Hunting tiles is hungry business so we stopped in to have lunch at 't Oelnbret in Dalen. We discovered this restaurant when we went up to the tile warehouse a couple of months ago and just loved it. Since the weather was just right, we sat outside on the terrace and had our lunch. I had a 'boerensalade' (farmer's salad) and a glass of rosé wine. Now I do not like rosé wine but last time we went to the restaurant, the owner gave me a glass of it to try as she said I don't like it because I have not had a really good one yet. It was so good that I ordered a glass this time when we had our lunch. It is called Whispering Angel. Jos had a wheat beer and homemade tuna salad sandwich. The garden was planted with many of the old fashioned Dutch plants like dahlias so we really enjoyed sitting here.
Autumn is starting to show through right now in little ways. The heather is starting to bloom which always tells me autumn in blowing our way. What is more typical Dutch countryside than a windmill? This one dates back to only 1902 which means it is not even that old but really stood out against the blue skies dotted with light and fluffy clouds.
The corn is standing high in the fields but will be harvested soon. All through this drive, we saw farmers rushing to harvest their hay from the fields. There was rain predicted for the next day.
After buying some new potatoes at a local farm, we came across these guinea fowl wandering around on the road. They took their good old time crossing the road..JPG)
And off they went into a nearby polder...See the grass drying in the field ready to be bailed up for winter feed for the cows?
What better sign of autumn than pumpkins??? 
We stopped in a garden nursery in the village of Noord Sleen and I bought this dish. It is a concrete dish made using a rhubarb leaf as a form. The woman who owns the nursery said her daughter makes them each spring and they sell them in the autumn. The reddish color in the middle is actually from the red in a rhubarb leaf. 
They allow you to pick pumpkins for in the dish. I got all green and white pumpkins and gourds for mine. I will wait until September to buy any orange ones but loved this look together. When autumn is passed, the dish can be used as a bird bath. Our cool and grey days are also echoing autumn.
Are you noticing any signs of autumn or are you still in the throws of summer where you live? 
24 comments:
Heidi,
Omg, I love that concrete dish! How neat is that? Loved the pictures, especially the windmill.
Autumn..it's not here by any stretch of the imagination, but nature is losing a lot of the bright green that was the proof that spring/summer was here. I so love autumn..it means it's time to tuck the house in at night and spend dreary days making soups and child..
Okay, we can go there when I come. Both meals look yummy. I love tuna salad and your salad looks very good.
I bet I would like that wine, since I do like rose.
That dish is great. Boy, that sure suits you to a T. Looks great with the things you put in it.
I like the birds singing while I read your blog.
Love you, Mom
The nights are much cooler which I love bz I sleep with the windows open. Other than that it still looks like summer around here. I would love to see heather in bloom. What a beautiful country you live in.
Leuk he..samen op stap en dan zulke mooie dingen ontdekken..ik bem blij dat ik jou blog ontdekt heb..ook al weer n tijdje geleden..Eem blog om van te genieten!
Fijne dag..regent t bij jou ook zo..beetje herfst hier:))
What an amazing dish, it will make a perect birdbath.
There are no pumpkins here yet....that's very Autumnal and I want a bit more Summer!
Hi Heidi,
This post was just what I needed today as I am getting a bit weary of the heat and humidity. Your lunch looks just perfect ~ beautiful surroundings, a healthy and well-presented salad and a good glass of wine. It doesn't get much better than that. I love the name of the wine. I'm thinking it would look pretty in my dining room at Christmastime near some of my angel collection:).
I love, love, love the leaf shaped dish you bought and it looks great the way you have displayed it.
Hope this finds you well and happy.
Hugs,
Kim
Hello Heidi, very charming story about your hunt for tiles, nice pictures as well ! I love the Autumn, all it's colors and gathering inside with a nice cup of tea after a long walk trough the woods. Hmmm, can't wait . . . early autumn greetings from In den Uylenbal , Christy & Lejo
Mooie schaal! (Irma heeft laatst zelf zo'n "bladschaal"gemaakt!(blog)
En heerlijk hoe Nederland is in Drenthe: er is nog rust en vriendelijkjheid te vinden.
