About Me

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Antwerp, Belgium
Welcome to the new, and improved version of Heaven in Belgium. I am Jientje. "Jientje", like the boys name Gene, followed by "chu"? "Gene-chu", that's how you pronounce my name. Yes!!!!That's it!! So now you know huh? I am an addicted blogger. I was born and raised and am still living in Belgium. Yeah, the "this-is- Tuesday-so-this-must-be-Brussels" kind of Belgium .. There, you see? Maybe you couldn't find it on the map, but at least I'm trying to change that a little by sharing lots of pictures. I really love to cook and create new things, like this blog for instance. I am a mother,a grandmothe and a wife too! They say I'm a traveler, and a photographer. Well that's just what they say, I love to make pictures, but I am far from professional ... If my English is not perfect, that would be because it's my second language. I do hope you'll forgive me any possible misspellings or strange vocabulary ... Now, as a result of all of the above, I get way too little sleep and my days are always much too short!

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Heaven is in Belgium

Friday, June 11, 2010

Sunshine and Flip Flops

Cool drinks, flip flops and a swimming pool.
Sunshine and blue skies,
smiling faces
Red poppies and lavender fields
crickets on a hot summer’s evening
French “joie de vivre” …

… that’s what’s on my mind right now.

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This blog is taking a vacation.
The French Provence is waiting for me.
See you in two weeks!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Sepia Scenes, Boutis Quilting

 

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Today is my quilting class. I’m making this little heart shaped boutis. Boutis is a French Provençal needlework and quilting technique. Click this link for a video how it’s done.

 

 

Sepia Scenes is hosted by Mary the Teach.
Visit my other blog, Heavenin365 for a photo a day with the Canon D40.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Midweek Blues, Laundry Day

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Only one picture today, but it’s a favorite of mine. I love the colors and the light, and I love how it came out looking like a painting from an old Master.
I took it at Bokrijk Museum park last time we were there.

 

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Play along with Midweek Blues!
Colors, moods, music, poetry...be as creative as you like!
Midweek Blues is hosted by Rebecca at the Dusty Cellar.

Visit my other blog, Heavenin365 for a photo a day with the Canon D40.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Ruby Tuesday, Right Down to the Slightest Detail …

 

 

A medieval festival was being held in Deurne near Antwerp this weekend. Almost a thousand participants from all over the world were gathered here this weekend.
For two days they slept, worked and lived as they would have during the middle ages.

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Their costumes were accurate right down to the tiniest details.

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Shoes …

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spectacles

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musical instruments

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even the dog’s leach was exactly how it would have been in the old days.

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They even prepared

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and presented their food as seen on old paintings.
Not a lot of anachronisms were spotted.

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except for the odd cell phone perhaps? 

 

You can see more pictures from this event in this post.
Ruby Tuesday is hosted by Mary the Teach at Work of the Poet.
Visit my other blog, Heavenin365 for a photo a day with the Canon D40.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Macro Monday, Food … Glorious Food!

 

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My friend Annie and I love to cook. About three or four times a year we get together, dig up some interesting recipes and spend an afternoon in the kitchen to prepare a gourmet menu. This is what we made a couple of weeks ago.

 

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A little appetizer made of zucchini filled with bacon and goat’s cheese.

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Appetizer number two : scampi with pink grapefruit, arugula and ginger.

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The entree, langoustines and asparagus.

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Lamb chops with a basil sauce

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and as a dessert we had a vanilla bavarois with balsamic vinegar and chocolate sauce.

 

 

Macro Monday is hosted by Lisa at Lisa’s Chaos.
Visit my other blog, Heavenin365 for a photo a day with the Canon D40.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Weekly Winners, War and Peace

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Life was peaceful

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There was music …

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food was abundant …

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business and trading was prosperous

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Life was good until …

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All of a sudden there was a rumor.

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There was going to be a war.
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Things started to change.

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The men were getting ready for the battle.

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The battle was fierce.

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Everybody joined forces to defend their land.

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A lot of men were wounded, some even died.
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The fight was hard, the men were exhausted,

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but in the end the enemy was defeated and peace was restored.


These pictures were taken yesterday at the medieval festival in Deurne, near Antwerp.
More Weekly Winners at I am Lotus.
Visit my other blog, Heavenin365 for a photo a day with the Canon D40.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Friday’s Fave Five, Boats and Blue Skies

 

 

FFF spring

 

I can’t believe it’s Friday again, this week seems to have whizzed by almost as fast as a vacation does. Only one more week before we leave on holiday to France! Yaaay!
We’ve had some sun and some rain here in Belgium, but I have enjoyed the sunny days to the fullest. 

Fave Five June 4th

1. A day off with my hubby. My husband needed to be in Ostend for his work and at the spur of the moment I decided to drive along with him. While he was working I made a long photo walk and after that we took the rest of the day off together. 
It was such a gorgeous day to be out and about at the beach and there were countless photo opportunities!
2. Walking barefoot in the sand at the beach, and feel the warm sand between my toes. A real Summer feeling.
3. The fresh fish and shrimp I bought at the fish market. Fresh fish straight from the fishing boats, delicious!
4. Fresh asparagus and biological vegetables straight from the farmer. Nothing compares.

 

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5. Yesterday was a very busy day as well. The Boutis quilting class I took in the morning went great. Boutis quilting is a lovely needlework technique, you can make such pretty things. I’m making a heart shaped hanger, a slightly different one from the one pictured above. At the end of the afternoon I had my pedicure appointment and my youngest sister came over for coffee after lunch. We don’t live close enough to each other to be able to pop over for coffee any time we want to, but she needed to be in the neighborhood for her work. It took her three hours to get home again due to traffic jams and such but it was worth it she said!

As you can see I had a lovely week, packed with all kinds of fun stuff!
How was yours?

Friday’s Fave Five is hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.
Visit my other blog, Heavenin365 for a photo a day with the Canon D40.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Sepia Scenes, The Fugitive

 

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He knew they would come after him and he’d have to shoot his way out. 

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He had gotten rid of his costume, stolen a gun and was trying to escape from his army camp.

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He did not make it very far. Soon they were after him. 
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It did not take long before he was arrested …

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… and escorted back to camp. He knew he would probably pay for this with his life.

 

Sepia Scenes is hosted by Mary the Teach.

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