Join us for an afternoon summer stroll in our Dutch garden…

Dutch Australian, Life in The Netherlands

Join us for an afternoon summer stroll in our Dutch garden…

July 10, 2013

When it’s finally sunny here in The Netherlands, you have to get out and enjoy it! (Never mind that our summer weather is pretty similar to Brisbane winter weather). I’d love you to join us for an afternoon summer stroll in our Dutch garden (in Ypenburg, Den Haag). Today, it’s been a year since I moved from Australia to The Netherlands. You may have followed some of our first few weeks here: Life in The Netherlands. I also wrote when we’d been here two months. Since then, I’ve written fairly regularly (which you can browse via the calendar at the bottom of this page) but mostly, life has gone by in a bit of a blur – getting the children settled into school, getting my business www.zestee.com up and running here and just general day to day things. I took some time out today to enjoy the sunshine though with the girls in the garden. Hope you enjoy the colour and light as much as I did!

Renee

14 responses to “Join us for an afternoon summer stroll in our Dutch garden…”

Alex Eastgate

July 10, 2013 at 11:22 pm

Thank you for up dating your Adventure in the Netherlands.The Garden looks lovely and what a spot of sunshine does for you. Good luck with your new business.
Kind Regards,
Alex

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1. Renee Veldman-Tentori
  
  July 11, 2013 at 7:48 am
  
  Doesn’t it ever Alex (the sunshine). Thanks for taking the time to comment and for the good luck wishes! Business going well thanks, am pleasantly surprised how many english-speaking clients I’ve had the opportunity to work with but I am keen to also develop my dutch in the coming years and it’s my goal to work with dutch-speaking clients within a year or two as well. Renee
  
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  1. ozcloggie
    
    July 14, 2013 at 11:45 pm
    
    Komt goed! Weet ik zeker! 🙂 Love your work! Greetings from Sydney.
Nissa Walters

July 10, 2013 at 11:53 pm

Ah, beautiful! Have you had the rosemary through winter also? I’ve seen it surviving outdoors around my neighbourhood but am still unsure whether to take the risk!

PS – I’ve actually been reading your blog for a little while, I think I commented a while ago under my blog name http://www.inkandwhim.com.au rather than FB? Thanks for your comment on the library idea on FB, and I’d love to contribute, but for now I’m super busy with wedding planning! I’ll be much more relaxed in November once the festivities are done, and then I’ll have a big post on Dutch-Australian weddings for you (I’ll be another ‘import bride’)!

Enjoy the sunshine!

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1. Nissa Walters
  
  July 10, 2013 at 11:54 pm
  
  Whoops! Edit – http://www.inkandwhim.com
  
  I think it’s bedtime when you forget your own website’s address!
  
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  1. Renee Veldman-Tentori
    
    July 11, 2013 at 7:44 am
    
    Ha ha Nissa, never mind, I actually mistyped my Dutch Australian email address when I first typed this site in the backend of the contact form (a late night probably as well) and ended up missing email for months! Also realised it was bedtime when I mistyped two status updates on FB. Hope you had a great sleep! Renee
2. Renee Veldman-Tentori
  
  July 11, 2013 at 7:47 am
  
  Hi Nissa,
  All the best with your upcoming wedding and I’d LOVE a guest post either before/after the wedding when you the time (or both!). One of the craziest things for me planning our Dutch Australian wedding (we’ve been married 8 years already!) was the fact that there were kind of separate guest lists for the ceremony, reception (afternoon tea), dinner & after party. Not sure if that’s a Dutch thing or specific to my husband’s family/area but some of the work mates are invited just for the party, some aunties and uncles for the ceremony but not the dinner and close friends/family get to stay all day. Have you had to deal with that? Renee
  
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  1. Nissa Walters
    
    July 11, 2013 at 1:24 pm
    
    It’s definitely a Dutch thing, but we’re ignoring that all together! My constant saying during the wedding planning is “it’s an Australian thing”, to explain the things that we want. Like, wanting an engagement party! Or wanting to stand at the altar rather than sit in the fancy chairs! We’re basically having an Australian backyard wedding but in a rented Dutch b&b backyard!
Dave Onley

July 11, 2013 at 12:54 am

Great pics. Nice to know there are Aussies living in the Yp. Just a few hundred metres from where I work in the Forepark.

Reply
1. Renee Veldman-Tentori
  
  July 11, 2013 at 7:43 am
  
  Hi Dave, yes not far, you might even hear an “oi, oi, oi” back if you did an “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie” shout out from that close…. 😉 How long have you been in NL? Renee
  
  Reply
katie poli

July 11, 2013 at 4:52 am

gorgeous garden! i can’t believe it has been a year already! enjoy the sunshine xox

Reply
1. Renee Veldman-Tentori
  
  July 11, 2013 at 7:42 am
  
  Time flies doesn’t it! (except those winter days when I had to get the kids to school in the snow and I was FREEZING! Those moments seems to take a while…). I’ve seen some of your FB pics of your beautiful family and your children are also growing fast. So disappointed we didn’t get to meet up in person but great to have an online friendship! Are you and your husband still running your businesses? Did you know you can list them for free over at http://directory.professionalparentsnetwork.org
  
  Reply
  1. katie poli
    
    July 11, 2013 at 2:10 pm
    
    i have enough trouble doing the kindy run here in normal brisbane temperatures – you are amazing to manage it in the snow! kids do that growing-too-fast thing, don’t they? we are attempting to slow the process by having another one in october this year, which i’m sure will keep my already-too-busy hands a little more full! it is a shame we never met up in person, but never say never!
    
    my hubbie has put a bit of a slow on the children’s artwork business as he is currently working on his first book illustration contract – by the end of the year he will be a published children’s book illustrator (needless to say he is beside himself with excitement… and keeping very busy!)!!
Oz Cloggie

July 15, 2013 at 11:39 pm

Having only recently attended my daughter’s wedding, in a Greek-Orthodox church, here in Sydney, followed by a (huge) reception, in Luna Park (where I had not been for YEARS!!!) I was interested to read the comments about the wedding ceremony. In 1941, (during WWII), my parents SAT on chairs in the Gouda Town Hall (where my son and daughter visited some years ago and sat on the chairs). In 1981 my ex and I stood in the garden of an historic house (reception centre) in Sydney. The setting and the standing in the garden was VERY suitable. I DO like the setting in the now former town hall of Gouda too.

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