To be an angel, one need not have wings.
In giving love there is an equal grace.
Nor need one seek the aura in the face,
As love unveils the beauty of all things.
8 Comments CherryPie on Aug 6th 2015
Every abbey had a vegetable garden. The abbey’s gardeners grew a wide range of vegetables for the monastery kitchen such as onions, leeks and celery but also lesser-known vegetables such as winter radish, parsnip or spinach beet. The Parc Abbey was no different.
Up until the 16th century, important parts of the garden slope were planted with vines. Trained fruit stood against the wall around the garden. Behind the coach house was a hop plantation. Hops were used in the abbey’s home brewery for the preparation of beer. Left of the abbey lane, where the hop garden used to be, stood an orchard from the second half of the 16th century. Further up the hill, in a favourable microclimate, lay the vegetable garden that led to a geometrically designed vegetable garden. The walled vegetable garden (approx. 2 ha), also called the abbot’s garden, was accessible via a gate on the farmstead square. Three linear paths cut through the garden from north to south. The vegetable garden was divided into large areas or beds, surrounded by a hedge.
The current vegetable garden was planted in 2002 in the former abbot’s garden, with the support of the King Baudouin Foundation. De Wikke, an employment of Wonen en Werken vzw, maintains the vegetable garden and grows organic vegetables. Standard trees with old fruit varieties have once again been planted in the orchard. *
*From a signboard next to the garden
8 Comments CherryPie on Aug 5th 2015
You may recall from a previous post that the abbey which held so much promise was closed on the day that we chose to visit.
Walking towards the buildings, we noticed that everything looked closed, despite the promotional leaflet from the tourist information office and the Abbey Park’s website, saying it should be open! We found that only the museum was open and were informed, ‘You know the Abbey is closed don’t you? There is a guided tour on Sunday afternoon’. We were disappointed to learn this because we were particularly looking forward to seeing the Abbey’s library. However the museum was very interesting, telling the history of the Abbey, the Norbertines and St Norbert.
Norbertine abbey founded in 1129.
The most completely preserved abbey complex in the Netherlands. The Church of Saint John the Evangelist is also a parish church. It is in fact a Romanesque construction but was converted into Baroque style in the 18th century when it was given a tower. The Romanesque portal in the tower was subsequently exposed.
The monastery buildings of the 16th-17th centuries were built on earlier foundations. Splendid relief work in the refectory and library (end of 17th century).
Monumental gates of 18th century, including Saint John’s gate and Saint Norbert’s gate.
Monastery barn, farm buildings, Provisor’s house, guest quarters, coach house, water mill, 17th and 18th century.*
*From a signboard near the entrance to Abbey Park
16 Comments CherryPie on Aug 4th 2015
By the time we arrived home after our Saturday jaunt, the weather had changed from sunshine to rain and the small cupcake enterprise was nowhere to be seen. Just after we entered the house Mr C realised his spectacles were missing and, upon checking found that they were not in the car. He phoned the Boathouse where we had eaten lunch. The spectacles were found where he had left them on the window sill by the side of of the table where he had been sitting. The lady who answered the phone said that they would be put on one side, ready for him to collect the next day.
I offered to take Mr C on a Sunday jaunt to collect them, having lunch out on our way home. We discussed a few options and Mr C decided he would like to go to Wollerton Old Hall Garden. I was up ready and waiting in plenty of time but there was no sign of Mr C even starting to get ready. I filled the time by installing a program to allow me to upload videos from my camera. When it was installed I worked out how to use the program and uploaded the short video I had taken whilst I was in Brussels. When I had finished there was still no sign of movement from Mr C (he was doing some historical research) so I turned my computer off and chivvied him along.
Eventually he was ready although by this time it was getting rather late for lunch and I had almost gone off the whole idea. Mr C decided to drive; maybe that was his plan all along 
When we arrived at the Boathouse Mr C was informed that somebody had already picked up the spectacles and was asked if it was a relative! Coming away empty handed we made our way to Wollerton Old Hall Garden, eventually arriving at 2 o’clock. There was a rather long queue to the cafe which I insisted we joined as I had a feeling they would run out of things if we didn’t. My prediction was correct, they had already run out of most things. I opted for a slice of bakewell tart and cranberry presse. After lunch we enjoyed a walk around the gardens which are looking spectacular at the moment.
When we got home I suggested to Mr C that he phone the boathouse again and leave his number in case his spectacles were returned. With a bit of reluctance he did so to be told that they would go and investigate and ring back, which they did, advising Mr C that his spectacles could not be found. We thought that was that until the phone rang a couple of hours later and Mr C was told that the spectacles had been found and they would be put in the safe until Mr C was able to go and pick them up!
12 Comments CherryPie on Aug 3rd 2015
A human being is part of the whole, called by us “universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
Albert Einstein
19 Comments CherryPie on Aug 2nd 2015
As we were leaving our house this morning I noticed one of the neighbours and a young girl at the end of their drive writing on a flip chart and I wondered what they were up to. As we drove past, we noticed a table with cakes that appeared to be for sale. By now a couple more children had arrived and they all waved at us. We paused at the end of our road and decided to drive round the block to enjoy a bit of neighbourly fun. We purchased three cakes because we were on our way to pick up my mum for bit of curtain shopping. As we were doing this, some homemade lemonade arrived. It looked rather delicious but I didn’t think three cups of lemonade would travel as well as the cakes.
When we arrived at mum’s house, Mr C informed her that he had a surprise for her. After she got in the car, we ate the cakes and then made our way to the curtain shop. Mum purchased her curtain material whilst Mr C and I checked up on the fitting date for our new curtain rail.
Next, we drove to Ellesmere in order to have lunch. I chose an egg salad sandwich and old fashioned lemonade to make up for missing out on it earlier. The first drink however had to go back because when I poured it into the glass some rather strange brown bits fizzed to the top of the drink!
After lunch, we watched the swans on the lake for a short while before returning home via the Battlefield farm shop near Shrewsbury. We bought fresh meat and vegetables and mum tried to tempt me to buy some chocolate that was on the counter. I told her you could only have one naughty thing a day unless you count wine with dinner (it is Saturday ). As I said this I turned round and noticed a stand with fridge magnets including one that made my laugh after my comment to mum.
I think someone is trying to tell me something!! What do you think?
25 Comments CherryPie on Aug 1st 2015
This former Jesuit church is a textbook example of Baroque style. It was built between 1650 and 1666. The iconic columns, pilasters and friezes give the facade the appearance of an altar. This ‘altar outside the church’ is one of the 7 wonders of Leuven. Inside there are several works of art to be admired including paintings of Erasmus II Quellinus. In addition to the paintings in the church, the communion rails and the rocaille pulpit are unique.*
The maverick Saint Michael by Ad Wouters.
Saint Michael is represented as a young man at the moment he is realizing that he has killed but killing is no solution. Reflecting on this he is at a crossroads in his life. He is standing there naked because nakedness expresses vulnerability and a possible turning-point. It dawns on Saint Michael that he must take another course in his life. Everyone has flaws, but everyone can steer his course in a new direction. That is why he breaks his sword. He no longer wants to kill. Killing is no solution. The sword must be hammered into tools useful to mankind and to eradicate poverty in particular. Saint Michael wants peace and no strife.
Louvain, 27th September 2009
*From Church & co leaflet
5 Comments CherryPie on Jul 31st 2015
