Paris Parfait

Idyllic

A rusted-out rowboat hasn't lost its charm, Edam, the Netherlands.

 

At last it's May and while we had to turn the heating on again last night (and still are wearing sweaters and coats), signs of spring are emerging from hiding. Green buds are appearing on trees and flowers are running riot in the garden. The Mallard ducks that flew to our back door for food - ten nights in a row! - are parading their seven two-day-old ducklings through "our" canal (more about them later).

Later this month, I'll begin work on an intriguing photography project that celebrates Dutch innovation. But first, David and I are off to England to visit family, then to France to toast our anniversary.

Meanwhile, my friend Christine has written a wonderfully poignant essay "Magical thinking" about transitions. And feast your eyes on this simple and creative beauty in Italy. Hope you find your own moments of magic and wonder this weekend!

P.S. Stay tuned for more about those ducks, plus a story about an intrepid nine-year-old girl.

And the celebrations began...

On Tuesday, we avoided the one-million-strong fete in Amsterdam celebrating the new Dutch monarchs King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. Instead, David and I visited the fishing harbour of Marken and the charming town perhaps best known for its cheese, Edam. We arrived early, so I could take photographs before before too many people blocked the views.

As always, click photos to view detail.

Much of the village of Marken was draped in banners and bunting.

But the harbour remained untouched...

Children dressed up for the festivities.

A big screen television link was set up for Marken residents to watch Willem-Alexander's investiture.

Several Marken residents wore traditional clothing.

A shop window displayed art honouring the Dutch king.

A little girl in traditional costume rode her bicycle to the town centre.

A flag flew at nearly every house.

Trees are topped with crowns in honour of the new king and queen.

This man wore patriotic orange garden gloves, to match his banner and the flag.

Even the dog wore a bright orange bow tie.

The ubiquitous tulips.

Children in Edam wearing costumes for the grand occasion.

This image reminds me of a queen marching forward with purpose and her lady-in-waiting, following behind her.

Special Queen's/King's Day treats.

In Edam, the local fire department set up a giant spraying hose in the town square, which delighted the children (along with a bouncy castle). In this photograph, the festivities are viewed from the end of a canal, where a lone orange balloon is floating.

Flags line the streets in Edam.

The shadow of an 18th-century bridge in Edam.

Fog, sea and sand

Seagulls on a foggy day at Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. Click images to view detail.

North Sea waves roll in, with accompanying fog and mist making the temperature seven degrees cooler than Amsterdam.

A child plays in a tidal pool.

My husband David walks in the distance.

Sand dunes, furrowed by the wind.

Seagrasses line an uphill path leading to more rolling sand dunes.

Here's hoping you and yours enjoy a relaxing weekend!

This photo is not free: Nikken EU & copyright infringement

One would expect a big multi-national company like Nikken Europe to respect copyright. But when confronted over unauthorised use of my photo in a March 2012 product launch and advertising/publicity campaign, their "head of legal" in Milton Keynes, England was defiant. She claimed that the photo Nikken EU appropriated via Pinterest was ripe for the taking.

Basically, her argument blamed the so-called "original pinner," insisting that if other people grabbed the photo, Nikken EU could too. She claimed to be "unaware of any copyright restrictions related to the use of this photo..." Further, she advised that Nikken EU "strongly deny any copyright infringement and recommend that you contact the person who first posted the photo and availed it to all Pinterest users."

In other words, from Nikken EU's point of view, the photo was free! So why not use it for  advertising and publicity in their Product Launch 14 March 2012 and Nikken Launches 2012 campaigns??!!

As their legal representative seemed remarkably uninformed about copyright law - and Pinterest's Terms of Service - I wrote a second letter. An excerpt:

"...it appears that your argument is if one person appropriates a photo, everyone else can too! You are mistaken in your assertions. My photo is copyrighted and when I discovered it was “pinned” on Pinterest, I immediately issued a take-down notice. Pinterest removed the photo and sent copyright infringement notices to those people who had “pinned” the photo without permission, including Nikken EU.

"...Pinterest’s terms of use clearly specify each individual user is responsible for determining the source of each photo and securing permission to post it. If one person violates Pinterest’s terms of use, this does not give others free rein to follow suit. Nikken EU made no attempt to contact me, prior to grabbing my photo for its own purposes. Under no circumstances would I have given permission for commercial use of my photo, without payment."

The company's response? Nothing. Nada. Zip. A third letter also was ignored.

In a nutshell, Nikken EU denied my request for a token payment of £350 for commercial use of my photo. Even more annoying, Nikken EU refused to apologise for using my copyrighted photo for advertising and publicity. I wonder how Nikken EU - a company engaged in providing "wellness products" in several countries - would react if someone violated their intellectual property or copyright?

By the way, the photo causing the kerfuffle was never intended for publication, other than on my blog. It was a personal photo I took while visiting Utrecht, the Netherlands. It seems such considerations matter little to Nikken EU - just as long as the photo's free!

P.S. Yes, this post is missing that photo - I don't want to give Nikken Europe any more free publicity!

In Barcelona, don't forget to look up!

