Just for fun post a non-porn pic.

[buzzj]

A few days ago I pulled up most of the pansies. They have been good friends all winter long--- but they were getting pretty leggy.

I potted some New Guinea Impatiens...

... and some dahlias

I gave a reprieve to one pot of pansies... their little faces were so cute

(Actually, that last picture is Sammir Dattani skating in Mumbai...he has a cute little face too.)

 

[buttons]

A few days ago I pulled up most of the pansies. They have been good friends all winter long--- but they were getting pretty leggy.

I gave a reprieve to one pot of pansies... their little faces were so cute

Have you ever tried cutting them back? Usually they'll start growing and flowering again for a second or third time. And if you deadhead the flowers and seed heads they should produce even more flowers. If you ever grow them in soil where pea's or other legumes have been growing they grow and flower like mad. Peas have the ability to store nitrogen in their root system. Adding an additional feed now and again you can keep the growing for years.

 

[buttons]

Copied from Wikipedia Queen's Day (Dutch: Koninginnedag) is a celebration in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba on April 30 (or April 29th if the 30th is a Sunday[1]). Originally a celebration of the queen's birthday, it is now mainly known for the 'vrijmarkt' (literally 'freemarket'), the one day in the year that anyone is allowed to sell anything in the streets and 'koninginnenacht' (Queen's Night) on the preceding night. It is also a Dutch holiday.

It started as a celebration of the birthday of Queen Wilhelmina (1880-1962), on August 31. After 1948 Koninginnedag moved to April 30 (the birthday of Queen Juliana). When Queen Beatrix succeeded Juliana on April 30th 1980, she decided to keep the holiday on April 30th as a tribute to her mother. Furthermore, the weather on her own birthday (January 31st) tends to prohibit the traditional outdoor festivities. April 30th, however, is renowned for having very pleasant weather.

During the reign of Queen Juliana, the Queen would welcome people who came to the Soestdijk Palace. The Queen and her family would stand on a dais, and a long line of citizens would walk past, congratulating her and presenting her gifts. These days, Queen Beatrix visits one or two towns where she is shown traditional Dutch dances and demonstrations of old crafts.

This is a typical occasion for oranjegekte (orange craze), when the colour orange is a ubiquitous sight, referring to the name of the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange. There are orange banners, orange colored foods and drinks, and extreme amounts of orange clothing and creative accessories are worn as well. Sometimes even the water in fountains is dyed orange. It is not uncommon for people to impersonate the queen, not always in a flattering manner.

Some impressions of Queen's Day in Arnhem

Another tradition on Queen's Day is the Vrijmarkt. All over the country people sell their most precious family heirlooms for next to nothing.

It's like a car-boot sale the size of a country. In fact it's the only day when you can sell your stuff at markets like this without a permit, hence the name vrijmarkt (vrij = free, markt = market).
I resisted the urge to buy this lovely basket and believe me it was a struggle but couldn't resist taking a pic of it.

 

[buttons]

Some more of the Vrijmarkt. I went round 16.00 hrs as the stalls started clearing. Usually by that time the prices have dropped and people start giving stuff away for free. I know I'm cheap , but I bought two leather jackets for 20 euro so I think it paid off going so late.

 

[buzzj]

^^^Looks as though it was a ton of fun^^^​

Was there food? What's your national dish??

 

[buzzj]

Four pictures in search of a theme...

A worker checks pipelines at an oil refinery in Lanzhou, China.

A man walks past sculptures outside a public toilet in southwest China's Chongqing municipality.

A worker walks past a huge poster outside a construction site in Beijing.

A resident wears a scarf to protect herself against dust as she exercises during a windy day at a park in Shenyang, China.

 

[buttons]

LOL how did you know I took a pic of that as well!

Actually anything that is orange is a big hit on the day. Oranje bitter which is an bitter tasting orange liqueur made of oranges. Lots of other stuff has either orange food coloring in it or an orange icing on top. I haven't had time to do any shopping this week so maybe tomorrow I can take a pic of what's left in the store.

But I did take this shot

A gastronomic delight from the Netherlands that is known as a Frietje Oorlog. Frietje = chips or fries with a dollop of mayonaise and saté sauce. The combination of mayo and peanut sauce is why it's called oorlog, which means war.

