Samstag, 29. Juni 2024

The three C's

 Hello,

here we are again - and still in June! My, once again we needed to clean our blog from dust... *LOL* And in the meantime summer actually came along to say "Hi". After a long time of dealing with what felt like a very cold and windy autumn with green leaves and day temperatures around 10° C we switched to hot summer since a few days. However, last Thursday started with 30° C and ended with heavy rain and thunderstorms and now we are back to around 20° C. This summer seems to be a rollercoaster...


Well, at least Birgit is happy with our acutal temperatures as she is not fond of hot weather... and she was also happy as we finally managed to take photos for another episode of our *ehem* beloved series "And once more many pictures of BiWuBearies in the garden" between the rain and cold coming along with storm which made it impossible for us to sit anywhere in the garden and the heat which makes it impossible for furry beings to enjoy going outside. Believe us, we only had a very short time slot and you can still spot rain drops on the hosta photos... but we managed to bring volume 93938 to life just in time when Birgit already started to fear she would need to use pictures from the archive to fill this year's BiWuBeary calendar. *LOL* Oh, I just notice... I could have made this much shorter by just announcing volume 93938 of our series "And once more many pictures of BiWuBearies in the garden" but hey... that's not our style. *broad grin*



The hosta we're just visiting is a giant:











But the good thing about rainy weather is - apart from not needing to water the plants - having a bit of crafting time. And Birgit used this for assembling a special kit she had in her stash. It's the "Country Cabinet" kit by Iriginals and as this is dedicated for the former (sorry, we need to say it this time) Christmas project you know by now what this post's title means. So let's start with the three C's aka a Country Cabinet for a Christmas project - this is the kit:

Link to the commercial website of Iriginals: https://iriginals.nl/

Birgit started with a coat of gesso and tried to add some C-spirit by attaching stickers and embellishments.



And as this cabinet is dedicated to the kitchen of the North Pole project (which is also known as "Einar's Empire") it had to follow the colour scheme Birgit used for the kitchen furniture she created a long time ago. As service is in our blogbeary DNA we would like to give you a little reminder. Birgit used the furniture from one of her early works (back when she did not even dream it was ever possible to paint such expensive pieces) which was a very bland and boring kitchen roombox - and it looked like this:

And this is how the sink and the stove look after their makeover:


So with a lot of white and some metallic red the new cabinet will go along very well with the other pieces:


Time for "tadaaaaaa":







We heard rumours that Einar is storing his finished cakes in there... well, we'll see. And there are even more rumours about Birgit building yet another cabinet. Seems this one is meant for Lasse's room... and I can already reveal to you that Birgit found a very special theme for it... but this must wait for another post. For today we would like to show you two new garden inhabitants - my, Birgit wasn't able to resist their smile saying "You can trust us... although you shouldn't and you can only do it one time... but please, trust us". We may now introduce you to Bruce and Lee:


As I said... it only took a very short moment for us to understand why it was no good idea to ever trust them. And just in case you might wonder why you're going to find so many "Hi"s in the following dialogue... well, this conversation would be much funnier in our language as in German the word for shark is "Hai" and it is pronounced in the same way as "Hi"... please keep that in mind! *grin*


Bruce: Hi!
Lee: Hi!
Flutterby: Eh... hi, hi!
Rosey: Hi, hi too...
Bruce: You look yummy!
Lee: And you look tasty!
Flutterby (taking Rosey's paw): Well, I don't think so. 
Rosey (very confident): Me neither. But if you would consider getting even closer to us I fear we might find out how filleted and roasted shark meat tastes.
Bruce and Lee (very surprised and at the same time): Whaaaaat???
Flutterby: Well, you did not expect us to ever trust you! So we called... let's say... the cavalry in advance. 
Rosey: Please say "Hi" to Fluby's Godson... and to my boyfriend too!
*Sparkling stars announce the arrival of members of the magical world*


Magicus de Spell: Hi, hi!
Draco: Hi, hi! Did I just hear anybody asking for trouble?


