19 Comments
User's avatar
Lilly Knuth's avatar

Wonderful pictures of your island. Dropping horse chestnuts means autumn is really there. Chestnuts always brings to mind Christmas is approaching and and the year will end soon. Enjoy that lovely place in the autumn weather. Thanks for those photos and the sketch note, always enjoyable.

Expand full comment
Rachael's avatar

About the horse chestnuts - conkers, we called them in the schoolyard - I’ve heard that strewing them around your house discourages spiders. I pass on the wisdom for what it’s worth -

Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

Hi Rachael, interesting, I had never heard of it. But it is all over the internet, a quick search gave me this article. https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/08/conkers-spiders-and-facts/ To summarize: no, it does not keep spiders away but it is quite possible that putting some horse chestnuts in your wardrobe may keep moths away. It is worth the try and who knows it may even scare the spiders away as well (and since there will be no moth to eat for them, this might prove in the end that there is a horse chestnut-spider connection ;-)

Expand full comment
Evelyne Luethy's avatar

No wonder you couldn't choose. That bike route looks great and what a stunning picture. As to the horse chestnuts - sounds like a great tradition! Never heard of keeping horse chestnuts for good luck. Maybe you can put it in a jacket pocket? You're spoiling us - another great picture. Those clouds and the colors. Hope you made it home before the rain. And your village really has it all - I wouldn't know where to look for a kite shop in my area. Nicely sketched alexnote. Hope you're having a great Wednesday.

Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

Thank you 😊

Expand full comment
Dawna Stromsoe's avatar

Thank you for posting the lovely photos and memory about your mother and the horse chestnut. It would be a wonderful tribute to her if you place one next to her photo in your home. Your alexnote sketch was also wonderful, you are so talented!

Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

Thank you Dawna :-)

Expand full comment
Marian Noë's avatar

Fine picture story of Zeeland looks . . . to feast my memory on. Thank you Alexander🙏🌻

Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

Thanks Marian :-)

Expand full comment
Dorothy Smith's avatar

Such lovely photos as always and love the village sketch 😊 You’ll soon have tourists flocking….

Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

I already did attract several tourists to Zeeland. Perhaps I should just stay quiet and keep this paradise all to myself... ;-)

Expand full comment
Dorothy Smith's avatar

The Tourist Board will love your blog 😂

Expand full comment
Fulvia's avatar

Thank you for sharing. Beautiful pictures 🥰

Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

Thank you!

Expand full comment
Ginna's avatar

Such amazing pictures. Thank you for sharing with us all.

Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

Thank you!!!

Expand full comment
Jean in Florida's avatar

Beautiful! I am in awe of your talent when I look at your Alexnote.

I liked the suggestions here for the horse chestnut, next to a photo of your Mum, or carry it in your pocket. My great-grandfather had a 25 cent coin with the year of his birth that he carried with him every day until he died.

Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

I like that. I have more modest cufflinks, just one cent (well two, since they are a pair) from the year of my birth

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Sep 29, 2021
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Alexander Verbeek's avatar

Thanks Dave 😊

Expand full comment