To finish off...
On sunday 27th, it was stormy, so we rugged up and went for a walk with Boeke. There were few other people out and about, so Boeke went almost 4 kms without a lead. He races out in front and then stops and looks back - just to make sure we are still there.
Some of the new works behind our place...
and lots more walks during the week...
A bit of sunshine (and more walkers) on New Year's Day...
From the lookout...
The Storm 1
Heerenveen has a world class skating arena - there were some National events on Sunday. Due to the extreme storm and corresponding LOW pressure - there were faster than normal times being recorded.
The Storm 2
Janny asked me if we needed to go and check the boat - some of the people on her Facebook "Boating in Friesland" site were concerned about the high water levels - I wondered what on earth she was talking about? as the boat is still "on the wall", as they say. i.e. not in the water - she laughed but probably didn't realise that we hadn't put the boat back in the water after the latest paint job. (But I probably do have to check the tarp covering the doors).
Also related to the storm... (a bit of history).
I have written before about a few "waterlinies" in the Netherlands. They are man-made defences against invaders - the inhabitants would flood low-lying areas to prevent passage of the invaders, but shallow enough that they couldn't use boats, either. They would also defend them from fortresses (often starshaped embankments).
(The main Netherlands Waterlinie proved totally inneffective against the German invasion of WWII).
Waterlinie Friesland Dec 2020 (photo below)
Translated by Google
Anyone who wants to imagine the functioning of the Frisian water line along the southern and eastern border of Friesland and in particular of the military function of the line between Wolvega and De Blesse on the river Lende ( Linde) located Blessebrugschans, should take a look there now. Heavy rainfall from 24 to 27 December 2020 has flooded the area surrounding the once important defensive work, just as was almost always the case centuries ago.
Photo:
The Blessebrugschans on the river Lende south of Wolvega, a significant part of the Frisian Waterline. Photos: 25 December 2020, Albert Hendriks, Friesland Holland News Service.
A water line is a series of fortified towns or defenses, such as forts and sconces (earthen walls), with areas in between that can be flooded. These so-called inundation areas in the Dutch and Frisian delta were usually not very deep, about 40 cm on average, but sufficiently deterrent to the enemy. He could no longer see the reasonably fordable places in the rivers, which often stretched far beyond its banks, and could not recognize ditches. The peat holes in the peat areas had also become invisible. The depth was also so low that any boats deployed by the enemy would run aground in numerous places, for example on dikes.
The Frisian Water Line
Not only in Holland was a water line, also in the south and east of Friesland, namely between Slijkenburg aan de Lende near Kuinre and Frieschepalen east of Drachten. It was constructed in the 16th century in the catchment areas of the Lende, the Chjonger, the Boarn and the Ald Djip to repel approaching enemies, such as the Spaniards, from the south and east.
When Spanish soldiers and Spanish-minded Dutchmen succeeded in taking the Steenwijk fortress just a few kilometers from the Frisian border in 1589, the Frisians erected small star-shaped earthen defenses where you could easily cross the mentioned rivers or through the swamps. Such a location was De Blesse in the valley of the Lende, on the trade and army route between Steenwijk and Leeuwarden. Which ran via Wolvega. It is still the case that traffic from the south goes via Wolvega to Leeuwarden via the A32. The old road from the 17th century between Steenwijk and Wolvega is still traceable. This has been made very visible through the restoration of the Blessebrugschans on the Lende.
Bombing bishop
The Eighty Years' War (1568-1648) did not improve the Blessebrugschans. It fell into disrepair. The marshes in the area were also gradually drained, so that unwanted guests could enter Friesland fairly easily.
The Prince-Bishop of Münster, Germany, Christoph Bernhard Freiherr von Galen (1606-1678), after a deal with the French, English and the Archbishop of Cologne, had already for a short time been in control of the eastern part of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands . The belligerent Catholic lost the conquered territory within a year, through fierce opposition, but in the Netherlands they continued to fear the German clergyman. Sure enough, in September 1672 all hell broke loose again in the eastern Netherlands and also in Groningen, the city that the bishop bombarded with explosives and smelly bombs, hence the Groningen nickname 'Bommen Berend'. Fortunately, Groningen kept him out of the gates.