 

[flyingfree]

^^^Looks as though it was a ton of fun^^^​

Was there food? What's your national dish??

buttons may correct me on this one. Haring (pickled herring) is considered a national snack and it is quite good. It is an acquired taste. I generally pass on the chopped onions. Perhaps this snack is unique to Amsterdam. Assignment to buttons: a picture of the Arnhem herring stand.

 

[buttons]

buttons may correct me on this one. Haring (pickled herring) is considered a national snack and it is quite good. It is an acquired taste. I generally pass on the chopped onions. Perhaps this snack is unique to Amsterdam. Assignment to buttons: a picture of the Arnhem herring stand.

Ah I forgot about those. I can't stand them myself. But tomorrow is market day and maybe I can make it there to take a pic.
Actually pickeled herring is something different. Usually they're rolled up and called rolmops or cut in chunks and both can be bought at any supermarket.

The herring with onions you're referring to are raw and are freshly prepared, gutted and descaled while you wait. I'll try taking a pic of how the Dutch eat them. It's like watching a zoo keeper feed the seals

I should take you guys food shopping. I'll try bringing the camera next time I go so I can show you the food here.

 

[buzzj]

LOL how did you know I took a pic of that as well!

Actually anything that is orange is a big hit on the day. Oranje bitter which is an bitter tasting orange liqueur made of oranges. Lots of other stuff has either orange food coloring in it or an orange icing on top. I haven't had time to do any shopping this week so maybe tomorrow I can take a pic of what's left in the store.

But I did take this shot

A gastronomic delight from the Netherlands that is known as a Frietje Oorlog. Frietje = chips or fries with a dollop of mayonaise and saté sauce. The combination of mayo and peanut sauce is why it's called oorlog, which means war.

I can just feel my cholesterol going up!! But doesn't it look good! Yummers!!

 

[buzzj]

Ah I forgot about those. I can't stand them myself. But tomorrow is market day and maybe I can make it there to take a pic.
Actually pickeled herring is something different. Usually they're rolled up and called rolmops or cut in chunks and both can be bought at any supermarket.

The herring with onions you're referring to are raw and are freshly prepared, gutted and descaled while you wait. I'll try taking a pic of how the Dutch eat them. It's like watching a zoo keeper feed the seals

I should take you guys food shopping. I'll try bringing the camera next time I go so I can show you the food here.

I love pickled herring--- but I'm not so sure about raw herring. You've heard the joke about sushi? ...Actually it was invented in Alabama... but there they call it "bait."

 

[buzzj]

A spectator watches as America's Cup challengers are towed back to port after racing at the Louis Vuitton Cup in Valencia. (I'd kill to have taken this picture!)

 

[alister9669]

Pelicans on vacation in Florida.

 

[buttons]

A spectator watches as America's Cup challengers are towed back to port after racing at the Louis Vuitton Cup in Valencia. (I'd kill to have taken this picture!)

Interesting....I could have killed as well to have any of the pics I took of todays sunset to look even remotely like that one as well. This block of flats stands at the corner of the street I live in. There used to be a beautiful, if somewhat delapidated, synagogue on that same spot. It hadn't been used for that purpose in years but i still miss it.

front

back

 

[Jeimuzu]

*smirk* I love some of the hilarious still shots you can get of TV people.

 

[buzzj]

*smirk* I love some of the hilarious still shots you can get of TV people.

You can make an Adonis look bad if you carefully select your screen cap!

 

[buzzj]

A decorated elephant takes part in the Trichur Pooram festival in Trichoor, India.

Kentucky Derby hopeful Teuflesberg after an early morning gallop on the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

An Afghan police officer looks through a hole in a banner during a ceremony in Kabul marking the 15th anniversary of the defeat of the Communist government.

 

[Jeimuzu]

You can make an Adonis look bad if you carefully select your screen cap!

Dara isn't much of an adonis. Body of a bouncer, voice of a leprechaun.

 

[Jeimuzu]

Dara isn't much of an adonis. Body of a bouncer, voice of a leprechaun.

On the topic of Mock the Week, just how cute is Russell Howard?

 

[buzzj]

On the topic of Mock the Week, just how cute is Russell Howard?

That's a marvellous smile!