Bruce: Eh... hi... eh... trouble? What trouble?
Magicus de Spell: My... the trouble anybody with the intention to have my girlfriend and my somehow brother-in-law for dinner would need to face? Hypothetically of course...
Draco: For sure hypothetically... because we would never allow anybody to have my godfather and his sister for dinner and would follow Rosey's suggestion instead.
Magicus de Spell (nods): Yeah, I would be in charge of the filleting part...
Draco: And I would not even need to wave my wand or mutter a spell as a good dose of dragon fire would be enough for the roasting part.
Lee (hastily): Wooohooo... calm down... you did not expect us to mean that serious???
Bruce (desperately trying to support him): No, we were just joking. As if we would ever harm a BiWuBeary! 
Lee (in a very low voice): With surprisingly mighty protectors.
Bruce (whispering towards Lee): Who could have seen this coming after all? *And aloud* We were just making some fun. You can trust us... look at our faces... do we look like liars???
Magicus de Spell: No comment. However, we were joking too... no filleting and no roasting from our side.
Draco: But you will still get in touch with magic...
Magicus de Spell: Yes, because I put a spell on you two right now! *Continues in a severe voice*  From now on until all eternity you will not be able in any possible way to ever harm anybody whoever being it may be.  ☆ *And in his normal tone and with a broad grin* Sorry, guys - but we're all convinced that you will look pretty good in the garden just by your mere presence.
Draco: Sure you'll do... so hold your breath... we'll send you on your way.

And before Bruce and Lee were ever able to say "Hi" or anything else they found each other being situated in an "ocean" of pebbles in front of Birgit's house... and from now on until all eternity (or so) they will sit there without doing any harm to anybody and showing to everybody coming along a broad "You can trust us"-smile. *giggle*


Trusting Bruce and Lee and their greasy smile became much easier and most of all safer after the intervention of our magical friends. And you can always trust in me to be a gentlebeary, that's why Rosey and I helped Birgit once more with the update of her calendars. Here comes the evidence photo... dedicated to a certain owner of a Golden Book called Mr. Claus. *ehem*


And with this lovely calendar picture from June we're wishing to all of you a wonderful July!

Hugs
Flutterby & Rosey

Samstag, 27. April 2024

Time to say Goodbye

 Hello,

here we are again... gentlebearies as always who have helped with updating the calendars - but also blogbearies having something official to announce: After a lot of debating, exchanging arguments, searching for pros and cons as well as endless trains of thought we're saying goodbye today.

But before anybody might start to get a bit sentimental now... we didn't say anything about leaving blogland, did we? *wink* But from today on we're saying goodbye to publishing text in red letters... and that was no easy decision. Our blog started of course in German many years ago but is bilingual since a long time. And although the many German followers we used to have got lost on our journey our posts still appeared in German... most of all as a special service for our dearest reader aka the silent blogreader. But even after our Mom's / Granny's passing Birgit, Rosey and I did not want to stop writing in German. It's our language, it's the language we're speaking and in which we think... and of course the language in which we can express ourselves naturally.

However, less people are visiting our blog... and even less visitors take the time to leave a comment. And all the time and effort it takes to write posts like ours twice ('cause that's what we actually do... we write our posts first in German and after that one more time in English) is after all wasted if nobody reads the German version anymore... So with a little tear running down but totally convinced that we're doing the right thing we're now saying: Welcome to "BiWuBearies on the Blog" - from now on run in words supposed to be English as we are of course still Germans doing our best in another language. *smile* But our layout is still run in German as we did not dare to change this - and we really hope the translator gadget in our sidebar will get along with our poor English skills! *gulp*

Anyhow, this is not the only goodbye today's post is about. But before it comes to this other goodbye we need to say "Hello!" first... to some very special being we happened to meet in our garden some days ago. And yes, you guessed right... skipping the German text doesn't mean we're throwing our beloved *cough cough* series "And once more many pictures of BiWuBearies in the garden" overboard... no... so let's also say "Hello!" to volume 93937. And in the first part of today's episode you're going to meet apart from familiar blogbearies also a mysterious stranger wandering through our garden... a visitor from the fairy beary emporium, a guardian of nature... and a true connaisseur of the loveley scent of spring violets. 

(Just a little side note - these photos of part 1 were taken March 17th... we would like to turn your attention also towards the small green patches surrounding the violets in the first photo. These are growing forget-me-nots... and we can already promise you'll see them again in part 2 with pictures taken April 15th. Nature is for sure as incredible as it is powerful...)


Perhaps we should get a little closer?


We may proudly present the newest member of the BiWuBeary family - FLOREENA!


