Green grass everywhere!

There are so many hidden places and corners at the Park in the Summer time. The grass is so high at some spots that you only can follow the walking paths, because the green jungle has been spreading all over. It is also the high season for all sort of bugs, including the Tick. I would not maybe sit on these benches in the picture below, the surrounding grass looks like a Tick Paradise. I actually love all sorts of green plants and especially the spiky grass with strong graphic lines and the sharp compositions that these plants seem to be naturally arranged. It symbolises to me the vitality of the Nature and the huge, fast power of growth.

I had two nice walks this weekend with my daughter. This was one of the rare weekends this summer without the rain or cool weather. The evening walk was interesting. In a good Weather all sorts of groups are gathering at the park and you see happy looking people grilling, listening to music, playing outdoor games and enjoying the open or hidden spaces at the park. One bigger group even had their own DJ.

I don't go often for walks later in the evenings. The normal evening routines with the Children are taking so much time and then it is already too late and almost a sleeping time. But I think I should go more often for a walk in the evening. It just gives a peaceful feeling and the fresh air (as fresh as it can be in the City)just clears the mind and the Nature with all its colors gives more space for positive thinking and for the open mind. And with that sort of balanced peace...it is easy to go to sleep.

Nice picnic: Someone was painting, there was a small band playing..like a hippie meeting and looked like a lots of fun!

On Sunday morning we went to Vondelpark first for a Coffee and then watched a little bit the the Half Marathon at the park. There was the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam last week. We go often for a coffee in "Vondeltuin", which is a nice outdoor Cafe just in the opposite end of the Vondelpark if you walk or cycle through the park from the Centre. There is a playground and a big, high slide where the kids love to climb. In the Summer they also organise "a silent Disco" for a few times. Everyone is wearing earphones and dancing! The people living in the neighbouring houses can sleep in peace and it must be fun to look at the people dancing like this. I would really like to go there once this summer:-).

       

Vondelpark

Inspired from the weekend, I went for a jog and I am ready for this new week! It was good to be outdoors first thing in the morning. So my "feel good recipe" is having some fresh air in the evening and in the morning and I guess every time when it is possible!

The memories from the Summer time are a collection of small moments that matter to you and give a smile on your face. It doesn't have to be something big and spectacular, the best things are connected to the small flashes of feeling, noticing the moment and being present to yourself and the people around you. And the Nature is full of wonders to see if you stop and have a closer look!

Streets in Blossom

It was summery warm last week in Amsterdam. On the side streets of the City, where the families are living in their brick houses, you can see pots full of colourful flowers and green growing on the wall, small front gardens to admire. The City of A'dam is supporting this green growth on these stony streets. Also in our neighbourhood they were sharing some plants and soil for free to make the view nice for the summer. 

The grilling and picnic season started at the parks, gardens and roof terraces. We also did grill three times last week. It was great to enjoy the summery evenings outside listening to some music, playing a game, looking at the sky, having a class of wine...to see and feel the darkness coming slowly. The outdoor swimming pools opened their doors and the boats were again transporting the party people in the canals and open waters.

The Sun brought the world of shadows on the streets, to the walls and on top of all the surfaces and materials there is to reflect and capture the second edition of the reality. It will be interesting Summer of photography in the City!

The cool wind came this morning and the temperature dropped 10 degrees. Still lovely weather to have a walk at the park and see the colours spreading all over under the big, calming trees.

 and one more thing...the spring is there for us to enjoy...let's do that and keep our all senses open for it!

A weather report

I have to share this, because we don't see this so often in Amsterdam. It was snowing this morning and after that the weather got clear again in a few minutes time. Sometimes you can experience the whole range of different weather types in a one day here. Better to be prepared and enjoy that. 

With snow

And without snow

Ready for some green?!

Reaching up, growing and slowly painting the shades of spring again. That how it looks when I walk outside and see the small signs everywhere. The fragile looking flower fields protected from the wind by the big trees at the park. Just a very few calm moments today, the wind is very strong now. Getting stronger before the night. The wind is cleaning the way for the new season. That is what I want to think of. A few beautiful individual plants of spring are decorating the scenery. The grass is getting greener, the smoothie of Nature is mixed for us to enjoy.

We saw those complex shapes of trees and saw how strong they look without the leaves. It has been another mild winter and it starts to look like that even the nature is fed up with this season without a name. 

I am a little bit worried of how things will change in the future. When the capacity of environment will be stretched so war to it's limits that we are in real trouble? I just read an article how all big destroys of human made systems and societies happened, because the people went too far of using the capacity of environment and how unfair the resources were dealt among other people. The greediness of people and how the richest elite did not even see the signs (or did not want to)of destroyal coming. The hunger, people searching better places to live and wanting to survive. It seems to go over and over again: the roman, the mayas and other old cultures. We have to have a better look of our own lifetime in this planet and act responsible. I admire the people who are doing recearch, who write or do something else to make us notice things. I hope the people with power will focus and work more for the things that are good for the whole network of continents, countries, people, animals and the nature. Me too, I have to keep on collecting some information and try to be aware of my bad habits!

It is strange that every spring feels like the first spring. How can that be? how can the same flowers, the first leaves on the trees or even the first insects making their sounds be so fascinating? It is like a need to be newborn again or being like a little child: Wondering the world and learning the signs of seasons. I think we have the ability to live peacefully with our environment if we want to use our skills and our wisdom. Going out and see what's there --- STEP ONE..and hopefully more wisdom will come.

Frozen wake up!

This week has been colder than usual and I like it for a change. There is a thin layer of froze everywhere and it softens the view like a filter. The walking paths at the park are slippery and the air feels nice and fresh. The early morning is a good time to enjoy the peace and reload the batteries for the day. All sounds are clearer in the stillness and in the harmony of a new morning. If the stress of everyday life hits hard, my best recipe and advice is to go out and have a walk. Then the focus of your mind is changing the direction. The circle of the thought is getting bigger and your energy will flow outside and you keep open the way back to the inside too. It is a both way traffic - letting go and letting in.

Even a walk in a rough City landscape gives inspiration and strength to me. A curious mind finds fascinating details on a street level. Life is everywhere and we as people leave our marks and monuments behind us. The different layers of history are present now and some of those dimensions of time will be gone one day. Staying still as a  memory in our minds or  documented in pictures, videos or stories or as pieces of art. 

Somewhere under the rainbow or somewhere under the everyday sky. Maybe the worst way of spending a day for me would be just sitting on front of the computer screen at one spot the whole day. But that is the way many people are spending their days, hardly changing the position, modern working. The technology makes it possible to see the world on the computer screen and being mentally active, but at the same time we should use the whole capacity of the human mind and the body we have. 

I believe that is important every day to give yourself a long moment to collect the information from the different parts of your muscles,  using all your senses and using the skills that we are born with and the skills we learned as a child. Then we can be happy, creative and  a little bit more understanding and accepting the diversity of life. 
Also a moment just being alone and being aware of your needs, ambitions and the whole you. We have to be precent in our lives, in the line of millions of short moments. Being aware of everything in every second would be very tiring, but just remembering the importance of a peaceful break and being a little bit selective for your own sake. 

The pastel shades at the park gave me a peaceful mind today. It was good to feel the fingers getting cold and decide to walk faster to get warmer again. 

 The ice on the water is melting slowly. The frozen details will be different tomorrow if it's going to be another cold night. A good start for a day has a long effect. Feeling good today!

Enjoy your day!