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Friday, May 2
Samos revisited. It feels wonderful to be back again. As if the island has regained it's former tranquility and spirituality. Due to the war on Iraq, the economic situation in Europe and Sars there are very few tourists; because of a very wet winter that only ended last week, the island is greener than we've ever it seen before. There are flowers everywhere. A once in a lifetime experience.
Wednesday, May 7
Back in the Netherlands the first onions and hardy geraniums have started
to bloom. Summertime, and the living is easy...
Tuesday, May 13
Old Dutch masters would love this kind of weather; their paintings are famous for it. A system with much colder temperatures, rain, thunder and huge clouds is bringing us the last remnant days of winter. As is customary for this time of year and often with the last frost of the season. Gardeners are told to wait with sowing their peas untill these days are over. In popular speech called the ice-saints, after the Dutch saints Pancratius, Servatius and Bonifacius who have their namedays on May 12, 13 and 14.
Saturday, May 17
One
of the company's social duties we love: the annual get-together with
the other managers from JG's group and their spouses.
As always we consulted the I Ching for some guidance in the nearby future
and got the following advice: Hexagram 2, The Receptive: "The Receptive
brings about sublime success, furthering through the perseverance of
a mare. If the superior man undertakes something and tries to lead,
he goes astray; but if he follows, he finds guidance. It is favorable
to find friends in the west and south, to forego friends in the east
and north. Quiet perseverance brings good fortune."
(See also: 
.)
Sunday, May 18
Back to our roots. Today we went to a gathering of Tallotter's family with over 900 family-members. Our branch of the family goes back to Pieter Jansz Hogervorst who lived around 1675 in Korteraar, in the same area where we live today .
On
our arrival home we found our little gray chicken dead, in the middle
of the path lying next to the hedge. No injuries, no lost feathers,
so we think she must have suffered a stroke or heart attack. Such a
pity, she was the tamest and most intelligent of them all.
Friday, May 23
The draught and amazingly fine weather of Spring seems
ages ago, now that continuous Atlantic depressions are torturing these
lowlands. Although the North-American rose (Rosa Woodsii Fendleri) and
Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) make wonderful works of art, most
plants waste away when at the same time weeds thrive like never before.
We stay inside, busy finishing the last errands at work, painting the
kitchen and scullery and prepairing for our trip to Italy, next week.