If you have enjoyed visiting this site Old Fart Expats – which has the stories of our adventures as two older people working, living and travelling in the Netherlands, and in Europe, then please consider checking my other site which is about my designer and knitter life.

I know I have mentioned such things as ball warmers and trees with scarves – so you do have some idea of my other life. But that is the outrageous nearly knit art graffiti life – oh and we are planning an installation maybe on April 1st – April Fools Day. I don’t know if that is a term used here in the Netherlands so the installation may not benefit from that as it might in New Zealand or in the UK. It does depend on completing the piece and it will not be in Haarlem. Just in case I forgot to mention this – the Haarlem Balls are nearly back. They are waiting to be installed once more. So maybe on Queens Day – will that be a good day for an installation here in Haarlem? Will keep you posted on that one.

But I am also a bona fide knit designer and I am also thinking of a sculpture – metal piece with knitted wire (thin wire). The creation of it could be very hard on the hands – but I have discovered of late that anything is achievable should you think of it then you can do it.

I digress again.

If you are a knitter, or want to be a knitter. If you love colour work, or just love colour – maybe exploring my designer knit site Connielene Knit Designer will stir in you the need to knit again or to learn to knit if you do not yet, or just might enjoy some of the stories there as well. I do also have 2 etsy shops which I add patterns and pieces to as I am able to. There are a few beret and cape patterns should you be interested. The links to Connielene Etsy shop is here as well as the link to Unique Boutique Knits where my patterns and other pieces are available.

Oh and if you also use Facebook then I would love it if you would “like” my page there as well ConnieLene Unique Designs & Knits

We all need fans in our lives, I hope you will “like” my facebook page there enough to be a fan – the old Facebook parlance – they do keep on changing things. But if you like it please tick it – Thanks

Queens Day / Koninginnedag : or is it Orange Crazy Day?

Orange Boat - orange guests

April 30th – Queen’s Day is a national holiday here in the Netherlands. It is a celebration for the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands (Queen Juliana’s birthday). The date has been retained as Queen Beatrix birthday is in January – not good weather for a party in all the streets of the Netherlands.

And it is a big street party, everything is Orange for the House of Orange, and everyone can sell anything they wish to anyone else.

So it is a birthday celebration, a freemarket, street party, costume party, Orange Fest. Bring something orange to wear if you are here on April 30th, or buy something orange to remember the day with.

We have taken down the scarf – it took longer than our estimated 5 seconds and we left the scarf hanging over the tree supports for someone who needs a newish scarf. There are spring bulbs showing their new leaves already, and some are in flower. I don’t know the flower and have taken a photo – so will post the photo and name when I know what it is.

Best Beloved did take a video – but the camera locked somehow and the video didn’t process so no video recording. He really did do a great dramatic rave as I snipped the threads to remove the scarf. We have learned something from our previous videos. It is a shame it will not be heard.

So you will just have to imagine it – 2 oldies marching across the park, a tree wearing a fashion scarf, a tiny pair of very sharp scissors, a sunny day, a park with quite a few people in it and we just calmly snipped the threads and removed the scarf – no reaction.

Next winter we will need something bigger if we wish to attract any sort of attention, but then I am not sure that was the intention. I think I was concerned we would attract attention and have to explain ourselves to some authoritative figure. How do you explain this activity. I really don’t know.

I was sent an email about knit art graffiti,

I saw several cold trees in a park on a bitterly cold day, with much snow on the ground.

I had a number of scarves

2 and 2 make scarves on trees. HHHmmmmm don’t know how we would have managed any authoritative attention.

I do hope someone likes the scarf and wears it.

Our tree in Kenaupark in Haarlem, on installation day on January 10th 2010. A beautiful cold crisp day and a beautiful young tree.

Best Beloved and I have been several times over these weeks to check the tree, and to check for the continuing presence of the scarf. As late as yesterday (Saturday 6th March in Haarlem), the scarf was still there. Now we think we should disrobe the tree. (or is that dis scarf, or descarf? probably not)

We have seen the tree in its scarf – in many conditions – very wet, covered in snow, bright against the snow and frosty. Today it is in bright bright sunshine on a gorgeous Sunday in Haarlem, the temperature being around 1 degree according to Accuweather

Wet Tree & Scarf in Haarlem Park

The canals are hovering towards freezing again and for a brief time this morning the bird restaurant was in the sun.

We have had a lot of fun with the tree and scarf. It is interesting that we have received helpful comments from all over the world regarding our exploits here. But there has only been one direct comment from a Dutch person about this tree and its scarf. Thank you Camiel

So in the early afternoon we shall take our tools – (one pair of scissors) and snip the single thread that keeps the scarf from sagging unfashionably down the trunk, and then a couple of snips along the length of the scarf and it will be over. It might take 5 seconds maybe, and maybe our camera will manage the shortest video ever taken in the world.

I don’t know what we will do next winter to brighten our days as we will have to think of something else, because the Great Balls of Haarlem have been removed, and we do not know if they will return, and I am not planning to knit scarves for trees next year. So it will have to be something absolutely new and different.

Maybe the snow is really getting to us.

Last Sunday, John and the camera, me and 3 scarves, and a threaded needle went out into our park to a group of 3 trees that we had decided needed to be warmer. All the scarves were too narrow to be attached to the chosen three – so we walked around the park and found a slender young tree and I sewed a scarf lengthwise to it. The tree had looked really cold – like really really cold. It looks cosy now and not at all startled by this new event.

I don’t know that this is knitted graffiti – and it was a bit stressful, and fun, and very odd. I am thinking about that – maybe it wasn’t really odd – maybe we are a bit odd – I don’t know. One young couple came to check on us and seemed quite happy that the tree was now warmer. They hail from Australia and live virtually around the corner from us. The locals (I am presuming Dutch) just walked by.

Because it was a bit stressful I asked my very odd friends and family if I should go and retrieve the scarf before I am taken away – unanimously the answer was no.

So bowing to public pressure the tree still has the scarf on it and it looks great.

One thing we had not considered when we carried out this act is that we can actually see the tree from our house.

And I watch and noone pauses, rushes over, or even does a sideways glance as they go by. Maybe there are other trees in the Netherlands wearing their own scarves so that the locals think it is quite normal.

I have been back to talk to my tree – you can see how our relationship has changed – now it my tree, and I can tell you that the dogs consider a tree wearing a fashion scarf unusual. How do I know this – the snow around the tree is pristine white – no yellow snow here.

But of course this scarf is free for the taking by anyone who wishes it. Just like those that I hung on the railing outside our little steeg.

I had so many hand knitted scarves here, comes from being a crazy knitter – that I hung 5 outside our little steeg on the railing along side the road, and 2 on the bridge railing close by in early December when the weather turned and it became really really bitter and cold.

I wondered if anyone would take them as they were clearly there to be freely taken.

And noone did for several weeks.

Then they all suddenly went – all bar one.

My son came from Switzerland for Christmas arriving on Christmas Eve. He came in with the remaining scarf aloft – saying I think this is one of yours, you must have dropped it and someone hung it over the railing. That scarf has now gone with him to Switzerland.

I hope the rest went to good homes and keep someone warm and that the colour and the yarns brightened the day.

On the day before Christmas Eve we also took lots of scarves to de Schalm – about 25 in all. Thank goodness they are gone and I now have space for my new knitting here.