Transitions--from City to Country (Day 3)

We woke to glorious sunshine and a hurried morning of packing and saying good-bye to a small and lovely town—and a great B&B.  We picked up Jenni, our niece who works in missions in the Ukraine, at Schiphol airport.  After zig-zagging around the Amsterdam Ring Road, we eventually found the right exit (thanks, Jenni!)  and drove to our cabin in Lippenhuizen, Friesland, which we had booked for a full week, sight unseen. 

About 90 minutes from Amsterdam, Lippenhuizen is a small village, neatly kept (we saw several residents scrubbing windows and even the outer walls of their houses), full of flower beds and windows with lace curtains.  Just beyond the houses on either side lie green fields, mostly pastureland, bordered by small canals and trees.  The rich manure-like aromas in the air tell us there are a number of dairies close by.  Anyone we meet in the street smiles, nods, and says, “Dag” or “Hallo!”

The cabin turned out to be a perfect place for us.  Sjoerd and Annette speak excellent English (Annette is from Canada), and we saw right away that it would be a good fit.  The cabin is on their back lawn, a warm and cozy place with pine walls and ceiling, all handcrafted by Sjoerd and made lovely and home-like by Annette.  

We three girls sleep in the two bedrooms upstairs, and Sjoerd brought down a bed for Mom to be on the main floor. 

Annette took us to the local grocery store to shop for food, and we hauled back lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, and Friesland delicacies that Annette encouraged us to try (sugar bread, specialty yogurts, a pudding-like drink called vla, and raisin/fruit bread).  After naps, we took a walk to stretch our legs and enjoy the countryside. 

Later, we fixed a hearty chicken-potato-carrot dish with Brussels sprouts and cauliflower and salad, and brought it over to Sjoerd and Annette’s, where we enjoyed  her magnificent potato-leek soup, the rest of our contributions, and wonderful conversation. 

And so to bed in our comfortable, quaint, charming cabin.  It reminds me so much of our family cabin at Tahoe.  My only worry is that Mom has not been sleeping well, bothered by a tickle, cough, and congestion in her lungs.   We will have to take a slower pace from now on, and more naps!