February, 2013

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Tuesday February 26. A sixty year mini-High School Reunion

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013

Around Christmas time, the name of my Hight School, The CUS on the Borsenburgerplein happened to come up in the conversation with my marina neighbor. A week later he dragged one of his condo neighbors in for the club new years social. Hannelore Herzog just happened to have been one of my class mates and graduated the same year in 1954. And then things got even stranger, all of a sudden Hannelore walks up to one of the club members and ask her if she happens to be Willy Sluiter, who was also in our class. No, but it was her younger sister….

Today she came and picked me up from the marina and we drove to another old class mate, who I had seen in the last 4 years, Willy Kerkhoven. She lives just a half hour ride north of Amsterdam. Willy knows several more of our old school friends and we are planning to get a larger group of them together before I leave Holland. She is the same friend who I wrote about in my blog on Janyary 11th, who had managed to deliver one of the books to my friend Sjoerd Koppert in Carpinteria, California where she went to visit her daughter for her 50th birthday celebration.

The barometer is unusual high at 1033 milibars. It’s still just above freezing but we are promised for the mercury to rise. At least a respite from the rain and snow.

Do not forget that it is my twin’s 76th birthday on Thursday!!

Thursday February 21st. Four Seasons at “De Schinkel”

Thursday, February 21st, 2013

We have finally had a few sunny days. It gets just a few degrees above freezing during the day. My heater is keeping me relatively comfortable during the day. And I disappear in my cocoon for the night. I took a winter shot of the Horse Chestnut while the sun was setting and now I have the 4 seasons completed. The other three pictures were taken in 2009 and 2010. It is just a gorgeous tree and I have not quite decided which season I like best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been busy with the revisions for the Dutch “De Mastmakersdochters” book. I am just about done. It will look better, the content does not change but for a few paragraphs.

March 1st I move on land and will start taking the boat apart and begin refinishing the interior. Then I go in the shed in the 2nd week of April. You can find the spot where I’ll be doing the work, it is in the winter picture, far right parallel to the tree line, just a  pole vault from the club here.

Sunday Feb 10. The Last of the Mohicans.

Monday, February 11th, 2013

Jan P. Eusman

This has been an eventful day. The first of the Lunar New Year. It may be an indication for what the rest of the year of the Snake will bring. I  got up early. Another fresh layer of snow had fallen during the night. Clear skies. I borrowed Ankie’s bicycle and crossed the Lower Rhine to Amerongen. A perfect day for photographs in one of the most scenic parts of Holland. This was my last opportunity to see the interior of the historic Andries church in Amerongen. The sermon was on the miraculous catch of fish.

Karel and Ankie dropped me off in Amsterdam on their way to a birthday party for Ankie’s brother. I’ll miss the chickens and the peaceful setting of their farm house. I made a quick stop at the boat to drop my bag off, then took the bus to Uithoorn. I had been looking forward to meet Jan Eusman. He is the only surviving member of the Resistance group my mother belonged to. He will be 93 on April 20. I had a number of questions for him. His mind and memory are as sharp as a tack. In my book “The Mastmakers’ Daughters” I describe the circumstances of his arrest and escape on May 22nd 1944, on his first attempt to elude the SS put five pistol bullets in his body. One is still lodged behind his right ear. His granddaughter, Martine, showed me one of the bullets they removed that same fateful day in the hospital from where he managed to successfully escape the next day. She also showed me one of the bloodstained 10 guilder notes, he had in his wallet on May the 22nd. Jan had just turned 24 the month prior. He had already done a two year sentence from July ’41 in the infamous “Hotel Orange” and a penal slave labor camp in Germany. After both temptations with the risks, he went right back to his dangerous activities to resist the German occupation by helping the people in hiding and distributing the underground “Trouw” newspaper.  I shook the hand of a real hero.

