Spring

A sunny day with a cold wind, typical for a Dutch Spring. The light is different in spring and everything seems very clear and bright. The trees are still bare, which means that special spring flowers bloom under the tree trunks and in the woods. They need the sun, and so they only flower when the trees are not in leaf yet. 

 The mirror lakes with "De Heerlijckheit Dyckenburch" in the background

Dijkenburg is for sale if you can spare Euro 6 million!

Dijkenburg in late spring. From the website of the real estate agents

I went for a walk in a small park, Klein Leeuwenhorst, not far from the sea and the dunes. In this area, on the border of sand banks or dunes and low moor land, in former centuries many mansions were built for the rich, to escape the noise of the towns and cities and enjoy fresh air. Some of those big houses were already destroyed in the 19^th century, others in the second world war by the Germans who made this area part of the Atlantic wall, changing decorative ponds into anti tank canals. Many grand estates were ruined by the expanding towns and cities, by the many new roads which cut estates into two. But a few were restored in the 1980-ies or even later. Nowadays we try to preserve whatever we have. This wood has been returned to its former state when it was part of an estate. Nevertheless it is enclosed by minor roads, which have cut off some of the buildings and houses belonging together and which are part of the same estate. A nature preservation organisation now owns this park or piece of woodland and has restored the English landscaped part of this estate. 

 Daffodils

 Celandine

 

Daffodils were in fool bloom, dancing in the wind. Yellow celandine looked like specks of gold amongst the brown beech leaves.

Former stables, now a house, once part of the estate

Rijswijk

A visit to Rijswijk, to the local museum, on a very cold and windy day: a perfect day for a museum visit. 

 

Most churches in Holland are locked during the week, especially in winter. But to my delight the “Oude Kerk”, the historic church, was open because cleaners were inside polishing the woodwork and washing the floors. I had never been inside, and was surprised by the wooden ceiling, a barrel vault, which was beautifully decorated. It reminded me of the “Oude Kerk” in Naarden, which has a similar ceiling, although there the paintings on one side tell the story of the Old Testament of the Bible and on the other side of the New Testament.  Of course no lights were on, so the pictures of the big organ and of the choir are not that wonderful. But I was happy to be able to see this church. What was also unusual and which I have never seen before was the decorative woodwork over some of the doors.

 

Although it was cold, the grass around the church was dotted with colourful crocuses, which unfortunately decided it was too cold to open their petals. Still, a sure sign of spring!

Beautiful decorations over the doors

 

The museum was quite interesting. Apart from a photo exhibition about Rijswijk from 1895 -1920, there was an exhibition about crowns and royal headgear throughout the world, and an amazing exhibition of cut out flowers and trees made from paper and other materials, by the artists Marian Smit & Maurice van Meijel .

 Fascinating paper art

 Paper leaves, trees and flowers

 And a very delicate wall hanging

We spent more time than anticipated in the museum, and in some of the local shops, which was fine. So next week we intend to visit the companion exposition about crowns in Schoonhoven, which is the ‘Silver Town’ of Holland. We had better leave our wallets at home.

The church seen through one of the windows of the local museum