Monday, 8 April 2019

T sTands for black swans nesTing

Hi Everybody!

I'm pleased to say that we had a sunny and pleasant weekend here. We have been promised colder and wet weather this week, but  I think we just need to enjoy the good weather when we have it. I go out walking in all weathers - unless it's icy underfoot - and always enjoy my long walks along the Rhine and through the countryside. Last week I walked a total of 117 kilometers, which is quite good at my age.

On Tuesday we are starting a new challenge at Tag Tuesday and this time Sandie is hosting and her theme is 'anything industrial'. She has created 2 lovely tags for the TT blog to give you inspiration. I made some hybrid tags, as my fingers are not up to cutting and pasting just now. The first one has been made using elements from Mischief Circus, Serif and me:




Tuesday is also time for Elizabeth's T stands for Tuesday gathering, so a warm welcome to all of the 'tea ladies'  who visit here. I have a selection of fitting photos today:

These HUGE cups and saucers are  for putting plants in:


Something more spring-like:


This time I drank my coffee at the other side of the square at the baker's:


And back at my usual haunt - the menu-card has a photo of the 'green man' from the fountain:


Yesterday I visited  my friend Nelya who lives on the other Rhine-side and we took our coffee at 'Dulce' after a long walk over the bridge and through Hofgarten Park:



I enjoyed seeing the shops in Oberkassel, where I used to live:


We used to buy flowers from this shop:


I loved the decorations at the optician's:



Walking over the bridge:


The fish market is being held on the car-park:




 I always love to visit Hofgarten:


This time we were lucky to see a black swan sitting on its nest - I thought this would interest Elizabeth:




You can just see the eggs as she changed position:



This white swan was charming and friendly, until  people with a dog walked by....



I will show the other photos in my next post. Have a great day, take care,
and thanks a lot for coming by!

41 comments:

  1. Loved your industrial tag with all the gears. The teacup planter would make an awesome cup of tea that would last all day (with reheating). I enjoyed tagging along on your walk and window shopping. So much color along your walks. I've never seen a black swan so was fascinated to see the swan sitting on her nest. I'm not a dog person so I don't blame the white swan having a hissy fit when the dog went by. Enjoy your day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a gorgeous post again. You always give good value, that's for sure. Love the industrial tag, it's beautifully made. Great photos, as always, fantastic shots of the black swans. How exciting to see them nesting. Glad you both had a good time. The coffee looks delicious. Good to see Oberkassel again, too. Hugs, Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh I love the tag, beautifully done. You have the most delicious coffees yum! It must have been fun to visit where you once lived on that beautiful day!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful tag, enjoyed the lovely photos, everything coming back to life!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What wonderful coffee opportunities you have along your walk, and what a wonderful place to walk. That market looks like a festival in progress :) I've seen black swans at the zoo but never in the wild. The white swans I've seen in parks get very aggressive come nesting season! Happy T Day!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like your industrial tag with all the gears, and your new header photograph too.

    I enjoyed the selection of photographs here today and thought the fish market looked very busy …

    Enjoy the week ahead.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fabulous tag, love that background colour and the industrial stamps. The black swans are lovely, and you certainly live in an interesting place. We had three inches of snow on Thursday, but luckily it then rained and washed it all away. Now it doesn't know when to stop.
    My bird tags are 9 inches long and just hand cut.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Wendy, it was a great idea with the shaped tags.

      Delete
  8. A super post Valerie, I love the Industrial styled tag and that great quote you added.
    I would have liked to sit in one of the cafes and watch the world pass by, i may even have joined you having a cup pf coffee they looked so good.
    Wonderful shop windows, i really liked the opticians.
    Happy T day wishes Valerie.
    Yvonne xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lovely swans, Valerie, and photos from the bridge. The tag is brilliant and I love the theme!!! Hugs, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I always wondered what to do with those giant tea cups, thanks for the idea, your tag is stunning.
    Bridget #4

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hey Valerie... Now your cup of coffee at ' Dulce" is the type my children make me ... I'd love a cup of that brew. Your tags are in the super industrial mod( very nice) ... There were so many things to see on your walk today ... I love window shopping and finding unique items, like those oversized teacups. They would look so charming filled with flowers. OMG,that's a huge fish market and its so interesting to see. How exciting to see so many black swans. I have only experienced white swans ...They are so beautiful. Those geese can sometimes be quite nasty when disturbed, but they seemed quite content in your wonderful photos. Thank You for sharing. It was quite a pleasure strolling along the Rhine with you ...Hugs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Zaa. The swans are really exciting. I'll be going again tomorrow to watch for progress!

      Delete
  12. OH MY, Valerie. I am in LOVE, LOVE, Love. Forget the coffee, forget T Tuesday (well maybe not). Look at your blog banner and all that rusty goodness. Look at the beauty of the tag with its industrial feel. Look at the quote by a brilliant mind: Lech Walesa. Did I mention the rusty blog banner? Simply incredible.

    Then, if the rust wasn't enough to put me over the edge of ecstasy, There were TWO, not one, but TWO black swans and more on the way. Such amazing photos of a family and one to be, too. But also, did I mention the rusty blog banner?

    The green man sculpture in the courtyard reminds me of when copper rusts. It turns that awesome green patina that is incredible, but not brown and golden rust like the beauty of your blog banner. Still, rust is rust! And swans can be both black and white.

    OK, sorry! I sometimes get carried away, especially after a harrowing day that turned into a piece of heaven when I visited your blog for T and Industrial. Thanks for sharing the various cups of cappuccino you shared today, and thanks for the rusty beauty of your blog banner and the black swans that will soon have little ones. Hope is in the air. I hope your fingers get better soon, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Somehow I get the feeling you like rust and black swans!