Today (Monday) is exactly 8 years since I left with “Fleetwood” from Gig Harbor. It was the day after Ash Wednesday. Who, least myself, would have expected that this journey would become such an extensive voyage and that it is far from over. I am a very lucky, blessed and grateful man. Meetings with people like Jan Eusing make this a very special life’s experience.

Thursday 7 February.Right country Wrong river.

Thursday, February 7th, 2013

I have been telling you that Eck en Wiel is on the Lek. My neighbor hosts Han and Ineke corrected me. It is the Neder (Lower) Rijn (Rhine).  The Rhine coming from Switserland becomes the Lower Rhine near Arnhem and then the Lek at Wijk bij Duurstede, which is just about 10 k.m. to the west of Eck en Wiel.

I drove to Amsterdam for choir practice. We are going through it with lightning speed. We’ll be singing at next week’s Ash Wednesday service the Missa in Honorem S. Ambrosii of Jan Nieland. Last night I practiced it for the very first time. We’ll have a short rehearsal before the Wednesday service. Thank God I’m supported on all sides by excellent tenors. It is a beautiful piece.

We had an unusual multicolored sunrise sky this morning.

 

Tuesday Feb 5. Thunder, Lightning, Hail and Snow.

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

Had it all today. I woke up to thunder and lightning, around 6 a.m. But the sun came out as well. I discovered snow bells blooming in the back lawn and the daffodils are starting to push up as well. Spring will Spring. I am ready for it. But I still have plenty of work to do inside with the book and web site for it.

Tomorrow I plan another trip to Amsterdam for choir practice.

The moon is in it’s last quarter. Full moon is February 25.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday February 4th. Suggestion pour célébrer l’année du Serpent d’Eau (the Lunar New Year)

Monday, February 4th, 2013

This is the last week of the year of the Dragon. Saturday is new year’s eve of the New Year of the Snake. If you can make it to Nice on Thursday the 7th go see the traditional Chinese paintings of Marie-Héllène LY LAP. The details are below in the interview done on January 23rd by the local radio station. My first wife and I have known Marie-Héllène as a teenager when we rented ourt apartment in Saigon from her parents in the early sixties. Last August meeting her again and her mother, brother, and two sisters in Nice was the highlight of my four year stay in Europe. (see my blog August 5)  I wished I could get my Lear Jet out of the pawn shop and fly down.  The vernisage is the 7th and the show lasts through the 18th.

 

Interview de Mahelly, artiste-peintre et exposition peinture chinoise (l’Atelier 17 à Nice) février 2013

Interview de MAHELLY – nom d’artiste-peintre de Marie-Héllène LY LAP par Edward MAGNALDO.

Avec quelques photos de la très belle exposition de Mahelly en exclusivité pour EdwardMagnaldo.com pour vous inciter à aller la voir.
Cliquez sur les tableaux pour agrandir et mieux admirer :)

Voici Bambou & Rocher de Mahelly, artiste peintre :

01/ Question de Edward Magnaldo : Bonjour Mahelly, tu es à l’affiche d’une exposition de peinture à Nice, du 7 au 18 février 2013, à l’Atelier 17 (17 rue des Ponchettes). De quoi s’agit-il ?

Mahelly : C’est une exposition de peinture traditionnelle chinoise Tch’an et Sumi-E, à l’Encre de Chine ou à l’aquarelle chinoise. Cet art traditionnel datant du 11ème et 12ème siècle en Chine s’est développé sous la dynastie des Han (206 av. J.-C. – 220 ap. J.-C.) avec l’invention du papier.
Les siècles suivants voient le développement de la calligraphie, la poésie, la peinture et la gravure des sceaux.
Mais c’est surtout l’influence d’un empereur, ZHAO JI (1082 – 1135), expert en peinture, poésie et calligraphie, au nom d’artiste HUIZONG, de la dynastie des SONG que cet art atteint son apogée au 11ème et 12ème siècle.

02/ E.M. : Ta première exposition est intitulée « Les Encres de l’Âme ». Dis-nous ce que ces mots évoquent pour toi ?

