Thursday, 18 August 2022

Thursday/Friday post

Hi Everybody!

Hope you are all doing well. It is cooler than last week, but still very hot, and still no rain: The Rhine is shrinking day by day, the fields are all parched - so sad. But I now have a good fan at home, which helps a lot. Thanks to my good friend Sarah who sent it to me!

Today I have another page to share for Chris's 'when we were young' challenge at AJJ. I know I showed you another elephant already,  but this was actually  the first one I made. And there's another one in the making, sort of Hippie style. I was fascinated by elephants when I was younger, and I know I told you about  riding one, and if I ever get the chance I will do so again. I am also sharing to Friday Face Off   and  Gillena's Friday Fun:




This is beautiful, too!



Yesterday I went with my friend Heike into 'town'. She had an appointment at the doctor's, and while she was there I went round and took photos. Afterwards we had a drink here near the Rhine, Heike chose cappuccino and I had an alcohol free white beer, as I was really parched! The wasps kept trying to share our drinks, too!






This is our police station, usually open twice a week for a couple of hours:






Beaches where none were before - at the moment there are only 32cms water in the Rhine:






Have a great day, take care,
and thanks a lot for coming by!

67 comments:

  1. I remember when you would say the Rhine was flooding...so sad to hear. Lovely art. Glad you are out and about and that you have a new fan.

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    1. Yes, the extremes have got a lot more extreme these past couple of years!

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  2. The water situation is so dire. Yes, I remember the flooding too. Wow -- now a beach. I love all the photos and seeing your area. Your walks are always wonderfully fun and informative. Do take care, my friend!

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    1. By Düsseldorf the 'beaches' are even more extreme. Glad you liked the walk! Hugs!

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  3. I knew a few meant there spouse in bar and it been mix results.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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  4. Hi Val, good morning! Glad the fan arrived and is helping you. I know how hot your flat gets! It's awful to think of the Rhine running dry, our garden pond has no water at all. Today it's overcats here, so I hope you have the same! Hugs from us all, Sarah

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    1. Not overcats but overcast, sorry!

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  5. Hi Sarah, thanks again, the new fan has made such a difference. I am so happy to have it, and to have you as a friend! Sorry about the pond! Hugs to all!

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  6. I love your elephant!
    Our water situation is dire too. We begin a hosepipe ban tomorrow. It really should have been sooner. Last week there was a huge fire of burning wheat fields less than a mile from my cottage. So sad and dangerous. So very worrying.
    Thank you for your kind comments on my blog!

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    1. It seems to be the same evrywhere. Drought, fields and forests burning, it really is getting scary. Stay safe, Deb, sending hugs and prayers!

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  7. I am glad to hear that it is a little cooler, Valerie, and your fan will be a godsend. There are kind people in the world still. Of course you have many fans throughout blogland too, but they don't help to cool you down. If you put both kinds of fans together and have a cappuccino too, then you are getting close to perfection. The lack of water in the Rhine is staggering. And to think that just two years ago the whole area was subject to intense flooding of a catastrophic nature. If the drought in the American West gets much worse entire cities are going to become unviable. Can you imagine trying to live in Arizona or Nevada without water and air-conditioning? Yet there are idiots who still have lawns in the desert, and who can live without golf courses, after all? Here the past few days have been very pleasant indeed and we have even had a little rain - not enough but some is better than none. Take good care and enjoy your new fan. Hugs and kisses - David

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    1. The fan is wonderful, really strong and love it! That's corny with fans and fans! But it would be nice to really meet up with some of my Blogger friends, especially the chap who lives in Canada and writes me fun comments all the time! The world is really crazy, the heat is increasing and the rain has disappeared, and as you say, some still need to keep their golf courses and lawns watered. Glad your weather has been bearable I went shopping and bought the weekend groceries for me and a friend who is not feeling good just now. BIG hugs, Valerie

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  8. Pearshapedchris !?!? Just wrote a whole comment that didn't publish!
    If ever you find an elephant to ride I will come with you especially if he is a hippy one like this one! The Rhine was on TV, its unbelievable that not could drop to such low levels!
    I'm so pleased that you could get into town and not only take such lovely photos but also have a drink with your friend! Thanks for linking to my AJJ theme. Hugs, Chrisxx

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    1. Thanks Chris. It's a bugger with commenting just now, I am really fed up with all of these blogger 'improvements'. I would love to ride on an elephant with you, woudn't that be fun!? It's really scary looking at the Rhine, what next? Have a great weekend, take care, hugs!

