A neighbor sent me a video clip entitled “Images of a Dutch Winter” in an email a couple of days ago. As much as I dislike the least little bit of winter around here, watching it made me think I actually might enjoy winter in Holland, er, Nederland. Here’s the clip:
Images of a Dutch winter (02:05)
We could sure use some of those skate-behind ice scrapers or snow blowers or mini-plows, or whatever they are called, around here. Somebody could make a mint. Seems a heck of a lot cheaper for a few industrious citizens to own them and then volunteer their time than for the county bigwigs to lay out a boatload of our tax money for a fleet of expensive trucks to sand and salt the roads once every five or ten years and then sit idle in the city parking lot the rest of the time. The trucks I mean, not the county bigwigs. Life in the American south being what it is, I felt it necessary to make that distinction.
In conclusion, ask not what roads your country can clear for you; ask what roads you can clear for your country.
Thanks for sharing. That is an interesting video, with beautiful music. Made me think of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates.
ReplyDeleteWell, it doesn't take much to make me happy either ;-) I think I speak for everyone in Nederland if I say that I am, or we are, extremely honoured to even get a mention from someone in the USA, let alone a whole video about Dutch winter. And it has been a cold one. Thanks for giving me inspiration to write another '100 Things I Love About The Netherlands' post. It is in the making ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnd, just to get your facts right, we have three dogs: Phoebe, Holle and Biggles. Four cats: Bengel, Petje, Mozes (who thinks he's a dog) and Snoes. You've got the horses right though. Well done! And we have two pigs: Nufnuf and Tumtum. Not to mention a bunch of nameless chickens and a rooster. But don't worry, we are the only humans who know all the names of the furry bunch. And we know which one is called what.
Thanks for this post. Isn't Nederland beautiful?
Ooo, and I wanted to say, but forgot, that I like the psychedelic thing going on in your shirt. Mrs. RWP must go through life mesmerized. I know I am just from looking at the photo ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove the photo and unlike many others I actually love snow and ice. I think I would love skating everywhere. But that said, that person behind the snow blower or whatever it was was cheating. Not much exercise there being pulled. Ha ha! Oh and I am loving that you have a photo up now. Good photo and the script beneath is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat, Carolina, and Vonda, for your comments!
ReplyDeleteI forgot all about Nufnuf and Tumtum, but I could never forget Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates, (except that I thought it was Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates).
I'm glad that you think my writing is hilarious, Vonda. So few do. But they (and you) are the ones who count!
Carolina, as I told A Lady's Life in response to her comment on "Have a gumball?" back on January 14th, my shirt doesn't look nearly as electric in real life as it does when converted into pixels.
Verification word is depoed. Perhaps my shirt needs to be depoed.
I wouldn't go that far ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how people will generalise about nations. I am as prone to this as anyone else. I am sure there are some horrid Dutch people but I have always had a fondness for the Dutch and their rather neat little country - parts of which shouldn't even be there seeing as they lie well below sea level. A great thing about the Dutch is that when you visit you discover that about 90% of them speak pretty good English so when you ask for directions you rarely meet blank faces. Also many Dutch women are quite gorgeous - and this probably includes Carolina.
ReplyDeleteMr. YP is right of course ;-)
ReplyDeleteAre you okay Mr. RWP?
ReplyDelete