francisca said...

If you Google "define polder" it gives the correct definition, so apparently the English language has incorporated the word. It's the sky and light in the hours after rain in Holland that are so special. Have a wonderFULL new year!

Jeannette StG said...

Cathy,
Sorry if I've given the wrong impression -I am Dutch, so for me it should be that I ventured beyond the Netherlands:) So true about the gray skies!

Liz,
Thank you:) Went to your blog and had a great time visiting!

Tanya,
That it is:)

Karine,
Wholeheartedly agree:) Thanks for you visit here!

Gemma,
Your descriptions is very poetic, Gemma!

Pieces of Sunshine,
I miss the people, but not the skies:)

Carole,
Yeah, one of those nostalgic memories:) Thanks for visiting here!

Stasha,
I was lucky with the reflection:) Thanks for your visit!

Francesca,
Thanks for you New Years wish:) Changed the text somewhat, to say what I really wanted to say, lol. Most definitions I looked up are not "correct" to me, in the sense of being an adequate description. If I had not been there, I wouldn't have known where to look for.

Jenny said...

Polder. What a lovely word. I think I might be able to win at scrabble with that word sometimes so I shall store it away.

I'd like to be sitting on that beautiful bank with a sketch pad and some watercolor pencils!

I would never do the view justice but, oh, it would be fun to try!

Jeannette StG said...

With your zest for words, I should have known this would have caught your attention!
If it had not be too cold for my now Californian bones, I would have done the same! When I went to high school, our art teacher sent us on these kind of assignments:)

Kim, USA said...

These is beautiful I so love the color. ^_^

Scenic Sunday

Tina´s PicStory said...

great shots!

Cezar and Léia said...

Bonjour!!
Thanks for sharing your memories, the "pollard willow" is different and I love the reflection.
Have a great Sunday and a nice week ahead.
Léia

H said...

Beautiful photo. In England the sky is often grey too, but it makes me appreciate the blue when it comes :)

EG CameraGirl said...

I like seeing all the green! Everything here is either white or brown. :)

Jeannette StG said...

Kim,
Thank you - most of the year, Holland is green:)

Tina,
Thank you, Friend! Have a great week!

LEIA,
Thank you so much - your comments are always so kind and encouraging! Wishing you have a good week too!

H,
Yes, I'm very spoiled here in California. When it's gray for 4-5 days people start complaining!


EG Wow,
My guess is that it stays green that long because there's so much water and rain around Holland?

Splendid Little Stars said...

lovely photo!
I'm enjoying reading your posts about Holland. I've never been and would love to go. Now I know what a polder is!