From Daily Dutch News in English, The International Sand Sculpture Festival begins on Saturday 25th April at Scheveningen

link to interesting Sand Sculpture Gallery which might just make it interesting enough for you to consider going to the festival in the Netherlands while you are here in Europe.

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.

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.