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

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Midweek Blues, Underwater World

 

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I experimented with the aquarium setting on my camera. I would have wanted them a little bit more clear, but still … 

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Have you ever seen a smiling fish?

 

Play along with Midweek Blues. Post a picture with a little or a lot of blue in it and join the fun at the Dusty Cellar.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Ruby Tuesday, the Flower Arrangement

 

 

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My daughter gifted me this flower arrangement when she visited me last weekend. Isn’t it lovely?  It’s always such a pity when beautiful flowers wither, so I thought the best way to preserve its beauty is to take pictures while it’s still fresh and share them on my blog.   

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More Ruby Tuesday pictures at Mary’s Work of the Poet.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Sepia Scenes, Still Life with Egg Basket

 

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The furniture inside the houses at Bokrijk Museum Park is decorated with old kitchen utensils like this wired egg basket for instance.
The glass object is not a bottle, it’s an old fly catcher.

 

Sepia Scenes is hosted by Mary the Teach.

Midweek Blues, Bokrijk Museum Park

 

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One of the keepers of the houses at Bokrijk Museum Park.

 

Play along with Midweek Blues. Post a picture with a little or a lot of blue in it and join the fun at the Dusty Cellar.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Ruby Tuesday, Windmill Sails

 

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Windmill at Bokrijk Museum Park. I love the red edge on its sails, it makes a perfect Ruby Tuesday picture, don’t  you think? 
Ruby Tuesday is hosted by Mary the Teach at Work of the Poet.  

Monday, September 20, 2010

Macro Monday, Giant Fungi

 

 

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On one of our recent bike trips we discovered these giant fungi. It was huge.  

It was just perfect for a Macro Monday photo shoot!

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Macro Monday is hosted by Lisa at Lisa’s Chaos.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Friday’s Fave Five,Where Has the Week Gone to?

 

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Where has this week gone to? I’ve been very busy lately,  so busy that I hardly found the time to post on my blog. But I don’t want to miss out on Friday’s Fave Five, the meme which makes us look back and share some of the highlights of the week that has passed.

 

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1. My Hubby was home early on Thursday evening, and he had no appointments on Friday, which made for a very LONG weekend for us to enjoy. But long weekends seem to whizz by even faster!
2. The bike ride we made on Saturday. We rode through heath land and the scenery was breathtaking. This time I had not forgotten my camera so I took some photos, but they don’t do it justice. The pink landscape was a lot prettier in real life than my photos turned out to be!
3. Mushrooms. One of the things I like about Fall. I love to photograph them, but I like to eat them as well, well, … store bought ones that is!
4. At the moment my house is filled with the lovely aromas of the brown veal stock I am making. It takes twelve hours of gentle simmering before I can strain it and let it cool down. I’m going to deepfreeze small portions of it and it will give some real depth of flavor to my sauces this Winter.  
5. We visited my Mom and spent a lovely afternoon with my sisters and the rest of the family on Wednesday. Nine people at my Mom’s dinner table and she loved it! I’m really glad my Mom is doing so well after her surgery!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Ruby Tuesday, The Cook and the Stove

 

 

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Bokrijk Museum Park is more than just any museum. It’s a place where daily life in the 1900’s really comes alive, thanks to the reenactment scenes of the actors and the keepers of the houses. I loved how this lady was cooking a real meal on that old coal stove. It was almost noon and the aromas of baked chicken and apple sauce filled the whole house and made us very hungry!

 

Ruby Tuesday is hosted by Mary at Work of the Poet.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Weekly Winners, Bokrijk Museum Park

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Some of my favorite pictures taken last Sunday at Bokrijk Museum Park, 
all about daily life a hundred years ago…

 

 

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Weekly Winners is hosted by Lotus, AKA Sarcastic Mom at I am Lotus.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Friday’s Fave Five, A very Special Birthday

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Friday today, one of my favorite days of the week. Time to reflect on and count our blessings and share them through this meme, hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

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1. A special birthday. It was my daughter’s birthday last Wednesday. She’s still vacationing in Spain, so we did not get to celebrate together yet, but we will soon.
Still, a daughter’s birthday is a special day for the mother too, right?
2. Last weekend was a bright and sunny weekend, so for the last time this year ( most probably) we were able to eat outside. We had to stay inside most of the month of August, so yeah, eating outside is a big treat for us!  
3. We went to Bokrijk Museum Park for the last time this season. I love it there!
4. New shoes. Two pairs of shoes and a pair of boots. Aaahh, a girl and her shoes, right? Need I say more?
5. A couple of good bargains. I love it when shopping does NOT cost an arm and a leg. I was able to find my new shoes and a new Winter outfit at reasonable prices.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Midweek Blues, At the Photographer’s

 

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Every detail had to be just right before the photographer could make a picture.
Taking a picture used to involve a lot more work than it does now in this digital era!

 

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Play along with Midweek Blues. Post a picture with a little or a lot of blue in it and join the fun at the Dusty Cellar.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Macro Monday, Buzz Buzz …

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“A bee is never as busy as it seems; it's just that it can't buzz any slower.”
~ Kin Hubbard ~

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Macro Monday is hosted by Lisa at Lisa’s Chaos.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Friday’s Fave Five, Scottish Festival

 

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It’s THAT day of the week again, it’s Friday and time to look back on the week that has past and share some of the highlights.
Friday’s Fave Five is hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

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September already, officially it’s still Summer, but it’s starting to look – and smell – a lot like Fall this past week.

1. Our weekly market is held on Saturdays so I took my shopping basket and went out to buy some fresh produce like fruits and vegetables. I also bought a roasted chicken which made a super easy and delicious Saturday lunch!
2. The Scottish Festival and Highland games we attended.
3. Guinness on draught. My favorite non Belgian beer! Yummie!
4. The little notes my husband leaves behind for me. 
5. First day of school. I’m taking cooking classes this year. Our first meeting was yesterday and it looks like it’s going to be fun. 

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Midweek Blues, First Day of School

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It’s the first day of school here in Belgium, so I dug into my archives to try to find an appropriate illustration. This classroom with its wooden benches looks a lot like the one I remember from my childhood.

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Play along with Midweek Blues. Post a picture with a little or a lot of blue in it and join the fun at the Dusty Cellar.

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