A marble turret and "Juliet" balcony at Antoni Gaudi's Casa Batlló on Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona, Spain. All photos © Tara Bradford. Click images to view detail.

Later this week, my daughter will be traveling to Barcelona and Madrid for the first time. She hopes to visit the usual tourist haunts, including Antoni Gaudi-designed houses (Casa Batlló and Casa Milà or La Pedrera) and of course the work-in-progress UNESCO World Heritage site: La Sagrada Familia; Catedral de Barcelona, etc. I suggested Jordana "look up" at the architectural gems comprising the Barcelona skyline, as well as the artistic attention to detail lavished on many "ordinary" buildings. No doubt she will discover her own hidden gems.

These photographs are from my last trip to Barcelona. A "wedding cake" cupola centers a grand building on Passeig de Gràcia.

A 19th-century zinc decorative weather vane on a grey, cloudy day.

On a sunny day with blue skies, this cupola topped with an eagle and a winged figure caught my attention.

A bird pauses on an ornate post.

Hand-cut stone and a door appliqued with bronze flowers.

A colourful mosaic above an entranceway.

Handcarved flowers enhance a building's exterior.

Similar carved flowers adorn this facade with Art Nouveau balcony grillwork.

Elaborate plaster carving, wrought-iron grillwork and antique azuelos give this building a striking appeal.

About Pinterest: An open letter to my readers

It's not you; it's Pinterest. I've written a few posts about Pinterest, photography and copyright infringement. I've written about why I don't want even one of my photos on Pinterest. Yet few people seem to be paying attention. Within the past 18 hours, I've had to issue Digital Millennium Copyright Act (copyright infringement) notices for each and every photo which appear in the 19 screen shots (below) and more. This tedious process required hours of my time and effort.

While linking to each instance of my copyrighted photos - used without permission - I discovered that in numerous cases, credit for my work was claimed by naturaldetails.tumblr.com and midnightcurls.tumblr.com.  Other Tumblr accounts also claimed credit for my work. In other instances, no source was provided. In still another example, a photograph of lit candles in Nepal erroneously was referred to as India and repinned over 150 times! (I had to provide each of those 150+ links that I could find to Pinterest, to have them removed). (And on Tumblr itself, this image has been reblogged over 10,000 times, with no credit to me).

One of my copyrighted photos pinned without permission was taken from a book already published. Two other copyrighted photos which are appearing in books later this year also were "pinned. And photos taken from a book that I publicized on my blog were listed under my name.

I am not interested in negatively impacting Pinterest's business. I am trying to prevent my original work from losing its value by being pinned (and uncredited) numerous times on multiple Pinterest boards, amidst groupings of dubious quality and origin. Pinterest is a big company with massive funding and I am one small business owner, simply trying to protect my livelihood. I receive no benefit whatsoever from my photography appearing on Pinterest. Quite the contrary: it costs me time and money trying to combat hundreds of copyright violations!

I've deleted my Flickr, Tumblr and 500 px accounts to stop my photos from being pinned on Pinterest. After seven years of blogging, must I stop that too?

I urge all you Pinterest fans to act responsibly and seek permission from the photo source before you pin. Would you want someone else appropriating your work without permission??!!

Click to view screenshots in detail.

Further reading:

Picture this

Has it come to this??!!

The continuing saga of keeping my photos off Pinterest

Has it come to this??!!

Nearly every day I find numerous instances of my copyrighted photos "pinned" on Pinterest without permission. One photo had been "repinned" 43 times! Even worse, numerous images that have nothing to do with me are erroneously listed under my blog's domain name. And a British company hijacked my photograph found on Pinterest - therefore in their perception, free - for an advertising/promotional campaign.

I installed the "do not pin" code on my website and deleted my 500px and Tumblr accounts because I couldn't stop photo theft. And in a series of conversations, I've asked Pinterest to block all incoming images linked to my domain names and do a better job informing its users of copyright issues. At the top of my blog's sidebar I specifically request that my photos not be copied or "pinned." I've written several blog posts about why I do not want even a single photo on Pinterest, a site for which I receive no benefit whatsoever. Yet still this problem persists. Am I going to have to plaster every photo with "Do not pin" and/or a copyright notice??!!

Not that you'd notice with all the annoying "Do not pin" reminders, but this is a photo of a 19th-century door with a copper Arts & Crafts letterplate in Sevilla, Spain.

Somewhere it's spring...

...but not here and not now. Bone-chilling winds still rattle the windows, blow open the letter flap in our front door and snap branches off trees. But at least we don't have snow at the moment...

I'm tired of winter; tired of hospitals and doctors' offices and exhausted from stress. I'm increasingly exasperated at the amount of time and effort required to address multiple instances of copyright infringement and photo theft. As though it's not enough that every week dozens of my photographs continue to be "pinned" on Pinterest against my wishes, a British company has used my photo in an advertising/promotional campaign! Such thoughtless behaviour and lack of respect for other people's work is trying my patience and good will. Consequently, I'm finding it difficult to remain enthusiastic about blogging or social media.