Mahelly : Cette exposition traduit un art traditionnel qui transcende le simple acte de peindre, apaise l’Esprit du peintre, tout en exerçant cet apaisement chez celui qui contemple l’œuvre.
C’est aussi un chemin intérieur, car cette peinture exprime la grande règle des métamorphoses du monde par le pinceau et l’encre, ainsi que l’invisible beauté des choses simples.

Voici les belles Orchidées (peinture de Mahelly) :

03/ E.M. : Le 7 février 2013 à 18h30 a lieu le vernissage de ton exposition, parles-nous de ton parcours artistique ?

Mahelly : Originaire du Sud-Est asiatique de par ma lignée, j’ai toujours admiré les peintures chinoises que je voyais dans ma famille. Rêvant un jour de peindre de tels tableaux.
Puis je découvre l’art de la peinture grâce à un professeur, au lycée où je fais mes études durant mon adolescence.
À l’âge adulte, mon activité professionnelle empiète sur ma passion mais je continue toujours de pratiquer la peinture occidentale avec différents professeurs.
J’opte pour un parcours atypique en utilisant le crayon, le fusain, le pastel, les encres, la peinture acrylique et l’huile, en somme toute la gamme habituelle.
Mais ma rencontre en 2008/2009 avec Robert FAURE, professeur et créateur de son Institut à Toulon ainsi qu’avec Hélène HO, professeure (d’origine Taïwanaise) de calligraphie et peinture, maitre de sceaux auprès de l’Association Passeport pour la Chine à Paris, me mettent sur la Voie  de l’Art traditionnel de mes ancêtres : la peinture chinoise à l’encre de Chine – Tch’an et Sumi-E. Depuis, je continue mon parcours auprès de mes deux Maîtres.

04/ E.M. : Quels ont été tes premiers contacts avec la peinture chinoise ?

Mahelly : C’est au cours d’un stage au Centre de Trimurti près de Cogolin dans le Var que je me suis retrouvée assise devant une table, un pinceau à la main et ne sachant pas par où commencer malgré  tout le parcours déjà accompli dans la peinture.
J’ai fait acte d’humilité et j’ai décidé de réapprendre une autre discipline, tellement plus enrichissante que ce que je connaissais. Je n’oublie pas que tous mes anciens acquis ont été le tremplin vers cette nouvelle découverte.

Un beau Clair de lune peint par Mahelly :

05/ E.M. : Quels conseils pour mieux aborder l’art chinois ?

Mahelly : La première chose, c’est aimer peindre et trouver un bon professeur car il y a, malgré tout, une éthique à respecter même si cet art est accessible au débutant.
Manier le pinceau et l’encre est une discipline qui décourage souvent et j’en ai fait l’expérience car même si je crois avoir réussi une œuvre, parfois je reviens à la case départ car c’est en permanence une remise en question de soi, un acte d’humilité.
Mais c’est aussi une joie immense car j’apprends à voir, à observer l’immensité du vide et à en découvrir toute sa beauté essentielle.
C’est en quelque sorte un art martial : à l’expire, nous créons le Trait.

06/ E.M. : Tu es une artiste d’origine chinoise, vivant en France depuis ton enfance.
Comment notre pays a-t-il influencé ton ressenti et ta perception de la peinture chinoise ? La pratique de la peinture te rapproche-t-elle de ton pays d’origine, de tes racines ?

Mahelly : Je suis Eurasienne de par ma naissance, je vis en France depuis une quarantaine d’années ; comme je l’ai déjà mentionné, la pratique de la peinture occidentale a été ma première approche avec l’art de la peinture et du dessin en Asie durant mon adolescence. Sans elle je n’aurais pas pu m’ouvrir à cette nouvelle Voie qui me relie et me conforte dans mes racines.
Je me suis rapprochée de mon pays d’origine en faisant des voyages organisés par mes professeurs actuels.
L’un d’eux nous a fait connaître des Maîtres de talent, nous permettant ainsi de suivre leurs cours avec beaucoup de respect pour l’art qu’ils nous ont enseigné. Cela a renforcé mon lien avec ma lignée ancestrale.

