Monday Oct 26

Written by Jack van Ommen on October 26th, 2009

 

Here is another fall scene at the Schinkel marina. The smallest European owl, the ” Little Owl” (Athene noctua) in Dutch “Steen Uil”, has been sitting in this Birch tree all afternoon, right over the club house door.  About the size of  a Starling (except for it’s wingspan).

I enjoyed another musical treat at the Sunday service of Saint Augustinus. This time it was the “Cantemus Dominum” choir, 10 men and about 30 women. They performed the liturgy from Mozart’s Missa Breva KV 49.  And they also sang  several hymns in English: ‘The Gaelic Blessing (J.Rutter) “Deep peace, etc…” The “Magnificat” (Stanford) and “Rejoice in the Lord” (Rathbone). Goose Bumps… The “padre” cranked out another masterpiece sermon that would have instantly converted my protestant predecessors into pre-reformation Christians.

I spent a couple hours with my oldest, 83 year old kissen cousin, Age Tjalma. His grandmother was the oldest sister of my grandfather. She, great aunt Gepke Tjalma-de Vries, was the very last one to wear the traditional Frisian dress. A lace cap over a gold skull cap.She is the one left front, picture taken on the occasion of my grandparents’ 45th wedding anniversary in 1945. Her three younger sisters, Jansje, Dukke and Trein ( the three on far right front) never wore the traditional dress. My mom is in back row, fifth standing female from the left, straight dark hair, our dad fifth male standing from the left. 

 

Then I had dinner at Arthur and Marrianne Wijnans’ home in Soesterberg. We have known each other since 1973, through the timber business at first and then continued the friendship forever.  

This coming Saturday’s Circumnavigation slide show promises to be well attended. Nearly 80% of the 50 odd  invitees have confirmed. We’ll have a good time.

 

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