No doubt my usual optimism will prevail, as the ice melts and spring blossoms appear. Meanwhile, I've filled our salon with cymbidium orchids and odd plants. I'm reading Linda Gordon's book Dorothea Lange: A Life beyond Limits and planning household renovations. I'm also working on a photo project and mapping out travel later this year. So the moody blues soon will be banished!

Wherever you are, hope you find some signs of seasonal renewal to brighten your day.

Photo of a shepherd tending his flock in Madaba, Jordan, © Tara Bradford.

Timeless

Petra, Jordan photo © Tara Bradford. Click to view detail.

 

 "...Match me such a marvel, save in Eastern clime,
A rose-red city half as old as Time."

Popping in from the sterile, colourless environment of hospitals and doctors' waiting rooms to say hello. Hope all is well with you and yours. Back soon with regular postings and a blog design revamp.

Excerpt from the poem Petra by Dean Burgon.

Uneasy lies the head...

"...Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." - William Shakespeare, Henry IV.

 

Antique French Madonna crown from my private collection, now available at the Paris Parfait etsy shop.

A photograph as memory

Child in a Nepali village, photo © Tara Bradford. Click to enlarge.

“I want you always to remember me. Will you remember that I existed and that I stood next to you here like this?” - Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

It's not all hearts and flowers...

 

I've been thinking about St. Valentine's Day; how commercialized it's become and how it may seem fraught for individuals who aren't part of a couple or in a committed relationship.  Yet I defy you to show me one person who isn't in a relationship involving care and concern for each other. And that's the sentiment that infuses Valentine's Day - love! It doesn't have to be romantic love to count, contrary to what the marketing mavens would have us believe. Roses and chocolates don't have to play a part.

Birds of paradise, Kathmandu, Nepal.

For Valentine's Day, I've taken spring bulbs and flowers to my neighbours who shoveled the snow while my husband was in hospital and to friends who have been incredibly kind and helpful since we moved here.

David and I will spend Valentine's Day at the hospital, where he is having more surgery. We are looking forward to celebrating his improved health soon. After all, that's what really matters: looking after each other. In all our personal relationships, showing love, care and respect for each other on a regular basis means more than hearts and flowers on just one over-promoted holiday per year.

At the florist this morning, a heart-shaped stone had been covered in tiny red rosebuds echoing the heart shape - thus softening the "heart of stone." I asked the florist if Valentine's Day is a big celebration here. "A little bit, but it's not like in the States," she replied. "The Dutch are more cool; more reserved in their emotions."

Whatever your nationality or tendency to wear your heart on your sleeve - even If you aren't feeling the love - these photos may bring a smile to your face.

Laughing Buddha at a monastery in the Himalayas, Nepal.

An effervescent smile, Swayamhunath Temple, Kathmandu.

Young married woman, Bungamati, Nepal.

Happy couple, Bungamati.

However you're spending your day, take time to notice and appreciate the thoughtfulness and consideration of those close to you....and share the love!

Happy Valentine's Day!

All photographs © Tara Bradford.

Snow days

Unlike the crazy snow last month, so far in February we've had only light dustings of snow.

It's been snowing all day, but not much is sticking.



A little snow doesn't slow the trains.



"Our" canal - viewed from my office balcony - is only partially frozen. All photographs © Tara Bradford.

 

Thinking of everyone living in the Northeastern United States, where heavy snow and blizzard conditions are presenting numerous challenges! Bundle up! Hope you're warm and safe.

Interesting reading - snowbound or not!:

Remembrance of snows past

How the Post Office made America

Guidelines for internships and volunteer work (written by my uncle!)

Social media etiquette

The Life and Afterlife of Aaron Schwartz

Five Broken Cameras

I hope you have the opportunity to see the Oscar-nominated documentary Five Broken Cameras. I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. Five Broken Cameras truly is an extraordinary account of peaceful resistance against Israeli settlements encroaching on Palestinian land. This is a story close to my heart as a journalist, having lived and worked in the region for years.

The film was made by Palestinian Emad Burnat and Israeli Guy Davidi. It won the World Cinema Directing Award: Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. Five Broken Cameras is an unembellished chronicle of family life and how children are affected by conflict.

Vintage photographs

I collect black-and-white vintage photographs and am lucky to have an Henri Cartier-Bresson original, as well as original photographs by Christian Lemaire, Dorothea Lange, Samuel Gottscho and an Edward Curtis portrait (plus some more modern signed photographs by Peter Turnley). This site presents some fascinating  images from the Indian Sub-Continent. And have you seen Photographium? I could spent hours looking at these historical photographs.

Birthday greetings

I took this portrait of my niece in May, 2011 when in the U.S. celebrating my dad's 80th birthday.


Wishing the beautiful birthday girl a happy day and fun celebration!

Hello February!

Thankfully, the ice and snow melted this week, replaced by grey skies and rain. But February brings us one month closer to spring - at which time more house renovations will commence.

The steam engine zinc weathervane once graced the roof of a Paris chateau. The vintage metal train on the windowsill also is French. This is the view from the second-floor "Light Room," so named because of the Cecilie Manz-designed Caravaggio lights that dominate the small space. At some point we'll probably knock down the wall between the "Light Room" and my office, creating one large room.