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  9. We're dry too. Rivers and streams are low and some are even just the river bed. It is sad. I am loving your fun elephant piece though, and all your photos from your day in town. It looks like you had a nice day out. I'm glad to hear you have a fan, and I hope it cools off enough so you don't need it at all. Have a wonderful rest of of your Thursday and Friday. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Thanks Erika. It has cooled off a bit today, but the heat will be back with us starting tomorrow, so I'm happy to have my lovely fan. You have a great day, too, stay safe! Hugs!

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  10. so nice photos of the town:) and the drink with friend is so good:)

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  11. Congratulations on the fan, but I still hope it cools off for you soon. I love your elephant. It's got style :) The water situation is getting scary :( Your outing sounds enjoyable.

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    1. the climate conditions are running crazy all over the world, it is really scary

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  12. Hi Valerei! Love your beautiful elephant. And the photos of your town are so precious! Have a great day, Martha!

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  13. Ein toller Hippie-Stil-Elefant ist das - und der Spruch dazu zum Kichern! Und der Durchblick der Mini-Giraffe - einfach entzückend!
    Ja, seufz, bei uns ist auch so wenig Wasser, wie wird das weitergehen?
    Herzliche Rostrosengrüße nach "in der Nähe von Düsseldorf" :-)
    Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2022/08/mallorca-reisebericht-teil-4-tag-9.html

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    1. Danke, im Moment habe ich Spaß am Hippie Elefanten, Mal gucken was danach dran ist! Ich hoffe dass wir alle bald Regen und normales Wetter genießen können. Grüße aus Kaiserswerth! Valerie

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  14. Love your painting, great colours. We really need some rain here as well. Hope you have a great weekend. hugs Anesha

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  15. Love the bright and colourful elephant! And the play on "irrelevant," LOL!

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  16. Your police station is only open a couple of times a week for a couple of hours??? Your crime rate must be nonexistent. Love the elephant. Glad you had a good outing with a friend. I hate to see the rivers drying up. So sad. We finally got a decent amount of rain.

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    1. True. There is really nothing much here. Nothing happens, good or bad! Glad you got rain!

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  17. Wow, the Rhine is really low - I remember it flooding so many times during my lifetime. It is extremely dry here as well - we are actually on mandatory water restrictions that are unfortunately not enforced and people still water their lawns. They don't seem to care. A fan is a great relief when it is hot. We don't have AC in our home, but several ceiling fans that really help. I don't know what to do without them. I hope it will further cool down and you will get rain.

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    1. Thanks Carola. This time last year we had those awful floods which destroyed so many houses and killed too many people. Now it's drought! The fan is great!

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  18. Elephants are my favourite. Your little hippy elephant is so adorable. You took some beautiful photos and it must have been great to spend some time with your friend. It is unbelievable to think Germany being that dry. Stay cool and have a great weekend!

    -Soma

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    1. Thanks Soma, I love elephants, too. Yes, I can't remember it ever being so dry here, the climate changes are scary!

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  19. I absolutely LOVE your elephant. It looked more Indian (as in India) to me than hippie. Still, it is lovely and colorful. Thanks for an inspiring entry for Chris's theme at AJJ.

    Nice to see the lovely village and the shops you visited while waiting for your friend. Even the shrubs looked a bit stressed. And so sad about the Rhine. It's the same here. I saw on the news that the northeast, like where Erika lives, is restricting water for lawns and if you visit a restaurant you have to ask for water or they aren't allowed to give you any.

    Glad your fan is helping. Bless your friend Sarah.

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth. I love elephants and am really having fun with these decorated ones, such dun to create and play! The climate changes are very noticable all over the world just now. Here you always have to pay for water in restaurants! A small water costs thee same as a large white beer without alcohol, so I choose it! Bless Sarah indeed, she's a wonderful person. Hugs!

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  20. Oooh, your elephant is absolutely beautiful. I love how whimsical your art is. And we are very dry here, too. We keep getting "threats" of rain that never come. I will keep you and the Rhine in my thoughts for a good, soaking rain.

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    1. Thanks Sharon, glad you like my elephant, I'm working on another one just now and having fun. When it rains I will go outside and get soaked, but up till now heres been nothing here! Have a great weekend, take care, hugs!

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  21. Uwielbiam słonie te prawdziwe i te malowane. Ten, którego namalowałaś jest śliczny. Brawo., Miłego weekendu😊

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    1. I love elephants, both real and painted. The one you painted is lovely. Bravo., Have a nice weekend😊 This is the translation of the comment Lucyna wrote.
      Thanks so much, Elephants are really spectacular animals. HAPPY WEEKEND!

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  22. ...I love the architecture and your psychedelic elephant. The river looks low!

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    1. Thanks Tom, the river is very low indeed. In summer last year we were inundated with rain and terrible floods. The climate changes are getting more and more!