Frisian resistance
The bishop's large army - an estimated 18,000 men after the loss of some 6,000 men in the fighting in Groningen - decided to withdraw via Friesland. However, it came up against the hastily restored waterfront by the Frisian nobleman Hans Willem van Aylva (1633-1691) and his supporters. Van Aylva's army is said to have consisted of only 6,000 soldiers. They had to man no fewer than ten border ramparts.
Here and there the frustrated Germans tried to force a breakthrough, but the Frisian army commander succeeded with a kind of guerilla tactic to keep the bishop's army at bay for a year!
Panic
August 24, 1673 the crew of the Blessebrugschans turned out to be no match for the German superior numbers. The eastern neighbors won the fighting, but were unable to continue their way home safely. They completely lost track in the Wolvega area. Due to a sudden north-westerly storm they were surrounded by high water from the Lende and the Tsjonger, then also known as Kuunder. They panicked. According to legend, they flew in all directions, attacked by Frisian fighters who had regained their strength. Many drowned or were shot. So it happened that on August 29, 1673, the bishop of Münster, after a year of struggle, definitely renounced the conquest of the provinces of Groningen and Friesland.
(I'm always interested in this stuff - mainly because we use the waterways that are spoken of - especially the Tjonger which is part of our yearly Turf Route trip).
Down in the Dumps...
When Ben was here, he found an old 1958 "Libelle" magazine - a bit like Woman's Day or Woman's Weekly.
In it, there was an article about "Winter Depression" - which is a "thing" these days. Ben couldn't believe that they were even talking about it back then - 60 years ago.
I think I have had it, but always thought that it was just missing friends and family at Christmas time...probably a combination of both. I think I haven't had time for it since we started the Care Farm, as we keep going during the winter months.
Walking the dogs is good therapy!! ...and looking forward to being on the boat again!
(Some people have to be treated properly - one of the treatments is "Light Therapy" ie. as in not darkness and gloom.)
I found quite a few (Dutch) websites dealing with the the subject...
...and translated a bit of this one.
1. Winter depression or winter dip?
Many people suffer from a winter blues. A winter dip is a mild form of a winter depression in which fatigue mainly plays a role. As soon as you experience severe depression and negative thoughts during the fall and winter months in addition to extreme fatigue, you could be dealing with winter depression.
Winter depression is most common in adults, but children and young people can also be affected. While as an adult you can suffer a lot from gloomy feelings during the winter months, children can react more irritably. You can also deal with various characteristics, such as:
Gloomy and listless
Being depressed and gloomy;
Little to no more enjoyment;
Have less need for social contacts;
Sometimes closing yourself off from the outside world;
Experience loss of pleasure or interest in (almost) all activities;
Have too little energy to do daily things;
Have crying spells;
Feeling out of balance;
Being irritable;
Have a lot of self-criticism and little self-esteem;
Have (seriously) sad thoughts and feelings.
Not to mention the extra problems of 2020...and then Winter as well!!
I spent New Year's Eve going through my old Google Albums, giving them all a year in the title so that I can find them more easily.
Whilst doing 2020, I realised that there were many good things to look back on - rather than the Covid Doom and Gloom - Just to think how lucky we are...
I think Janny misses people and other activities more than I do, but we haven't missed out on too much, really. Perhaps visits from Australia and our own yearly trip to France...
The boat on the Kromme Ee between Drachten and Grou
The passing of Zoey and the growth of Boeke
A visit to the Lemmer (steam) Pumping Station with Robin and Joy (before restrictions)
Sharing a bit of "boat stuff" with Robin & Joy...
Moving Ben to Amsterdam (again!)
Arranging a drone to take aerial photos of De Twa Buken
Taking Janny's Mum for a day trip on the boat...
Another boat weekend in Boornzwaag
Taking Greethilda and Albert for a boat trip...Heerenveen to Wijnjewoude
Having Boeke on Board
Visiting an uncle's War Grave in Hamburg
Having a family "camping" weekend at our place...
Being "looked after" by the Goverment and their arrangements during the lockdown - and sorting out our own distancing and other measures, so that we could stay in business...
I cheated this week, by sorting out my photos and doing most of this on Saturday afternoon instead of Sunday morning.
Best Wishes for 2021!
You still did quite a lot!
ReplyDeleteGood reading too. Let’s have a better 2021.