The Schermer Windmills, Peter the Windmill Master and Enkhuizen!

Almost Looks Like Pennsylvania

Oops, not Pennsylvania, I think It's Holland!

Took a Tour of This Windmill

Schermer Mill Complex Map

Calendulas Happily Blooming

Peter the Windmill Master

The picturesque landscape Around the Mill

Peter Lives in a Mill

The Outhouse

Driving Along a Dike

 The Schermer windmills were used for pumping water and reclaiming land for farming.  It took approximately four years to accomplish this.  The reclaimed land lies approximately 12 feet below sea level.  Other windmills are used for milling grains.  Peter the mill master took us into the mill and showed us how a family lived in the mill.  Then he stopped the sails from turning.  It is a very delicate process.  He is a very dedicated man to the preservation of the windmills even living in one close by.  You can get more information about the windmills by clicking the link above.

Entering the Old Town of Enkhuizen

Enkhuizen is Known for Fishing

A Typical Dutch Lunch of Croquettes, Salad and Bread!

Lots of People Out Enjoying the Day

Gardening Wherever You Can

Some of the Buildings of Enkhuizen

A Small Herb Garden

And a Place to Sit!

We had a very lovely day visiting Enkhuizen.  It is a charming fishing village.  Lovely historic buildings are being preserved.  It was very picturesque.   We are still in the humidity and heat!  The Dog Days of Summer!   Hope you are staying cool wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

Kitty and the Canals of Amsterdam

I know you think you are seeing things when you see this cat on the table.  I know it looks like Kitty!  I couldn't believe it and it posed just like Kitty does!  Haven't seen Kitty for awhile maybe Kitty hid out in one of the suitcases to find a new life in Holland!  Enough Kitty tales!

Another one of our Holland hosts had a very charming garden space both in the front and in the back.

There are Very Narrow Canals

And Much Wider Canals

And Lots of Charming Restaurants

Even Found a Lavender in a Flower Box

The Pulley System is Used to Move Furniture In and Out

A Beautiful Sunset

The Lights on The Canals of Amsterdam!

We had a very nice time at our friend's house and then took a candlelight tour of the canals of Amsterdam.  It was nice to see old friends again and to make new ones as well.  Tomorrow the windmills of Holland.  Hope you had a great day.  We are still having the ickys and stickys, but we did get rain finally.  Not enough to end our mini drought, but some.  Talk to you later.

Two Dutch Nurseries-Double the Fun!

Catalog for De Hessenhof

A Salvia 'Crispa' I Hadn't Ever Seen

Hope The Plant Tag Police Aren't Watching!

Compost for Sale

Beautiful Display Gardens

Lavenders in Full Bloom

Very Much Like A Trial Garden Here

Can Get an Idea About the True Size of a Plant

Our Dutch hosts just knew the right activity for me would be to visit two plant nurseries in their area.  They did not disappoint!  The first called De Hessenhof had a beautiful catalog which I can't read, but I do know botanical latin names so there were a lot of familiar plants to see.  When you click the link above, you can get an English translation for a description of the nursery.  I found four herbs, two salvias and two rosemarys that I had not heard of before.  They did have a small hedge of the 'Crispa' salvias which I thought was very effective.  The display gardens were just beautiful and I think it was a great help to buyers coming to buy a specific plant to see how tall, wide and what shade was the flower.

Then we were off to Boshoeve (which translates to Wood Farm) in Wolfheze.

Typical Dutch Farmhouse

Espaliered Apple

Nasturtiums Under the Espaliered Apple

Mint and Lovage

Perilla for Japanese Cooking

Boshoeve's Display Garden

A Stand of Pink Monarda

You Knew I Would Find a Blooming Lemon Verbena!

Ladybug Loves the Mint!

A Floral Arrangement Graces the Table in the Market Area

Nigellas Are the Standout in This Arrangement

I loved this nursery as well.  It was smaller, but it was lovely.  They had wagons or carts full of plants.  Of course, I had to scope out the herbs.  Found a lot of my favorites, including blooming lemon verbenas!  They also had a flea market with handcrafted items and used items as well.  I found a book on herbs.  Again, can't read it, but the botanical names will help me with what's what!  We had a fun morning and we headed to near Amsterdam in the afternoon for the next adventure.

It is still hotter than you know what!  Hopefully some rain tonight!  Talk to you later.

We Hit The Ground Touring!

The Brussels Train Station

Lunch on the Thalys Train

In Den Rustwat Restaurant in the Arboretum Trompenburg

The sign in the train station says Amsterdam.  Although we were on our way to Rotterdam the very first day after an all night flight.  The middle photo is lunch on the Thalys train. We stopped at the Arboretum Trompenburg which is one of 16 botanical gardens in Holland once our friends picked us up from the train.  It is near the center of Rotterdam, but as it says in the brochure, it is an oasis of repose.  I would definitely be in this garden every day if I worked in the center of Rotterdam.  This first photo is of the restaurant where I found a beautiful little herb/vegetable/flower garden.  I'm going to do an additional post for The Herb Companion about it.  Here are some of my favorite photos of the Arboretum.

Mixed Border of Perennials

More Perennial Borders

A Bridge to a New Part of the Arboretum

Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

Yuccas About to Bloom

Thought the Heron Was a Statue!

Another Beautiful Vista

This One is a Statue!

More Wildlife

A Great Recycling of Bottles!

Even Sheep Grazing!

Wish My Astilbes Looked This Good!

What You Expect at the Arboretum, Mature Trees!

The Rhododendrons Still in Bloom!

It was a wonderful day and hopefully, I'll get my post for The Herb Companion finished in the next day or so and you will see the herbs I found in the Arboretum Trompenburg.  Hope you had a great day.  Celebrated my best friend's birthday at lunch today.  Worked a little in the garden!  Lots to do!  I'll be sharing some of the cleanup with you later in the week.  Talk to you later.