It was no surprise that she was excited to explore our awakening garden *smile*:





Floreena was a special request... a big wish... and as this came from one of our dearest friends Birgit gave it a try despite her increasing difficulties to still hold her bearymaker's needle with her knotty fingers. And this special friend was Betsy... who asked for a special BiWuBeary for a very special person in her life who fell in love with the Cloud Palace Gang during a visit. There were a few requests... or should we call them suggestions... no, for sure we need to call them wishes: It should be a dark green forest fairy beary with luna moth wings being a guardian and protector of nature. Well, not all wishes can come true... sadly Birgit would have needed a wishing star or two from Blue when it came to dark green fur... but instead of this she used two different shades of green mini bear fabric and earthbrown for the soles. But when it comes to the rest... you're welcome to decide for yourselves:



And the guardian part... well, Floreena's magical staff and knife are not for decorative purposes. She will use them next to her magical powers to protect nature... and she has a trusted companion at her side who is called RENA


And just a little explanation for anybody who might wonder... Floreena is of course a reference to the Goddess Flora... and Rena was taken from the French word "renard" for fox.


Rena is a fox by the company of Safari Ltd. who received a touch of metallic paint from Birgit as he is the companion of a powerful fairy beary. But even magical foxes can cause trouble... a discovery not that much surprising after all because trouble is what you'd expect whenever a magical fox happens to meet a magical goose... and this magical goose was no other than our dear feathered friend Abby coming all the long way from the North Pole in search and need for a little bit of... ehm... peace and tranquility.

Link to the commercial website of Safari Ltd.: https://www.safariltd.com/


Abby: Hi there, folks! I've come over from the North Pole for a little visit... and being in need of a little peace and tranquility as Soot and Crystal with their ongoing quarrels are driving me nuts. I hope it's okay if I'm inviting myself for a little chat...???
Flutterby + Rosey: *looking at each other a bit confused*
Abby (noticing the unfamiliar silence of her beary friends): Eh... is my visit unopportune?
Flutterby: No, of course not! You're always welcome!
Rosey: We're always happy to see you... it's only because... eh...
Flutterby (taking a deep breath): What my little sis' wants to express is that you did not pick the best time for a visit.
Rosey: See, we're expecting two visitors for a Goodbye-Kaffeeklatsch...
Abby: Oh, in that case I should better go elsewhere, no problem...


Flutterby: No, you're of course totally welcome... but the thing is... eh... *looks at Rosey for help who is giving him an enccouring nod * the ones coming over for a last "Kaffeeklatsch" are Floreena and... eh...
Abby (alarmed): Rena??? Oh, now I understand your reaction... my, if that fox comes over I should better...
A giggling voice coming from Strawberry Cottage's gate: Sorry, you missed your chance. Hi there, tidbit!
Abby (hissing): Call me tidbit again, flea cushion, and I'm biting your tail off!


Floreena: Hi Abby, so nice to meet you here too... and no need to worry! *And towards Rena, in a severe voice* Stop teasing Abby, Rena... I mean it! Mind your manners!
Rena (with a sly sparkle in his eyes): It's not my fault that Abby is such a yummy looking lady... (And switching to a charming smile) Hey, come on, Abby, ol' lass... it's me... you know I'm not that much into goose meat conservated by North Pole frost. And I may also remind you of the fact that magical beings are not supposed to enjoy each other for dinner... in my opinion a dumb rule... but that's how it goes...
Abby (in a cold voice): The day I would turn my back to you or loose eye contact with you... that would be THE day... *switches the sound of her voice to sugar sweet* Sorry for you, Rena, but geese are naturally intelligent and much too smart to ever trust a fox.
Rena (pretends to be affected): Your lack of trust in me really hurts... May I remind you of what one of my cousins always says? One can only see clearly with the heart; the essence is invisible to the eyes... 
Abby: That might convince me if I was a Little Prince from another planet... but you should better throw your fake you-can-totally-trust-me-looks towards somebody else!
Floreena (rolls her eyes): Okay, that's more than enough! Stop this nonsense... both of you. I'm here to enjoy a lovely Goodbye-"Kaffeeklatsch" with our friends... and btw it's totally unpolite to have these fights in front of our friendly beary hosts while the coffee is getting cold. *continues with a broad grin* However this is nothing a little wink with my staff couldn't heal. *And towards Rena and Abby* And I would like to remind you that my staff can also put a dramatic end to any fight of yours so I would recommend you to stop this at once. 
Flutterby: And so would I... because the strawberries on the cake are already waiting too long.
Rosey (laughing): So we should better take care of these sweet, red, juicy, aromatic fruits at once. 
Floreena: Sounds great - thanks for the invitation. It's such a lovely tradition and so kind of you to invite everybeary starting a journey to a new home for a Goodbye-"Kaffeeklatsch". 