When the Caravaggio lights arrived from Denmark, it was obvious I had underestimated their size. So I bought a Dutch vintage industrial table and the room now serves as a small media library/workspace. The 1930s French mercantile cabinet holds DVDs.

My collection of art and pottery from Santa Fe also is in this room. Sadly, part of it "went missing" in the move from Paris. The chairs and stool are vintage Tolix. Six of the chairs (only two are pictured) are from the Pauchard family's private collection and marked VA for "Villa Autun," their home in Burgundy, France.

The "Louis Louis" desk chair in my office was a gift from my talented friend Di Overton (check out her stylish creations at Ghost Furniture). The black-and-white Paris images are by photographer Peter Turnley.



This is a portion of my office (the linoleum floor both here and in the "Light Room" has to go! We're still considering alternatives). The 30-drawer chest painted in Farrow & Ball's Down Pipe, was handmade by Luke Ellis of Kent & London in Whitstable, England. The chest holds my cameras and photography gear. The vintage French chest next to it stores office supplies.

The zinc ART letters atop the tall chest were found at a Paris brocante. The "City Sunday" magazine racks are from Finnish Design Shop in Helsinki. And a Napoleon III chair holds books and a favourite photograph taken at Reales Alcázares de Sevilla.

Now to replace those floors! Any ideas for something hard-wearing and low-maintenance? Do tell!

Collected.

"...the home should be a collected assemblage of treasures meaningful to the homeowner. ...better to have an empty room than an instant room. Forgo the immediate and embrace the lasting." - Darryl Carter, author of The Collected Home.



That being said, for the past two years I've been on a mission to cull my collections - amassed mostly during my travels abroad and while living in Paris - and keeping only sentimental and favourite things. Our house is three floors, but like most Dutch canal houses, it's not very wide and stairwells take up considerable space.



More pictures of areas of our eclectic salon/living/dining room. Our home really isn't decorated in a formal sense; I've simply arranged and displayed collections.



"An environment should reflect the homeowner and not the hand of a designer." - Darryl Carter.



Minimalism just doesn't work for me. I've found too many treasures!



Thank you for the good wishes for my husband, who quite unexpectedly needed surgery this week. Thankfully, he is recuperating and feeling better.

Blanc de blanc

Snow continues to cover the garden, rowboat and "our" canal.

Here in the Netherlands, we've had more than two weeks of blanc neige, with no sign of melting or higher temps. More snow is predicted this week! Luckily I have good snowboots, as I've been trudging along bike paths (most sidewalks remain covered with snow) to the hospital and back. For the past week my husband has been ill; Tuesday afternoon he had surgery. Thankfully, he appears to be on the mend.

Walking home tonight, I saw a guy riding a bicycle on the frozen canal!

Parakeets in the snow

An escaped parakeet or parrot from South America on the cherry tree in our garden. Many, many such parrots can be seen in and around Amsterdam. When we lived in Paris, we often saw parrots in the Bois du Boulogne. They have learned to adapt to colder climes.

Click photos to view detail.



Taking flight.

Taking advantage of the bird feeder.

Snowfall began late last night and hasn't stopped.

Two parakeets in a weeping willow tree.

The path in our garden leading to the deck and the canal.

The frozen canal and rowboat, covered with snow.

Bike paths have been cleared with snow plows and most trains are running. How's the weather in your corner of the world?

Cabinet de curiosités

Antique French and Spanish Madonna crowns and tiny Louis Phillipe scales for measuring gold are among the ever-evolving collectibles in my Napoleon III cabinet de curiosités. I'm lucky to have seven bound Arts & Crafts volumes of The Studio, featuring Aubrey Beardsley illustrations. Click photo to view detail.

Sneak peek

Part of our salon/dining area - blending modern design classics with antique and vintage treasures - at our canal house in the Netherlands. Click images to enlarge. Stay tuned for more glimpses of our home, coming soon.



Details, details! Early 19th-century child's mannequin pinned with antique French and Italian prayer ornaments and milagros; Napoleon III glass-fronted cabinet de curiosités; Carl Hansen CH25 chair; Isamu Noguchi coffee table; Beni Ourain vintage Berber rug adorned with "magical" talismans; vintage Moroccan sequinned wedding blanket; custom-made sofa and hand-embroidered cushions from Jordan. Spanish wrought iron candlelabra, made into a lamp; 1940s French office cabinet; custom-made bookcase; dining table and chairs from Bali, via London and Tolix chairs (set of 6) marked VA (Villa Autun, the private residence of the French family who created Tolix chairs).

Crystal and beaded pendant lights from Italy; antique French and Dutch baskets; French pottery/water jugs from a vineyard in Bourgogne; framed Lehnert & Landrock photograph of a bookseller in Cairo and antique Spanish lithographs and azuelos from Sevilla. Mirrors from Spain and Jordan; sculpture from Sevilla: an ode to Velasquez's portraits; British cannonballs; iron rattes from a Bourgogne wine cellar; hand-turned wood pieces from Devon, England and San Francisco and French and American wooden pins.