Une de mes oeuvres préférées de Mahelly – Hiver au village :

07/ E.M. : D’autres dates, expositions, informations à venir ?

Mahelly : Oui, il y a un projet pour le courant de cette année 2013. Les dates ne sont pas encore fixées, c’est un voyage en Chine pour retrouver un des Maîtres qui nous a donné son enseignement et avec qui j’espère pouvoir aborder une autre étape dans cet art.

08/ Edward Magnaldo : Merci beaucoup d’avoir répondu à mes questions, je te souhaite une année pleine de joie et je rappelle que tu exposes du 7 au 18 février 2013 à l’Atelier 17 (ouvert tous les jours de 14h30 à 18h) qui se situe au 17 rue des Ponchettes, à Nice.

Le vernissage se tient le 7 février 2013 à 18h30.

Sunday February 3rd. Deventer.

Sunday, February 3rd, 2013

I changed my plans. Yesterday I wrote that I planned to attend service in the Andries church in Amerongen. Instead I visited my cousin, Hans van Ommen, in Deventer. It is about an hour’s drive from here. The old Hansa city is on the IJssel River and I passed it on “Fleetwood” last September. But the river is 4 times as wide and runs at twice the current, compared to last September.

I went to 10.30 mass at the Maria Koningin (Mary Queen) Church in Deventer. A very attractive building. The sermon was on the second reading Corinthians 12, a wonderful lesson about Love. The gospel was on Jesus being kicked out of Nazareth. From Luke 4. “No prophet is accepted in his own home town”. I had a similar experience when I showed up at my home town yacht club meeting when I came back there the first time after two and a half years and having sailed every ocean to discover that they could not care less.  Here, far away from home. I have had a total different reception. I guess that qualifies me as a prophet. And I’ll try walking on water, next.

The priest was father Joachim Skiba. A very good and clear homily, with a slight Polish accent. My cousin is four years younger and I stayed with his family for a while while my mother was in German prisons/concentration camps. His father was a long time member of the yacht club in Amsterdam where I recently became a member. We have not seen much of each other in the years since and we enjoyed the visit and are making up for lost time.

L.R. Deacon Brinkhuis father Joachim Skiba

 

Saturday Feb 2nd. Amerongen

Saturday, February 2nd, 2013

The sun came out after a short-lived early morning snow shower. This was my chance to ride one of the many bikes here and take the ferry across the Lek River to Amerongen. The river is a wild stream after the snow melt and the rain.  This is the same river I came up on to get on the Rhine in July 2010. Then the current was about 1 to 2 knots. Now it has to be anywhere from 5 to 7 knots.

Amerongen is a small jewel, it’s town center on the higher banks of the river remains unspoiled, maintaining the atmosphere of centuries ago. It has a gorgeous church Andrieskerk, Sain Andrew until the Reformation, the tower was built in 1527. I plan to attend the Dutch reformed service there tomorrow and I should have pictures of the elaborate interior for you in tomorrow’s posting.

Friday February 1st. Just in case you worried…

Friday, February 1st, 2013

that I might get bored being closed in on a remote farm house with a cat and ten hens and two roosters.

Here is an idea of my available library. I roughly estimate that my cousin has 2500 to 3000 books here, spread over the farm. Some appear to be complete collections of several well know authors.

Besides the neighbors across the street invited me for dinner on Tuesday, very pleasant evening and Ineke is an excellent cook and Han an entertaining host. I drove to Amsterdam on Wednesday for choir practice. Pulled dollars from the wall and deposited the Euroes into my Dutch account. I shivered at the rate. With the fees the Euro cost me $1.47 Which made the haircut cost me $35…… That is the highest I can remember since I arrived in 2009. What this means is that I need the money. Buy more of my books and spread the word! Or else…