And while fairy beary, flutterybeary and flower beary were enjoying their "Kaffeeklatsch" with one, two cups of tasty coffee and with one, two, three, four pieces of yummy cake but most of all with a good chat (because that's of course the "Klatsch"-part in "Kaffeeklatsch") Rena and Abby were keeping eye contact while Wuff was thinking by himself that foxes and geese were decidedly strange. But then it was time for Abby to go home and face another round of quarrel with Soot and Crystal and Floreena and Rena knew it was time for them to start their long journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Abby: It's time for me to go home... thanks for enabling me to enjoy a bit of lovely company to relax my nerves again... okay, would have been lovelier without a certain disruptive factor but still... thanks for having me here, Fluby and Rosey, it was as lovely as always. And to you Floreena I wish a fast and safe journey and all the best in your new home. And Rena... take good care of Floreena and - although I can't believe that I'm saying this at all - also of yourself. After all you're my dearest foe."
Rena (for a change with a true smile): I'll do my very best... even more as this request comes from the sweetest thing my teeth will never get in contact with.
Abby (laughing): Sounds good enough for me. Bye all of you... have a great time until we meet again. *disappears under the sound of silver bells*
Rena (towards Floreena): Abby just made me wonder again... could you please explain once more to me why we need to climb into some cardbox now to make it over the Ocean instead of traveling by magic???
Floreena (smiling at him): I see your point... AGAIN, my dear friend... so one more time: As our new soulmate is a human not used to our kind of magic we will need to do it the human way by mail. *And with a broad grin* At least you will be able to dream of Abby while we're on our way.
Flutterby (laughing): I'm not so sure if this is a good idea. But I know a thing that is for sure a good idea!
Rosey (nodding): Yes, and a real must... we bet you are able to say "Cheeeeeese"?!
Floreena (excitedly): Oh, the traditional goodbye photo! This is in fact a brilliant idea!
Rena (with a broad grin): Eh... would it also be okay if I would say "geeeeeeeese" instead???

My, cheese... geese... any being to its likings... as long as nobody gets hurt (or eaten *gulp*) the only important thing is to get one last goodbye photo. And here it comes:


And as every photo looks better somehow with blogbearies on it *teehee*:


Floreena has made it to her final destination by now with a little inbetween visit at Betsy's place and at the Cloud Palace. And around here life is back to normal... however, even if one fairy being is gone other magical beings might appear when you least expect it. Look out for High Tide, a sea horse of the special kind while hopefully enjoying part 2 of our garden visit volume 93937. And as a little bonus today with our annual special "Where is Rosey?!". We hope you'll have fun... and that you did not forget the forget-me-nots from part 1...




Sitting on our hellebore and looking at the forget-me-nots reminds somehow of being on a small island in an ocean. Suddenly Rosey called out: "Look, Fluby - there comes High Tide!" She was right - High Tide, his very own version of a Sea Horse, came near in a fast gallop.




"Hi guys" said High Tide. "Are you stranded in that bush?" We laughed and I answered: "No, just resting and enjoying what seems to be an ocean of blue." High Tide shook his mane: "So you're thinking the same... this field really reminds me of my ocean origin. Would you like a little ride through the flower waves?" How could we ever refuse such an extraordinary offer so we climbed on his back and enjoyed very much his speed and having a totally different view.



The stallion let us down from his back in the alchemilla and said goodbye.


We started to give him thousand beary thanks but he just smiled and turned around. We saw him gallop through the forget-me-nots and we were sure he was dreaming he was running again through the waves of an ocean. 


After this wonderful experience I felt strong enough to cope with the ultimate pink overkill... while my little sis' turned into the happiest pink loving flower beary in the whole wide world.


But in the end... if it comes in waves of flowers even pink can be lovely after all. And funny too... because now it's time for our annual searching game "Where is Rosey?" Look if you are able to spot her... and trust me... she's there! ;O)


It's easy this year, isn't it? Anyhow, let's get a little closer:




And just in case -  here was Rosey in the first picture:


Would you like another round? If so you're welcome to "Where is Fluby?"...


Did you spot me? If so - chapeau! If not... perhaps now?




And as service is in our blogbeary DNA - here's my position in the first photo:


We hope you had fun... and that you can still stand four more photos:





And with this we're wishing to all of you a wonderful rest of April - have a great time with hopefully plenty of creative time. And keep in mind that magic can appear everywhere... ;O)

Hugs
Flutterby & Rosey