Mirror image - French mercury glass giltwood mirror circa 1830.

Ringing in the new

A plethora of bells at a sacred Hindu site, Nepal.


Saying it's been a tough year for many people close to me would be an understatement. With health issues, divorces and numerous upheavals, 2012 has proved one demanding challenge after another. Still, we are lucky, lucky, lucky to count our blessings, a privilege sadly denied to so many.

I'm thinking today of the innocents gunned down in a school in Connecticut; of victims of civil war in Syria, as well as those who succumbed to poverty or treatable disease in far-flung corners of the globe. I'm remembering brave schoolgirls and soldiers alike, who were maimed or murdered in Afghanistan. I'm thinking of the tragic demise of a rape victim in India and the struggles of those left homeless by storms or conflict.

I'm thinking of the re-election of President Obama and a chance to rise above our political differences and accept responsibility to do better; to act with intention and integrity.  I'm thinking of changes coming and projects that matter and possibilities to make a difference. I'm hopeful of a long-awaited dream finally coming to fruition.

When my daughter was home for Christmas, we watched the Walt Disney film Pollyanna, a childhood favourite. And I was reminded that no matter how bleak things seem or how much time I spend worrying over what I can't control, I remain an optimist at heart. I still have faith in the "better angels of our nature," as Abraham Lincoln said.  And I hope and pray that next year - 2013 -  will be memorable more for its laughter and sunlight than for darkness and shadow.

Wishing you and yours a new year bright with promise...

Merry and bright: looking for the light.

Candlelight and Christmas crackers at home...

Glittery trees and a reindeer in Marken. Click photos to view detail.

A winter wonderful under a blanket of stars in Marken.

Lights over the canals in Delft.

A string of lights reflected in another canal in Delft.

Twinkling lights in the trees and stars overhead.

A giant Christmas fir in the market square in Delft (with the gorgeous town hall as the backdrop).

A Christmas tree suspended from the ceiling at Magna Plaza, Dam Square, Amsterdam.

An upside-down Yuletide tree in Marken.

A flower-bedecked tree at a restaurant in Marken.

19th-century lights festooned with decorations and greenery.

A tree viewed through stained glass windows at the Grote Kerk in Marken.

A chandelier dripping "icicles," Amsterdam.

Christmas tree lights in a window of a house of traditional Dutch architecture, Delft.

A boulangerie filled with special Christmas breads and pastries, as well as nougat-filled snowmen and chocolate sheep.

Glitter and glimmer, Delft.

Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus at a shop in Delft.

Red stars topped with candles.

A design tribute to Johannes Vermeer and his painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring."

Megawatt smiles in Delft (my daughter Jordana with her friend Andrea).

 

A private residence in Marken, bursting with Christmas finery.

Evening light and little trees near the seafront, Marken.

 

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

We have many blessings for which to be thankful this Christmas, our first in our new home in the Netherlands. Wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays, wherever you may be celebrating. Let's hope that the path forward - into the bright, shiny new year - brings us "more light; less noise," as Abraham Lincoln said.

Birthday girl

My beautiful daughter Jordana (left), with Andrea, her friend from college days, visiting us in the Netherlands. Today is Jordana's birthday and we've been celebrating. You'd never know it from the photo, but Andrea just arrived this morning, after a long flight from Los Angeles.



Never mind the foggy weather - at least it's not snowing!

Back to the birthday celebration! More images soon.

Lighting the way through darkness

Handcarved wooden Dutch girl, with lantern aloft amidst a sea of candles. Click photo to enlarge.

 

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path, without brightening our own." 

In numerous recent events in the US, innocent children and adults have been victims of gun crime. Isn't it time that we shine a light on politicians, forcing them to strengthen gun control laws to protect us? It's past time the US Congress stands up to the fear-mongering NRA (National Rifle Association) and addresses what matters: public safety.

One has to wonder about where lawmakers' loyalties lie, when the day before the tragic school shootings in Connecticut, the Michigan legislature passed a bill allowing guns in classrooms. How many more mass murders will devastate families, before politicians find the courage to act??!!

 

Quote by Ben Sweetland. Photo in our canal house in the Netherlands.

Let it snow!

Early morning light on Thursday, photographed from the top floor of our house.

Thursday morning: snow covering the deck and most of the canal iced-over. Click images to view detail.

A layer of ice on the canal.

The view from the dining room window, Friday morning.

In the back garden: no footprints yet, just paw prints from the neighbour's cat.

Little Buddha, next to an outdoor light and turquoise stones.

Our snow-covered rowboat and deck. The Norwegian boat is made for manuevering fjords, although I doubt I could manage a rowboat through icy waters!

The horizon: still snowing on Friday, but ice in the canal has started to melt.

A Dutch train, with cars nearly empty of passengers.

Snow-laden mulberry branches.

A wreath of pinecones and berries next to our front door.

The weather forecast is for snow all weekend. Back soon with more wintery images. At the moment, I'm busy decorating our house for a dinner party Saturday. Bon weekend les tous!

