Easter-Po

Most people I talk to, have enough of the winter and the snow. Maybe next year, I feel that way too, but I am still enjoying the winter here very very much. When we left The Netherlands ten years ago, I never could have guessed that I, of all things, was going to miss the seasons most. Of course, Asia does have seasons, and I tell everybody (while whining about the weather), those seasons are: Hot with Rain, Hot without Rain and Very Very Very Hot ;-). How lucky we feel to experience a "proper" winter with lots of snow. So, I don't mind having a few more weeks of winter... but at the same time, I am looking forward to spring too. Maybe a year or so ago, I found this picture of cute looking hippo-cookies on the web. Can't help thinking about springtime and Easter, every time I see it. Then I thought "Easter and Hippos..." and then I smiled. You don't believe me? Imagine an Easter-Hippo carrying a basket, going around your garden, hiding chocolate eggs... you see it? What did I tell you? I know you are smiling now! If you want to know how to make these, please visit: Baking in Heels.  

Sara's Hippos

As I already stated in two previous posts: donated or previously owned hippos are most special to me (see posts: Antonia & Elmo and Diana & Raymond). Little did I know, I would receive a whole bloat one day. When a friend of my youngest daughter heard about my hippo collection, the blue plushies were delivered to me, nicely wrapped in tissue paper, in a bright pink bag. A few months later, she gave me a whole hippo family (Shleich - mouth open: 1996, mouth closed: 1991, and baby: 1996) while I was enjoying coffee with her mum. She told me she knew she had some more hippos, and had been looking for them for a while. I honestly did not know what to say, I was too surprised! Dear Sara, thank you so very much. Being a thoughtful, caring and sweet person already, at the age of nine, I am sure you will become a wonderful and lovely woman, just like your mum. I think it will be nice for you to know, that your hippos will end up in many more places around the world, some day. But no matter where they (physically) will be, you can always come "visit" them here on my blog :-).   

Lady Tracy

To put it precisely, this hippo is knitted by the grandmother of a colleague of our friend. I have seen crocheted hippos, but never seen knitted ones. So this cutie is another first. This colleague came to the office with some knitted snowmen, and told everybody they could be ordered. He also told that his grandmother makes many more things, like animals. Our friend asked if she could see some pictures, and the first picture that popped up was a hippo! As she was about to visit us shortly after, it was a bit creepy... of course it was my message sent through the universe, reminding her not to forget to bring a hippo ;-). We met our friend a few years ago, she was travelling around  the world, enjoying a sabbatical, and we were on  a short break, enjoying the beach. As my daughter put it rightly a few days ago: "If you had not said "hello", we would never have met Tracy. I can add, that if Tracy had not met me, she would not have thought anything, when she saw that hippo popping up on the screen! Dear Tracy, thank you for spending a few days with us. We all enjoyed your company very much (as always). Lady Tracy was complaining she was missing Britain. Hope some Dutch tulips will make her feel more at home here. 

Hippopotamus Anonymous

Before you get any funny ideas, there is NO organization that helps hippos with addictions or people having a Hippopotamus Addiction. I am aware of a few rather severe cases, but nothing life threatening ;-). This painting is signed by Ahichun in 2012. Unfortunately, I have never met the artist. I used to visit my friends at the Art Section (Section 7), of the Chatuchak Weekend Market, in Bangkok, Thailand, regularly. In between two streets, they made a kind of communal hang out place. An old table and a few chairs, often unbearably hot and humid... but by far the best place in Bangkok to share snacks, fruits, drinks, laughs and enjoy great company. Next to the chairs are some racks, full with paintings of multi-color (made with oil paint)-elephants. Those paintings were very popular with tourists, and I have seen many of them being sold, but I never saw the painter (a man, so I have been told...). For a long time, I waited to meet him, so I could ask him for a hippo painting in person, but in all those years, that never happened. At some point I gave up. My friend "A", a fellow artist, was so kind to call, place the order and negotiate a nice price. I love this colorful-hippo-family-on-white-canvas-painting...  A little bit: Hippopotamus Anonymous, and much more: Artist Anonymous.