Sunday, August 24, 2008

A water garden?

Ah, the challenges of having a home built right in the water...


We have no back garden. Our only 'garden' is a couple of window boxes hanging from the balcony of our French doors. I must admit with my desire to have autumn begin, I have been neglecting my flowers and they are in desperate need of dead heading. This photo is taken from our bedroom window early morning looking down so the Spanish daisies are still closed.


It is pleasant to look out and see a sea of flowers from the living room. This area is simple to clean as you can open the doors but it is not so simple to clean the windows of the dining area or the upstairs bedrooms. So how do we clean them? The answer is not often. It means Jos hanging out of the window to reach far enough. It is easier than our last home in this neighborhood. I used to clean those windows as it was before my illness was getting worse. It was a modern canal house ~ tall and narrow. I got a phone call one afternoon and found a friend on the other end of the line asking me to please go back inside. She could see my hanging on the window ledge cleaning the windows that do not open inwards on the 3rd floor (2nd floor for us in Holland). I could be seen all the way over at her house streets away. *grins*


I have wanted a fish aquarium for some time and when we moved here, Jos told me I finally got my fish. Yes, he meant the canal water behind our house. There are many fish there and he crumbles dry toast to feed them. We also have ducks and water hens. It is fun to hear them calling especially very early in the morning. I like waking to the sounds. As soon as we open a window, they come rushing to us.

It does also bring regular fights. There is more than enough to go around but try telling them that!


We have been forbidden by the city to plant anything along the water's edge or in the water. Our neighbor's did put a waterlily and some other plants regardless. It has taken years for this waterlily to start to produce any flowers but has been very pretty this year.

Our windows are going to be painted this week we hope. The painter has had to put it off as the weather is not good enough to start. He says he will start on Wednesday. My fingers are crossed. I will get a photo of the back wall in which our house was built after he has finished. This new house was modeled by the architect to be a modern version of our old walled houses in the city dating back to the Middle Ages.

I am sorry that I have not been able to make it around to visit all of you over the last few days. I will try to catch up with you soon. I have a received a couple of awards and need to acknowledge them also. I have been very busy with redoing our laundry room. We stayed home from Cranberry Cottage this weekend to finish it. I will share the results with you this week.


16 comments:

Mary said...

Wow Heidi - you live closer to the water than anyone else I know!! Imagine feeding the ducks from your window - love it!!!

Does the water make heating the house more difficult in Winter? Just curious. What type of heating do you have anyway?

I love that some brave neighbors added that water lily - so pretty!

I loved the posts from mom and you - I commented on her blog, do go look. Love you both - am trying to figure out how to come visit you when mom is there - when will she come back again?

Know you've had a busy weekend - hope all went well. I'm making dinner and we'll eat in the gazebo again tonight like last night - much cooler once darkness falls - love that Autumn is sneaking up.

Nancy said...

I have fed those little ducks, they are so cute. As soon as the window opens they ALL appear. They do call for you to come feed them.
That water lily is beautiful.
Love you bumches, Mom

Suzann said...

How lovely! I just adore a home by the water..
maybe someday we will have one.
The water lily is so pretty, I see that your patience was rewarded with what appears to be a perfect flower.

I am so excited to see your laundry room. I keep saying that I need to do something fun to mine because it just feels to be so icky and boring to me. But, I have more projects on my plate right now than I care to think about. Perhaps the autumn will give me the time and inspiration that I need.

Here's hoping the painter makes it out this week.

The Dutchess said...

Wow,Heidi, so happy to have found your beautiful blog,of kan dit ook in het nederlands..ik woon in Apeldoorn! And the wonderfull voice on miss Eve Cassidy,tjonge.
I will be back OFTEN , erg vaak dus! Groet

The Dutchess said...

Can i add you to my Kindred Spirit list...

Anonymous said...

Hello Heidie,

Aaah, when did you go to Exloo ??It's so close by, maybe 15 minutes from my house !!!
Next time let me know...and you know what i was in Exloo this morning ! My sister in law got an invitation from a lady (in Exloo) who sells stuff that she buys on fleamarkets in NORWAY !!!!! Sher had an open day at her house, everything nicely decorated and with all kind of things from Norway. I bought a nice white with fringe tablecloth and an old wooden spoon ! We had coffee and a norwegian waffle; what a way to start the new week.
Greetings from Janneke.
PS. i am very curious about the things from the Koffer:) .

Terri said...

That's kind of cool to live right by a canal! I've seen houses in Florida where in front is a street and in back is a canal and you. I always thought that was pretty cool too!

Sweet Cottage Dreams said...

How wonderful to have the water right in your backyard!! I think it is romantic and so interesting. The birds are just wonderful!! You know, having a backyard just means you have to tend to it...which means it takes time away from handwork!!

Thank you for sharing your sweet home! Now be careful hanging out those windows. Jos may need to purchase some mountain repelling gear so not to fall face first in the canal.

love ya,
Becky

Betty said...

Heidi,
You really do have a water garden!
Your window boxes are lovely...I'm doing a fall one on my kitchen window
using a birdhouse, gourds, clay flower pots, iron birds, metal fall leaves, etc. I plan to do a show and tell of it....

Thanks for dropping by...Betty

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Oh, but you DO have a back garden. It's full of ducks! How wonderfully pretty.

Ragged Roses said...

That certainly is living on the water's edge, how exciting. Loved the window cleaning story. I would love to open my windows and have ducks to say hello to! Autumn is certainly in the air isn't it, in fact summer only put in a very brief appearance this year. Take care
Kimx

The Dutchess said...

Hallo there,back to say your playlist is geweldig...

Andylynne said...

I love telling folks here in the states about the house on the water I found on line. I never knew such places existed, and have enjoyed hearing all about your home. I lived in an apartment that had a streme in it and an pond, we had ducks too. I think I would like them from second story height better than on the front porch LOL. They are dear funny creatures that seem to have a zest for life. Can't wait to see your laundry room. I just have a new one that is a blank slate, maybe I will steal some ideas. Ok borrow them with my own twists, would that be ok. /

Nan said...

I would really love that!

Rhondi said...

Hi Heidi
I didn't know you lived beside the water. That seems like such a romantic place to live. Does it cause you home to be damp?
I had a wonderful time with my quilting friends this past weekend. I was working on sveral projects at oncwe so have nothing to show just now. I am making a pattern called JOY by Jaqueline de Jonge. Perhaps you now her since she lives in The Netherlands.
Hugs, Rhondi

Pondside said...

What a lovely view from over your window boxes! I like a water view, not matter which way it comes.