P.S. Here's a short video that will warm your heart.

Metamorphosis

What remains: Gossamer wings to the edges of dreams (skeletal hortensia in our garden).  Click photos to view detail.

“All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." - Anatole France

"All things must change to something new, to something strange." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"In this world of change, nothing which comes, stays and nothing which goes is lost." - Anne Sophie Swetchine

"The butterfly is a flying flower; the flower a tethered butterfly." - Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun

 

Reading:

Joshua Foer's Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

Anthology magazine

Watching:

Linotype: The Film

Baking:

Lemon thyme loaf from Nigel Slater's The Kitchen Diaries II

Listening:

Emeli Sande: Read all about it

Admiring:

An animated short film for Christian Dior, featuring Marion Cotillard

Learning:

Dutch (At least it's a start)

Strange days

Tree of clogs, Sunday, Oct. 7th, Marken, Noord Holland. This quaint little fishing peninsula is located in the area known as Waterland.


My apologies for not blogging much lately; simply juggling too many things at once. I have so much to say, yet no time to say it! Beginning this weekend I hope to kickstart this blog back into action. Thanks for staying the course!

An idyllic scene - fake cow and all. Click to enlarge and check out the gorgeous canal-side garden!

The charming courtyard of a painted wooden cottage for sale in Marken.

What else, but wheels of cheese?!

Echoes of summer.

On aging - gracefully?!

It's my birthday and I feel a bit like the facade of this Green Tara Travels & Tours building in Kathmandu, Nepal... a flaw or two here; a bit of damage there... but still standing! And that certainly beats the alternative.

"...our obsession with youth in our culture and how we women lie about our age after 35... and no one wants to let anyone know they're getting older. " - Sela Ward

Thankfully, in Europe, age isn't as much of an issue/media obsession as it is in the United States. And I've found the older I get, the more outspoken I become. In case you haven't noticed in some of my political pieces, I don't suffer fools gladly!

I've also discovered that things I once fretted and worried over no longer seem quite so important...that I don't need so much stuff and it's okay to let go of beautiful, valuable antiques and designer handbags if I don't need them. I've decided it's fine to decline more invitations than I accept. Time is fleeting and setting priorities is essential. And some days, my priority may be a little peace and quiet in the sanctuary of home, rather than a cocktail party or glittering soiree - no matter what good friends may be there!

My work as a writer and photographer requires a healthy dose of introspection, but until recently, I've tended to think a little of that goes a long way. These days I'm embracing more time alone, away from the noise and distractions of other people's arcs of ideas and opinions.

"Every woman is a rebel." - Oscar Wilde

I've always been a bit of a rebel; if someone is doing one thing; I want to do the opposite. Trends rarely interest me; individuality and creativity trumps in almost every instance. So even though I'm getting older - and there are many goals still to accomplish - I'm proud that I continue to walk my own path. Long ago, I chose the road less traveled and it's been sometimes rocky, but always adventurous. I hope I don't reach the end of this eventful journey for many more years to come.

Bungamati, Nepal.

Summer's last gasp

The last hortensias (hydrangeas) from our garden (in vintage French pharmacy bottles and a Dame Jean jug).

Fruits and herbs.

Chilies and dried spices in antique apothecary jars.

Hidden delights.

An antique post box.

Baker's vintage dough cutters from Paris.

Nambe candlesticks from Santa Fe (a gift from my daughter); a Dutch Arts & Crafts pewter candleholder and modern Moroccan-inspired votives on a Mexican silver tray from Sevilla, Spain.

Hope you enjoy these last days of summer!

P.S. It still amazes me that people who profess to be leaders can be so disingenuous. Our forefathers surely would be shocked by the distinct lack of truthfulness in current American election campaigns. We deserve better than men with no reality-based ideas or solutions of their own making vague, empty promises and platitudes.

Dance card

Dance card, 1910, Paris (available here).

I don't know about you, but my dance card has been pretty full lately. As one might expect, there has been some clumsy stepping on toes; some missteps; at times, even the wrong tempo! But my favourite season is just around the corner and September is bound to add many uplifting melodies to the mix.

Hope you are dancing merrily through these last few weeks of summer!

A reader's alcove

As a child, I dreamed of a home with big bay windows with cushions, where I could read and gaze out the window. The reality of our canal house in the Netherlands is a bit different, but I can still recline on cushions, read and dream (and look out the glass door to the garden).

This little alcove/reading nook in our home features treasures collected while living and traveling abroad. The wool rug is handmade by women from the Bani Hamida Women's Weaving Project in Jordan. It took six months for several women working with the Jordan River Foundation to hand-embroider scenes from The Arabian Nights for the tapestry. Different sections were then hand-appliqued onto a raw silk background.

The charcoal linen daybed is from a Dutch department store. The pillows are a mix of modern and vintage. The vintage Moroccan wedding blanket is one of several I've collected through my friend Maryam's Red Thread Souk.  The Moorish table at left is circa 1903 and the Syrian mother-of-pearl inlaid table is from 1905. Both were purchased from Liberty of London's 2011 Arts & Crafts Exhibition. The vintage 'winged" chair is from Barcelona. The antique wooden mosque model (next to the chair) is French.