Ik hoop op nog een heel klein beetje zomer, niet te warm hoor, maar zo rond de 20 graden vind ik prima!
Heidi, i love the cement dish. It is truly beautiful. I am jealous of the fact that autumn has arrived at your house.
Such beautiful photos. Makes me wish I were there to see all the vivid colors and surroundings. Yes, Autumn will be upon us soon. I think I'm actually ready for it!
Maureen
Love fall, just not into it yet. WE are headed to the East Coast (North Carolina) for our last week of summer holiday! Miss Lily starts kindergarten on 30 August. Then I will start to say goodbye to summer and hello to Ohio Fall!
Love, love, love that dish! It is difficult to believe it's made from concrete; it's amazing what they do with that stuff today.
Autumn, or fall as I usually call it, is rapidly approaching. It's still into the 80's here nearly every day, but some of the leaves on the trees are dying already, but that could be from the heat.
Heidi - I love the concrete bowl, and it looks great with the green and white gourds and pumpkins. We've had a slight cooldown in temps this week, and the locusts are singing in the evenings, but there is still a lot of summer to be had for the next several weeks. I do look forward to Autumn, though!
You find the neatest places when you are out and about. Lunch sounded yummy. The leaf dish is great. I was amazed at how big it is and it is perfect for the not quite autumn display.
Oh Heidi, your pictures are wonderful. Here you also feel and see the arrival of autumn. When looking out the living room window down the valley in the mornings I see the fog that covers the valley and the first leaves on the trees start to change their colour.
I'd also buy that dish immediately, it's fantastic and the birds will love it once you use it as a bird bath.
Your concrete dish is wonderful and I love the gourds you picked for it. And that salad looks scrumptious! I enjoyed seeing the pics of Holland especially the windmill. Can't wait to see the tiles you picked!
Dalen is een prachtig dorp en Sleen is zeker zo mooi. Wij waren er twee weken geleden tijdens onze laatste vakantiedagen. Onze lunch was toen een boterham uit een zakje maar volgende keer gaan we ook maar naar 't Oelnbret want die salades zien er voortreffelijk uit! Wat een mooi blad heb je gekocht. Bijna zonde om er wat op te leggen. Hugs en groetjes
I love the dish you brought Heidi also the gourds etc. to fill it. Well I don't know about Autumn approaching I certainly would like to see some more summer here in the UK it does not seem as thou we have had much sun this year. I do like the autumn colours but do not want to face winter yet. My large oak tree is full of acorns and the squirrels have stripped my twisted hazel of nuts, maybe this is a sign it will be a hard winter again.
Hope you are keeping well.
Hugs and crosses,
Hazel (UK)
We have none yet, so I really enjoyed seeing yours. It's so beautiful there. A building from 1902 in California would be considered a very old building. It's funny how things are so different. I love when you share the photos from your countryside. I wish I could come and see it for myself someday.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Blessings,
Marcia
Such a LOVELY day out, Heidi! And those salads are big & beautiful! We're had rain lately and cooler temps, so a bit of autumnal feel... Some leaves on certain trees are starting to turn a bit yellow. And the days growing short, dark coming in earlier. It will be autumn soon! Happy Days :o)((HUGS))
I love your photos. I don't really see signs of fall here yet. It's been a grey and muggy summer with a few nice summer days, but not nearly enough. I think winter will be hard to take after not really having much of a summer. Linda
I love your new dish. It is gorgeous. And lunch...wow. the windmill looks so picturesque. what a nice weekend. I see the signs of autumn too. the trees are losing a few tired leaves and sunlight is changing.
What a wonderful excursion you had while tile shopping. The country-side is beautiful and such a prety place to enjoy lunch. I love your dish created from the leaf and the way you have filled it with the gourds and little pumpkin is pretty. No signs of autumn, but I'm so looking forward to it. hugs, Linda
I realize this post was a while back, but wanted to say that where I am it is still hot--and muggy--but no rain. I am LONGING for autumn. I see the trees beginning to change from deep green to yellow green and I know it is coming. It gives me hope....cooler weather, lovely color. So much to be thankful for (even in the heat!)
Love your blog,
Clarissa
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