Happy Birthday to Suzi! It’s hard to believe she’s ten… she still has the spirit and playfulness of a puppy! We recently celebrated her birthday with a homemade banana cake and flowers!
Love you sweet princess xx
This was apparently one of the driest and sunniest Marchs ever here… and I can’t disagree. For a month that’s often very dreary and meh, we were lucky to have sunshine and often warm temperatures most days.
So… here are some pictures of Suzi doing here favourite thing- sunbathing!
Happy spring, everyone xx
A weekend in Northern France… kind of offbeat, maybe?
Just an hour north of Paris, the forested suburb of Meaux makes for an interesting weekend trip. We got there in about three and a half hours. Arriving in the dark, we could already see that it was surrounded by woodland, with small towns dotted through. Quite unexpected, so close to the large cities of Lille and Paris.
It took us a while to find the little Air bnb we were staying in, since it was down an unmarked road and reached via a set of stairs… but it was cute, clean and modern inside, and Suzi settled in right away on her place. The next morning she and I explored the little neighbourhood, to the song of blackbirds. And then after breakfast, we set off with Maya in the car.
We didn’t really know what to expect. You don’t hear much about this part of France, and what you do is generally about Paris… which is a shame, because as we discovered as we drove, this area has a lot to offer. The roads were winding through cute and well looked after villages, and the hillsides were dotted with forest and threaded through by the blue-green waters of a large river. It looked almost alpine.
We stopped at one of the forests to explore further. It was deep and dense; old trees growing close together, not much light. It felt untouched and un-manicured. Suzi enjoyed sniffing and exploring and looking out for wild boar. We spent the whole morning out and about, and in the afternoon I drove around Meaux a bit and was again pleasantly surprised by how grand the cathedral was, and the green areas surrounding it were full of dog walkers and cyclists.
We left late that afternoon, a tired Suzi in the back of the car, some wet shoes and coats in bags, but a smug feeling of discovering a place few would bother with. That’s their loss- because Meaux is well worth a weekend.
Practical stuff- Meaux is about 50 minutes North West from Paris by car and there are also trains. We stayed at an Airbnb which we found very well-equipped and clean, perfect for the three of us.
Hope that spring has sprung wherever you are, and thanks for reading xx Thank you to Maya for the photos 🙂
Since coming home from Mauritius we’ve spent November enjoying some little trips around the area with Suzi. It’s been fun to catch the end of the Fall Colors as well as discover some new pretty places, and Suzi also enjoyed it, I think! These are some of our favourites…
We took Suzi to the beach for the first time. The beach at Burgh Haamstede is accessible to dogs from October to March. There are some steep steps to get there but Suzi managed, she wasn’t too sure about the cold sea though! Of course, if you’re going without dogs the summer is also really nice, but will be busy. This time of year on European beaches there is a calmer, more brooding atmosphere which we really enjoy.
Also in Burgh Haamstede, we discovered this lovely lake and woodlands you could explore. There are paths all the way around, and we were lucky to catch the end of the Fall Colors there (they were really nice this year, all the oranges and reds you could wish for). Dogs are allowed here too, on a lead.
There is also another woodland area that we walked through with Dad, and there there are various routes you can do, ranging from three to ten kilometres.
We also took Suzi to some lake areas nearby. On a beautiful sunny morning we found ourselves at Haven Van Bommenade, which she absolutely loved. She was running around, leaping over the water, dashing up the hills… it’s dog heaven! The sun glinting off the water and turning everything golden was very special, too.
The other place we visited is only a ten minute drive from us, near the village of Drieschor. It’s basically next to the Dyke so there are some lovely views of the lake and the countryside. It is very muddy though, so dress in clothes you don’t mind if they get messy.
This area is made to explore, and Fall is one of the best seasons for it, between the auburn leaves and forests, to the golden morning sun on the lake and the grey waves of the sea skimming the pale sand. And with Suzi in tow, it was even more special.
I can’t believe it’s already December! I’ll have the last post of the year soon! Stay warm everyone xx thank you to Maya for the pretty photos
September has to be one of the best months of the year, especially when the weather cooperates! We were lucky to have almost a full month of dry weather (a record here), plus a real Indian summer too. The monkeys loved it, and spent the whole day outside, Suzi under the tree, surveying the garden, and Prune on the patio, listening to the birds and people passing by.
You know the old saying, April showers bring May flowers? Well this year it was more like May showers bring June flowers. May was so wet and cold, but most of June was warm and sunny, so perfect weather for flowers! Thought I’d share some colour here, through the photos we took of the blooms near by.
There’s a lot of talk these days about routines for the day that lead to an outcome; like to be more productive, to be healthier, or to sleep better, for example. I’m no expert in any of those, but I am very good (probably too good) at making routines that I stick with. Lots of people fell into routines during the last few months, but maybe they are no longer working for you, or you want to see a different outcome. Maybe you planned to add new habits at New year, but never made the changes. Well, it is spring, so why not start fresh now?
I really can’t believe that its been a year since lockdowns, social distancing and mask-wearing became the norm. A year since I started Bru Diaries, a way to share with everyone what was going on here, since there was nowhere else to go. And this is probably the longest I’ve ever been in one place, I’ve barely left Bruinisse, leave alone Zeeland! Somehow though, the days go by, and luckily I’ve come to enjoy the small things, and the moments with Prune and Suzi that I’m sure I’ll look back on one day and be grateful for.