At left are early 20th-century framed Lehnert & Landrock images taken in Tunisia and Egypt. The  modern black and silver bowl is from Morocco, via Paris and is filled with antique silver bracelets and necklaces from the Middle East. The antique hand-embroidered Palestinian headress is on a vintage French hatstand. The alabaster bowl is from Cairo.

An English silver Arts & Crafts bowl holds five handmade wooden hearts and an antique Arabic seal.

The hand-carved and stone-studded seal from Jordan can be worn as a cocktail ring.

Years ago, I found this circa 1903 Liberty of London hand-painted vase on eBay! Its value has increased dramatically.

A jumble of Jordanian, Palestinian, Bedouin, Moroccan and Yemeni jewelry in a hand-painted and signed ceramic bowl.

A 200-year-old Bedouin silver and Italian coral necklace draped over a French wrought iron sculptor's model.

This traditional cross-stitched Palestinian woman's wedding hat is from the 19th-century. It is rimmed with heavy silver coins, most dating back to the Ottoman Empire. The hat's design includes lucky talismans, numbers and flowers. Such hats are increasingly rare; most are in museums. I was fortunate to purchase this one from an antiques dealer in Amman.

Click photos to view detail. Our house is very much a work-in-progress. More pictures soon.

The kindness of a stranger

Tibetan refugee at a rug-making center in Kathmandu, Nepal.                                  Photo © Tara Bradford

 

Tuesday was a very bad day for me, for reasons too ridiculous to mention. Then the most incredible thing happened.

I went to a dentist's office to make an appointment to sort out a broken tooth and lost filling, but the receptionist was struggling to find an available appointment. Plus I wasn't even registered as a patient! But a woman in the waiting room - with whom I'd had a brief conversation before the receptionist came out - gave up her appointment, so the dentist could see me right away! My eyes welled with tears at this unexpected kindness from a stranger.

After the dentist's work, I remain in considerable pain, but it's temporary. And the thought of that woman's kindness still makes me smile. Isn't it amazing how a random act of kindness can have such a big impact on another??!!

Transparent webs and secrecy

Spider's web across the garden path in late-afternoon sunlight. Click images to view detail.

                                                                                                                               Photos © Tara Bradford

 

This week has been a bit like Christmas at our house.  On Tuesday, our Isamu Noguchi coffee table arrived via Germany (despite the irreverant coffee table reference, have you seen this hilarious Tumblr site?). And today, our custom-made sofa was delivered  - finally, we can put aside the stylish, yet uncomfortable Napoleon III cream linen-covered chairs! Soon they'll be off to an Amsterdam antiques shop, awaiting their next owner.

On a more sombre note, have you ever wondered where old computers and electronics go to die? Nyaba Leon Ouedrango's powerful photograph depicts the harsh consequences for Ghana.

If you're planning a visit to Amsterdam, you might find this tattoo museum intriguing.

As a night owl, I can identify with the lovely sentiment here.

My friend (and talented artist and writer) Christine Mason Miller suggested this gorgeous book and I'm so glad I bought it. The Divine Home is of a similar nature. I collect handmade Spanish crosses, Italian and French antique prayer ornaments and Madonna crowns. I find these heartfelt symbols of reverence and devotion not only beautiful, but somehow reassuring.

The secrets of the rich and unaccountable

Alas, I see nothing reassuring about Mitt Romney's presidential candidacy. If he has nothing to hide, why is he so secretive? Mitt and his advisors really should study geography and history, as they can't seem to grasp how the world map has changed.

Ann Romney is with her expensive horse at the Olympics in London, denying all photo and interview requests for "you people."  But Romney claims to know little about their prize horse. Meanwhile, so much for Anglo-Saxon heritage and diplomacy: Romney made multiple gaffes, offending his hosts in Great Britain.

For someone running for the highest office in the land, Mitt Romney doesn't seem to know much about anything, i.e. how much money he has in offshore or Swiss bank accounts; how much income tax he has paid; how long he was CEO for Bain Capital. He appears to have a bare-bones minimum grasp of foreign policy.  One has to wonder what Mr. Etch-A-Sketch believes about anything at all, with his adamant refusals to 1) reveal financial and tax records 2) declare any policies his administration would follow or 3) propose actual solutions to any problems currently facing the US.

Think Progress has compiled a remarkable list of 99 Facts about Mitt Romney. Would you really want such a crafty chameleon as president??!!

Truths and roses

Une rose rouge dans le jardin.                                                                                  Photo © Tara Bradford

"Truths and roses have thorns about them." - Henry David Thoreau

Back to Paris for another doctor's appointment, a few photos and maybe vin rouge and a rose or two. Bon weekend!

Our garden by the canal

Click photos to view detail.

Hortensia beginning to bloom.

A different type of hortensia (hydrangeas).

This part resembles a cottage garden. It is a challenge keeping it from taking over...Over a period of many years, the previous owners filled practically every inch of space with plants. David and I are making a few changes.

Another type of hortensia.