      Delete
  13. fab looking industrial tag Valerie! Your blog header looks so much like a steel factory in my town that has been renovated now with shops, a casino, and event center. That cappuccino looks so good right now. Loved all your photos about town-and oh my- that market is hopping!Beautiful black swans. Happy T day!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is a great tag Valerie. Sounds like a great new challenge. I see you even went for an industrial header. I like it. And I love all the photos today from your walks. You have interesting places to walk. Unless I drive somewhere my walk is always the same. Well not the same but the same scenery. The swans are beautiful, especially seeing the black ones. happy T day. Hugs-Erika

    ReplyDelete
  15. I forgot to mention, Chris is always talking about a "car park." Now I know she means what we in the states call a "parking lot." Thanks for the photos which showed the huge fish market that took over that area.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh dear, you need to learn English over there!

      Delete
  16. GORGEOUS TAG fabulous post and gosh I will miss your posts if I can't get to them while away, two months is a long time and will miss my lovely blogging buddies...depends on how the internet is and the time I will have.....hugs.xx

    ReplyDelete
  17. what a great tag! And a new (industrial) banner too. I love it.
    I am mesmerized by the friendly black swan. She is a beauty.
    All those cups of coffee stimulate me, even just looking at them! The cup from Dulce has a beautiful heart in it. Barristas do a course on making pretty patterns I have heard.
    Your Oberkassel neighborhood looks really nice. Is the fish market there too? That fish market doesn't look like a normal market. Was it some sort of 'fish festival'?
    Anyway it is wonderful to be able to enjoy the spring weather and I am glad you are taking advantage of it. Kudos Valerie for walking so much. You must be as fit as a fiddle!
    Happy T-Day,
    Hugs,
    Lisca

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This sort of market originated in Hamburg and sold fish. Now they sell everything, make music, have fun. It's on the Rhine side opposite Oberkassel.

      Delete
  18. Great art & photos Valerie! I love the optician's display too!
    Alison xx

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Valerie, your photos of the Swans and the town are beautiful, it looks a lovely place to live. I love those big cups and the pretty pottery with the flowers.
    We used to have a lovely indoor market until the council decided it had to go, it's ruined the centre of our small town as now it's just a car park with bars round the edge, it used to be buzzing on a Saturday.
    You certainly walk a good way, we do too, we love our morning walks, makes you feel so refreshed.
    Enjoy the rest of your week
    Jan x

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wow, your industrial tag is amazing! I love the images and the gorgeous background that you created - perfect 😁. I enjoyed seeing all your photos too, it looks like you've had happy sunny weather and blue skies! Wishing you a very happy T Day! J 😊 x

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wualaaaaa your tags are so Wonderful Valerie !! I love love them, love the backgrounds and the colours are Gorgeous. Great your Art always !
    I love the so beautiful photographs you have shared, thanks so much. You have walked a lot last week, you re very good. The swans are adorable, love them.
    I hope you ´ll be better very soon, and wish you a very nice day,
    Big hugs, Caty

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love the tag.
    Those pictures are so sunny and springy. Your area is just lovely.
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  23. Great mix of artwork and photos. It looks like everything has leafed out in green already where you are. (It will be about another month for that where I am in the Northeast US.) I loved seeing all of the places where you went walking. I especially liked the photos of the black swans.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I am so amazed that you walk everywhere! I love all the things that you have showed us. The fish market, the place you drink hot beverages and the flower shop are all quaint. And I agree with you about the optician's decor. We live in a rural town but it would be quite a long walk to town. Those swans are so pretty. How fabulous that you were able to get so close.
    I love your hybrid steampunk tag.
    Happy Tea Day,
    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh Wow I really loved this post allot-I always enjoy all of your photos-the coffees looks so good, loved the tour, and really loved the black swan. large cups for plants how fun for herbs or maybe cactus.
    Happy T wishes Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  26. A fabulous industrial tag and wonderful photos of your visit to Oberkassel, love the opticians window, so cool! How lucky were you to see the black swan on her nest and a glimpse of her eggs. Hope your weather isn't too bad this week.
    Avril xx

    ReplyDelete
  27. What lovely things you share with us today! Your hybrids are terrific and I loved all the photos you shared from your outing -- beautiful birds and delightful shops! How lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Loving that new banner Valerie, well teamed with the TT theme. You've done a grand job with your hybrid, if I lived closer i'd help cut & paste those bits and bobs for you :( Naughty fingers. Great collection of photo's so crisp and clear. Lovely to see the black swan nesting.
    Your Coffee(s) make me want to go make one... think I may do just that, i'll blame you if I can't sleep tonight :))
    Happy T Day Hugs Tracey xx

    ReplyDelete
  29. Please take care of your fingers!
    So happy you have been able to get out and do so much walking!
    Love your art you created! Great quote!
    You have such amazing markets! That fish one is big!
    Love the black swan and the nest! What a treat! Big Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Good grief! You did some serious walking. That many kilometers would be good for any age.
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  31. OH my goodness, that's a crowded market!But the kaffe at Crumbles looks delightful! What a GORGEOUS tag/card you've created - the golden gears are just sensational! I truly adore your blog posts :) Makes me miss Ulmen so much!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love, love your pictures. Not sure who is doing these pictures persay as I see Val commenting to a Sandra but the posts pictures are amazing. And those coffee places. Oh my, my.

    ReplyDelete
  33. a masterful steampunk tag! living all the coffee and swan photos, etc., wishing you well! xo

    ReplyDelete
  34. Loving your Industrial Tag..perfect.
    Great blog header too ..love it xx

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. All your comments are much appreciated! Please be aware that by leaving a comment you are voluntarily sharing your name and / or the details of your blog.