For a moment I think I am looking at an old swimming pool with green, smelly water. But then I see a big bubble coming to the surface, and then another one. We are in Bath, a town in South West England, where a hot spring is the center of an ancient complex of Roman baths. …
Beings of light
Here in Aberdeen I work in childcare. When it’s bedtime, I tell the children stories about Narnia. Sometimes I also tell stories that I have made up, and we come up with new ideas together. This always involves a large amount of magic and fantasy. Stories about strange creatures and mysterious powers are not only …
Feet on the ground
One of the first things I did after arriving in this house was an exploration of the bookshelves. Outdoor life is very beautiful, but not complete without a book. To my satisfaction I found a decent collection of books in English. My favorite so far is The complete book of self-sufficiency by John Seymour. This …
Back to the Earth
Our backpacks are packed and our family members are blinking back their last tears: It’s time to say goodbye to the Netherlands again. We will spend the next five months in Chile, where we will work on several farms through WWOOF. It may not seem the most logical step after obtaining a PhD degree (Freddy) …
Colourful world
I was cycling home this afternoon when I suddenly saw a huge rainbow, shining over the houses. After I had been watching for a while, it started raining and I quickly got on my bike again. The trees along the street had adorned the gray tarmac with bright yellow leaves. The sun shone on it, …
The Way of the Leaf
After a tropical week it seems like the autumn has finally begun here in Gillingham. Time for an autumn story from Thich Nhat Hanh. He tells us that he is in the park, completely absorbed in the contemplation of a small leaf. He spents a long time questioning the leaf, and finds out that the …