Velvety red roses planted in the shadow of a palm.

Blooms next to the canal.

Lilies growing in the canal, alongside our deck.

Water lilies.

Les visiteurs.

Water lilies galore, their blooms closed in the twilight.

The neighbour's cat snoozing on a wall.                                                            All photos © Tara Bradford

Off to Paris

My poor neglected bicycle, leaning against a garden wall.

I'm surprised ivy isn't covering my bicycle! It's been months since I could ride, thanks to these crazy dizzy spells. Living in the Netherlands, surely it's the law or something that you must ride a bicycle.

Am off to Paris for more tests to help sort out the vertigo. It is hoped I'll soon be riding my bike! Meanwhile, at Red Room I've written a piece about lost letters that may interest you. À bientôt!
 

Tea and sympathy

Tea and sympathy at my friend's petit chateau near Versailles.

 

Bonjour les tous! In Paris, I had the great pleasure of spending time with my dear friend Gabrielle in her gorgeous, newly-renovated home. Gabrielle met me at Gare du Nord. But our rendezvous turned out to be a comedy of errors, thanks to the Thalys train's hour-late arrival; my phone's lost network coverage and mad traffic jams in the city. Of course the main purpose of the trip was visiting an ENT to determine the cause of recurring dizzy spells. Initial tests suggest it's an inner-ear problem; further tests are scheduled next week.

Also in Paris, I had lunch in my old neighbourhood, then stood in line for ages during les soldes. En route to Amsterdam, Thalys abruptly decided to end its service at Schiphol. Passengers were sent first to one platform, then another to catch an inner-city train to Amsterdam. I felt sorry for all the confused and angry travelers scrambling with their luggage, with little advice and no assistance from Thalys staff. Upon boarding the inner-city train, most passengers were left standing, trying to balance their luggage all the way to Amsterdam.

Again, we were well past our scheduled arrival at Amsterdam Centraal. Habitual delays seems to be a problem with Thalys. Their Ill-timing is due in part to slow-moving trains through Belgium, with international and local trains sharing a single track. Belgium really needs to get its act (and its government) together. These days, traveling through the country either by rail or by car (every journey interrupted with multiple roadworks and diversions) is rarely pleasant.

Falling into the canal

At home Saturday, I went in the back garden to inspect the hortensia (hydrangea) growth. Suddenly I felt dizzy, lost my balance and fell backwards into the canal! Needless to say, a very long hot shower followed.

Now I'm trying to catch up with ongoing projects and correspondence - with time out to photograph the summer's first  "Kasemarkte Marches au Fromage" in Edam -  before the next dash to Paris.

Wishing a very Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans!

Paris bound

18th-century satin shoes at Sophie Pretelat's beautiful antiques shop in the Loire Valley, France.

 

Off to my old stomping grounds - and staying at a friend's petit château near Versailles! Back soon with photos. Bon weekend!

Still...

Still blooming, more than two weeks after putting this lily stem in a Nambe vase.

 

Still aggravating:

Still unfair and absurd

Still waffling: health care as a right or a privilege?

Still trying to control elections in Florida

Still incredibly annoying

 

Still gifts to the world:

Still one of the most courageous men I've ever met

Still one of the world's best storytellers (with a new book!)

Still touching

Still speaking out for human rights

 

And still amusing; still entertaining; still innovative.

And P.S. Still rock stars!

Turned away over red tape

On your bike, sister! (If only I weren't so dizzy). Photo taken earlier this month in Edam, the Netherlands.

 

This morning I had a long-awaited appointment with a neurologist about dizzy spells that have persisted for nearly two months. But I was turned away from the clinic, despite having proof of insurance, a Dutch identity/residency card and Dutch bank cards.

Why? In a year-and-a-half in the Netherlands, I've seen other specialists and had tests at a major hospital without any problems. But this neurology department was located at a small regional clinic, linked to a hospital in another city. Supposedly, as I wasn't registered at that hospital (having been referred directly to the neurologist by a doctor, rather than hospital staff), the clinic couldn't accept payment. And because they were unaccustomed to dealing with insurance other than Dutch, they failed to cope.

My third conversation on the subject was with an administrative assistant:

AA: "I showed the doctor your insurance information and he won't be able to see you today."

Me: "Why not? I have an appointment and we've driven all this way."

AA: "Well, you can make an appointment for next week."

Me: "I've already waited two weeks for this appointment."

AA: "You can come back next week."

Me:  "Why? I'm here now and have an appointment confirmation letter from your office!"

AA:  "Well, I asked the doctor, who said it's too big of a risk."

Me, incredulous: "That's ridiculous! So the neurologist is saying a minor administrative issue is more important than my health?"

AA, nodding: "I know, but I can make an appointment for you next week."

Me: "No, thank you. I'll see another doctor, who's actually concerned about health."

And I walked away - and phoned a doctor in Paris and booked an appointment.

We love living in the Netherlands. Mais oui, we miss the food and the world's best medical care in France.

And Dr. A.J. Prazsky, neurologist, I hope never to meet you, since you're apparently more concerned about bureaucracy than a patient's health!