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  23. Bravo for your elephant art and elephant quote.
    Happy you linked to Art For Fun Friday

    Much💖love

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  24. Your elephant is beautiful, and that's a great quote Valerie.
    I love the giraffes, so sweet, and thanks for sharing your photos with us.
    I hope you have a lovely weekend,
    Alison

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    1. Thanks Alison. Those giraffes are so gorgeous! Have a great weekend!

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  25. A lovely post with the elephant. I love all the colors. Nice to have a fan now. Today here is rainy and only 63°F. Nice of you to go with you friend. That non alcoholic beer looks so refreshing without the wasps though. LOL Thank you for joining Friday Face Off.

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    1. Thanks Nicole. Those wasps are awful, I was hoping they wouldn't dive into my drink!

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  26. David and I rode an elephant in India in 2012. It was thrilling! I like your art today.

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  27. What a beautiful elephant! I love them too-I haven't had a ride on one, but I got to pet one once. They are such beautiful animals. So sad about the Rhine drying up-it's happening all over. Very scary.

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    1. Thanks Debra! The climb changes are really scary!

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  28. We've seen coverage of the Rhine with it's baked earth, such a shame, it is such a beautiful river - so massive. Hope you get the rain before too long and sorry, lots of it. Mainly at night when you are tucked up in bed.
    Love your elephant, Such a magnificent animal and yours certainly is with all his bright colours.
    Glad you had a nice day out with your friend, I hope the wasps keep away next time you are out. Fab photos, and great funnies.
    I do hope that you going out for a drink means youo are feeling a bit better.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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    1. Thanks Neet, it really is horribl to see the Rhine so depleted. We got some rain last night, not much, but the air felt much fresher. And every little is good! My friend and I are both not so well just now, but we try to help and encourage each other, thats good! Have a great weekend, hugs!

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  29. Lovely elephant. I did a cruise on the Rhine a number of years ago but there were problems because of flooding.

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    1. Thanks Lin. We are more used to the Rhine flooding than being empty!

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  30. I am so sorry about the heat ... we are having droughts in our western and south western states and what is worse is it opens these areas up to forest fires. People's homes are endangered and some of our wonderful National Parks are being threatened. And yet, there are those who would tell you there are no climate change issues (makes me tired when I realize how ignorance has taken hold in so many places). So I love the pictures of your town ... it is so pristine and beautiful. I know you must love it there. As for the "When We Were Young" pictures of the Elephant ... you brought a big smile to my face. My first toy was a stuffed Dumbo and it influenced my life time of loving Elephants to this day. So when you are young, it does effect who you become, right? I have also ridden on an Elephant in Thailand and will do it again and again given the opportunity. This was a wonderful post, Valerie ... and another thing we did when we were young. We put a bucket of ice in front of our fans so they would blow cool air ... it worked then and probably would work for you now. Stay well, Valerie ... and I'll do a little Indian Rain Dance for you in hopes of gathering some clouds and bringing on some rain :)

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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    1. Thanks Andrea. The rain dance worked - we got rain last night, thanks so much. the air feels cooler today! Ice in front of the fan sounds like a great idea, I will try it! I think that many things we do as children stay with us all our lives. Have a great weekend, hugs!

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  31. Ooooh, I love your elephant! So sparkly, whimsical, and smart. Sorry to hear about the Rhine being so low. It’s the same over here with our rivers and lakes in California. May we all get gentle rain soon to fill our water sources.

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    1. Thanks, I'll say amen to that, we all need rain so badly. It rained last night, so that was something, not much, but a start! Have a great weekend!

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  32. How wonderful is that elephant and I'm in love the the giraffes, isn't that too cute 😊. Wow, the Rhine is so low, my hubby was saying about it the other day so I'll have to show him your photos. The drinks look very welcome with the sunshine you've been having. Take care and fingers crossed for some rain soon. Hugs Jo x

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    1. Yes, elephants and giraffes are wonderful to see! Have a great day, stay cool, hugs!

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  33. Your elephant looks amazing Valerie, beautifully done! The giraffe photo is so sweet too - I love giraffes lol. Fingers crossed for some proper rain for us all soon! Take care, Sue xx

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    1. Thanks Sue. we got some light rain, which was nice, but not even a drop in the ocean for the Rhine! Hugs!

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  34. Your elephant is magical, Valerie! I've been fortunate to ride elephants a few times. I love it, as long as the elephant handler is riding with me. I've been hearing about the Rhine and other European rivers. It's scary. The baby giraffe is darling! Thanks for sharing that. Have a great week. Stay cool!

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    1. Thanks Luise. It's really a bit scary that Europe is heating up so much. Have a great week, hugs!

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